(Aural Apothecary/Columbia)In the years since their surge of popularity in the early noughties,the Shins occupy more or less been whittled down to a James Mercer solo project. This record, his first in five years, or certainly has the markings of a personal voyage. As well as being self-produced,it is full of candid, heartfelt anecdotes mixed with committee-free experimentation. recent wave influences ripple throughout; Rubber Ballz has psychedelic qualities; Mildenhall is an Americana track that recalls his teen years in the UK and starting to discover music; the mechanical vocals in the verse of Cherry Hearts sound as if he’s channelling a robot. Name for You – inspired by his three daughters – finds him in paternal mode, or giving a pep talk: “They’re just afraid of you speaking your mind.” Heartworms is an album of tinkering and pootling,the sound of a man reminiscing on life, referencing his favourite records – less rock star, and more bloke living out his hobby from the consolation of a suburban garage.
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Source: theguardian.com