The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow

When we talk about American bands, indie seems to represent a different thing than it does in the UK. American indie bands tend to consist of geeky blokes with bad clothes and a sharp sense of a pop hook. Over here, indie has become something of a dirty word. It seems to be more about painfully fashionable kids in too-tight jeans with absolutely dreadful hair chugging out bland, lazy and forgettable dirges. I think the Americans have got it right on this one.

Look no further than The Shins for an example. I would suggest that they are the archetypal American Indie band. Their second album, Chutes Too Narrow is, in my opinion, their defining record. (Others would disagree, and say their debut O, Inverted World is their best. This is a good sign - No one album wonders, this lot).

At the risk of peddling an over-used phrase, this record really is PERFECT POP. James Mercer and co drift their way through half an hour of quirky melodic songs whose sunniness masks some occasionally dark lyrics ('And secretly I want to bury in the yard, the grey remains of a friendship scarred')

There are odd whispers (and occasional full-throated screams) of the Beach Boys in the harmonies, and Turn a Square is not far short of a full-scale hoe-down. Quite frankly, if you only ever download one album from me, then this must be it. Do it now!

Download: The Shins - Chutes Too Narrow