I have been a Shins fan for a long time, I’m pretty sure even before they became mega-famous (compared to what they were before,) due to Garden State. (I have nothing against Garden State–it is one of my favorite movies,) but, many long-time Shins fans will wince when you speak the words, “Oh yea! I love the Shins! Garden State, right?” It may be a reaction to some indie-lovers automatic distaste to whatever is mainstream, or their distaste to most (not all but the majority,) bands tending to change once they hit fame potential.
When I first listened to their latest album, ‘Wincing The Night Away’ I thought it was okay, good, different, no “Caring Is Creepy,” but okay. For me, I think I have issues with listening/liking a band/their music when the latest thing that they have created is not as fantastic. For example, The Red Hot Chili Peppers.
One of my all-time greatest memories is a single moment when I went to see the Chili Peppers live this summer. I had been going through one of my most major obsessions, (literally there were two songs out of their 2-hour set that I didn’t know all the words to.) John Frusciante (guitar, back-up vocals,) strummed the first note to their 1997 song off of Californication, “Scar Tissue.” I don’t know how or exactly why, but a tear literally dropped from my forbidden eye, as a reflex, automatically! It was one of the greatest nights of my life. Yet, when I attempt to join this night with the point that I was trying to make, in my opinion, their latest album, “Stadium Arcadium” is not exactly the best. Maybe there are issues with loving something that may not exist as much as it used to, I don’t know.
When it came to the Shins, I hadn’t been listening to my old favorites as much. Still, I was really excited when I was looking on one of gods greatest new technology inventions, I can’t remember what it’s called, but, It is on itunes and it says all of the show dates for the artists on your library. The Shins were performing in six days! Sooo unbelievably exciting! So, as desperate as I was, I begged for tickets. Not only did we get them, but we had unbelievably amazing seats, (literally 5feet from the stage!) It had been a hard day, and the concert was a great getaway. My sister and I were right next to one another, dancing, singing, standing up the whole time. I sware, three out of the five band members smiled at us! Especially, and I’ll never forget this, when James Mercer (lead singer,) looked at us, while our hearts jumped, and my sister waved frantically at him. It was really amazing.
I urge all music lovers, and non-music lovers, to just try and find things that you truly love. Even little, illogical pieces of music, can really make you never alone. For me, my latest favorites include:
MADDIE’S CURRENT PLAYLIST AS FOLLOWS:

band: The Shins:
songs: Saint Simon; New Slang; Girl Inform Me; Kissing The Lipless; Australia

band: Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins:
songs: Handle With Care; The Big Guns; Rise Up With Fists!!!; Happy

band: Rilo Kiley—-(Jenny Lewis is lead singer.)
songs: The Execution of All Things; Does He Love You?; Ripchord; Emotional (Until Crickets Guide You Back); Go Ahead; After Hours

band: Bright Eyes
albums: LIFTED or the Story Is In the Soil Keep Your Ear To The Ground; I’m Wide Awake It’s Morning; Fevers And Mirrors
songs: A Perfect Sonnet; Lua; Four Winds; Something Vague; The Calendar Hung Itself…; When The President Talks to God; Make War; Road To Joy; Let’s Not S&*t Ourselves (To Love and To Be Loved); Bowl Of Oranges

band: Maria Taylor
songs: A Good Start; Clean Getaway; Song Beneath the Song

band: M.Ward
song: Poison Cub; Chinese Translation

band: Death Cab for Cutie
song: The Sound of Settling; Title and Registration; Soul Meets Body; What Sarah Said; I Will Follow You Into The Dark; Marching Bands of Manhattan

band: Discovery Zone
song: Wrecking Ball; Aunt Jemina

band: Iron & Wine
song: Such Great Heights; Naked As We Came

band: Joni Mitchell
song: Carey; All I Want; Both Sides Now; River

band: Radiohead
song: Paranoid Android; —this song is brilliant— Karma Police; Creep; Exit Music (For A Film); The Bends; High And Dry

band: Sufjan Stevens
note: the song names are all to long so just please, for your sake, by album “Come On Feel The Illinois!”

If you have suffered through that whole list, I thank you!