The Shins on SNL: Thoughts

I've been a fan of The Shins for a good four years now, and in those four years they have never stepped foot in the state of Texas. As least I don't think so. Seeing the band live has been a desire fo mine for some time and it still looks like I'm far off, with the band once again snubbing Texas on their upcoming tour. So when I heard that the band would be the musical guest on SNL, I tore myself away from the Rockets game and watched. As per usual with SNL, the musical guest performs two songs.

The first song performed by The Shins was "Phantom Limb" their first single off Wincing the Night Away, their upcoming album. The song itself is pretty good, and was a great pick for the opening song on SNL. It's probably their most accessible song to date. However, maybe it was just the shock of seeing The Shins live, but it felt like the band wasn't really the type of group that SNL fans would typically enjoy. Playing on the same stage as Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Nickelback just doesn't feel right. At least to me. But the song was great. Anita from Viva Vocé lent her vocals she made a huge difference in the performance. The song felt a little less full than it does on the album, which is more of a minor annoyance than a complaint. Regardless, it's The Shins, so I didn't really find anything to hate.

Viva Vocé - Photo by Alicia J. Rose

Their second song was far superior to their first in almost every way. "New Slang," arguably their most popular song since Natalie Portman's classic endorsement of it in Garden State, was flawless. Anita once again hit the back up vocals on this song and it really gave the song more beauty than it would have had otherwise. The Shins looked and played more confidently during this song than they did on the previous song, no doubt due to the fact that it's several years old. it felt full and complete, whereas "Phantom Limb" felt more like a crowd-pleaser gone awry than anything else. It definitely gave me new respect for the song, as it was never really a favorite before.

Overall, The Shins did a fairly decent job of playing to an audience that, let's face it, would rather hear Top 40 bands than an obscure indie band with a chance gig on Saturday Night Live. They held their own and did what they do. No more, no less. Anita's voice was flawless and I would be disappointed to not see her involved in future projects with the band. For my first time seeing The Shins live, it was not a letdown at all. I just hope they come to Texas soon. I may cry if they don't.