new music notes

I spent much of the weekend rocking out to the new Shins album, Wincing the Night Away.

If you're on the fence about getting this album, let me just push you off, right into the buy camp. You won't regret it. If you require further convincing, go visit the Shins' myspace page – you can listen to ten complete tracks there.

It's a really satisfying record, with wonderfully imaginative melodies that recall everything I have always liked about Morrissey's more spirited songs ("Australia" is the particular Shins track I'm thinking of here – don't you hear a little bit of "Piccadilly Palare" in there?).

In other delightful music news, my friend Jose recently sent me a tidbit about Rufus Wainwright's forthcoming album, Release the Stars:

The LP, which is due to be released in May, has been executive-produced by Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys.

Wainwright said of the new record: "The theme is just about releasing your love and your brilliance, or acting on your impulses and basically laying it all down on the line.

"I think so much of life is spent hoarding and saving and protecting, and very few of us really live our full potential."

Speaking about his recent creative activity, Wainwright told the Ann Arbor News: "I'm definitely in my prime and ready to flex all the artistic muscles I have been training over the years."

Needless to say, I am quivering in anticipation over this one.