The Shins - Australia Single Review

The Shins

Australia
Single Review

The Shins are disliked only by murderers, rapists and spotty teenagers obsessed with Nirvana. At worst they are inoffensive. At best they are a summery blend of blissful melody, sun-kissed guitars and superbly smooth production, tinted with the same kind of joyfulness as The Magic Numbers, but sounding a little more authentically Pacific. Australia follows this trend.

Unfortunately for The Shins, they come from Portland, Oregon, which while is on the West Coast of the United States, is more Southport, Merseyside than South California. However this song has melodies bereft of miserablism, lyrics soaked in melancholy and a banjo chucked in for good measure. Put it this way, it’s a million times better than that Manics track of the same name.

Stephen Vigors