Just in case you haven’t already stumbled into it already elsewhere on the interwebs, I thought I would join the crowd posting about the first legally available track from the Shins’ highly anticipated Wincing the Night Away:
Phantom Limb
This song has been making the rounds in the blogosphere like a presidential candidate in New Hampshire, and the general consensus is “good, but…shouldn’t there be a little more?”
I don’t have a whole lot to add, except to say it’s at least a minute too long – there are some very nice moments, but it can’t really sustain 5 minutes. And, I hate to say it, but it really could use a more forceful chorus to give it some more oomph. The “oooh, waooohs” are very pretty but the whole one-extended-verse thing just doesn’t seem to quite work for me this time around.
Anyways, those are minor complaints and while “Phantom Limb” certainly isn’t “New Slang,” “Kissing the Lipless,” Fighting in a Sack,” it’s more than good enough to keep excitement levels high for the full record.
Head over to Subpop to get the Phantom Limb single, including two exclusive B-sides. And mark January 23 on your calendars for the release of Wincing the Night Away.