Indie pop saviors, the Shins, hit Boston

Sick of the tirade of garage rock rival bands? Feel distanced or alienated by the artsy new-wave movement? Just want some peppy-indie-lo-fi pop that's unabashedly, well...poppy? Our warriors who fight the good fight for sunshine and goodness in music, also known as the Shins, will touch down in Boston this Friday at the Roxy, promising to save us all from this hoity-toity, post-punk movement.

These four Albuquerque boys exploded into the limelight with their 2001 release, Oh, Inverted World, after nine strong years under the radar. The group is currently promoting Chutes Too Narrow, which is a bit of a detour (albeit a welcome one) from Oh, Inverted World.

The first album's catchy tracks integrate melodic chords, light synths, and strong drum rhythms into a consistent warm and fuzzy sound. Conversely, Chutes Too Narrow offers a peppier sound with more obvious influences from the '60s pop era.

Chutes also boasts a more eclectic collection of tunes that range from acoustic twang to a smooth blend of synth effects, drums, and delicate guitar. Short but sweet, Chutes is an understated album when compared to Introverted's longer play list.

Vocals are the Shins' obvious strong suite. Persuasive and emphatic lyrics take listeners to a surreal pop world where it makes perfect sense to feel giddy, melancholy, bored, and lonely all at once.

"So Says I," a brief political theory romp, is a particular standout track on Chutes. Against a bouncy melodic guitar and heavy cymbal background, the Shins find themselves in a nasty, brute state of nature.

Lead singer James Mercer's effective lyrics exclaim, "So we burned all our uniforms/ And let nature take its course again/ And the big ones just eat all the little ones/ ...Tell Sir Thomas More we've got another failed attempt."

"Young Pilgrims" also serves up good pop sensibility with simple and crisp acoustic guitar. Mercer admits in the song, "I know there is this side of me that wants to grab the yoke from the pilot/and just fly the whole mess into the sea."

The Shins might have recorded the most decidedly adorable song of 2003 with "Turn a Square." Its lusty vocals and rock-inspired instrumentals blend wonderfully with Mercer's lovable admittance that, "Just a glimpse of an ankle/ and I react like it's 1805."

Essentially, Chutes plays with the listener's musical palate and creates an album that's an absolute joy to experience. Whether it's the sun-shiny harmonies of "Saint Simon," (which are definitely sing-along worthy) the jangling synths of "Fighting in a Sack," or the delicate and somber "Gone for Good," the Shins aim to please.

With hooks and inventive harmonies galore, the Shins continue to create some of the best music in recent years. Theirs is a joyous music which carries none of the pretense of the modern artsy post-punk movement. The Shins' music is sure to bring some much needed Albuquerque sunshine to the Roxy this Friday.

The Shins perform at The Roxy in Boston this Friday, February 13. Show starts at 7 p.m. Cass McCombs and Sam Jayne (from Of Love as Laughter) open.