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"Heartworms" is the fifth studio album by American rock band The Shins. The album was released March 10, 2017, on Columbia Records. It is the Shins' first studio album in five years. The album was produced by James Mercer.
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Mercer has long been able to strike that delicate balance between composing complex yet lucid lyrical arrangements to match The Shins’ lush instrumentation, prime examples being his masterstrokes “'Caring Is Creepy' and 'Simple Song'. Heartworms however exhibits a more stripped-down, homespun approach in most areas, allowing Mercer expansive space to really lean into the diverse sounds and let his vocals soar. What results is what fans have come to expect of a Shins’ release - tight, well-layered, and high-calibre indie pop designed to intrigue those very same people waiting patiently between hibernation periods. In short, the time off once again proves useful, with the band issuing one of its strongest releases with Heartworms.
Throughout Heartworms, Mercer and company prove that their sparse output is well worth the wait. The totality of the record is enough to engulf listeners in myriad textures accomplished via sound and vision. Mercer is not only a dynamic songwriter but producer as well, constantly exploring new, diverse methods to keep ears glued. His antenna to fan expectations for the familiar as well as the unforeseen is rivalled by a precious few in the indie rock scene. To quote one the band’s staples, “it’s a luscious mix of words and tricks.”
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