The Shins October 4, 2012

The Shins began in 1996 as a side project for Albuquerque singer/songwriter James Mercer, whose primary band was Flake Music. The Shins' 2001 single, "New Slang," and their debut album, "Oh, Inverted World," cemented the band's reputation as one of the genre's leading younger bands, receiving critical acclaim for its lyrically deft and jangly pop sound. Their latest release, "Port of Morrow," has been called the band's "most satisfying achievement" (Boston Phoenix).