So, who ARE The Shins? For those of you at GHS, the band might have a familiar ring: if you browse through the Entertainment section of our paper - their newest album was highlighted on page three. The Shins was officially formed in 1997, when James Mercer, the head singer/songwriter decided to take a path similar to that of Ben Gibbard, whom I spoke about last week: Mercer went off on a side project. His main band was Flake Music, but after writing several songs that would later become The Shin's first album, "Nature Bears a Vaccuum", he formed a second group. Taking his drummer, Jesse Sandoval, from Flake Music, Mercer put together that first album with very few expectations. However, the group eventually needed to pick up two other musicians to keep up with the concerts. Marty Crandall, also from Flake Music, was brought in on keyboards, and Dave Hernandez, from Sacred of Chakra, became the bassist. Now that their group was formed, touring began on a larger scale. Unfortunately, Dave Hernandez was forced to break from the band due to a personal relationship, but a replacement, Johnathan Poneman, was brought in. Hernandez later joined the band again in 2003. The group became known for their folkish-rock beats, complex lyrics, and quiet sound.Nature Bears a Vacuum1. Those Bold City Girls2. Eating Styles from Elephants' Eyes3. We Built a Raft and We Floated4. My Seventh RibWhen I Goose-Step1. When I Goose-Step2. The Gloating SunNew Slang1. New Slang2. Sphagnum EsplanadeKnow Your Onion1. Caring Is Creepy2. One By One All Day3. Weird Divide4. Know Your Onion!5. Girl Inform Me6. New Slang7. The Celibate Life8. Girl On The Wing9. Your Algebra10. Pressed in a Book11. The Past and PendingKnow Your Onion EP (2002)1. Know Your Onion!2. My Seventh Rib [Live]3. New Slang [Life]4. Sphagnum EsplinadeSo Says I1. So Says I2. Mild Child3. Gone For Good [Alternate Version]Chutes Too Narrow1. Kissing The Lipless2. Mine's Not a High Horse3. So Says I4. Young Pilgrim5. Saint Simon6. Fighting in a Sack7. Pink Bullets8. Turn a Square9. Gone For Good10. Those To ComeWincing The Night Away1. Sleeping Lessons2. Autralia3. Pam Berry4. Phantom Limb5. Sea Legs6. Red Rabbits7. Turn On Me8. Black Wave9. Spirit Needles10. Girl Sailor11. A Comet AppearsSome Useful WebsitesShins at Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_ShinsThe Shins Discography http://www.google.com/musica?aid=y0Iv9zKlBpB&sa=X&oi=music&ct=resultThe Official Shins Website http://www.theshins.com/ The Shins at Subpop (Record Label) http://www.subpop.com/artists/the_shinsThe Shins at AOL Music http://music.aol.com/artist/the-shins/434969/mainThe Shins at Myspace http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=3225508