The Shins return in 2012 with new album, Port of Morrow. Due to release on 19 March on founder and lead singer/songwriter James Mercer’s own label, Aural Apothecary and Columbia records, it is their fourth studio album.

Recorded over the duration of 2011, it mixes their style of indie folk-rock with their talent for delivering a subtle surf-rock feel throughout each track.

Port of Morrow is reminiscent of previous albums like the extremely successful Oh, Inverted World, 60’s inspired lyrics with that wonderful style of creating a laid back melody but now with a more simplistic and buoyant sound.

Simple Song is the first single from the album, a catchy and positive offering combining Mercer’s love of harmony with his new found fondness for a more joyful sounding tune.  It epitomises the album and Mercer’s move to the upbeat. It is almost the ‘sound track’ of the album.

Mercer pushes his voice in each song and particularly on title track Port of Morrow.  A melancholy track, lethargic with sluggish percussion but altogether,  it is just a beautiful sound.  Lyrics which portray a genuine message and highlight the effect Mercer’s children have on him.

Mercer’s distinctive vocal along with the subtle sporadic harmonies remind you that this is The Shins, in spite of the group having a completely new line up.  And it isn’t that the new musicians have slotted in and merely replaced their predecessors, it is obvious that each has brought something different to the group, an enhancement but which shows the progress a band has to make over time however, Mercer clearly knows what sound he wants to create.

Port of Morrow is the kind of album you want to kick back to on a warm summer’s day, laying in the grass letting the haze of melodies wash over as you sip on something cool.

Fran Bonner – March 2012