For the purposes of this list the Northwest includes Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. I’d like to include Vancouver B.C. but I just don’t know enough to really say too much about it. Notable bands who hail from the northwest and released an album this year include but are not limited to the 25 chosen for this list. Should I have aggregiously missed an album that deserves attention, leave a comment.

25. Dept of Energy - Held By Waits

24. A Gun That Shoots Knives - Miracle

23. Das Llamas - World War

22. Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank

21. Aqueduct - Or Give Me Death

20. Solvents - Manresa Castle

19. Rocky Votolato - The Brag & Cuss

18. The Shaky Hands - The Shaky Hands

17. Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter - Like, Love, Lust

16. The Lonely H - Hair

15. Laura Viers - Saltbreakers

14. Feral Children - Eternity Emergency EP

13. Ms Led - Shake Yourself Awake

12. The Blakes - The Blakes

11. Ghost Stories - Quixoticism

10. David Bazan - Fewer Moving Parts EP

9. Shane Tutmarc and the Traveling Mercies - I’m gonna Live the Life I Sing About in My Song

8. Whalebones - Morning Man EP

7. Siberian - With Me

6. Ice Age Cobra - Brilliant Ideas from Amazing People

5. Tiny Vipers - Hands Across the Void

4. The Whore Moans - Watch Out for this Thing

3. The Shins - Wincing the Night Away

2. Cave Singers - Invitation Songs

1. Menomena - Friend and Foe

Give a listen. Buy an album.

Abbey will have her list of the best local Seattle releases shortly as well.

How one stands up to the weight of expectations and the glare of the spotlight sometimes is not entirely in ones control. After the last few days, James Mercer, lead vocalist of the Shins, probably knows that all too well. He’s been suffering from a throat ailment of some sort, causing him lose some of his higher register notes, and forcing him to pop Ricola’s and sing with them in his mouth. I was actually afraid he might choke on his remedy at least once, but he powered through his set without letting his throat dampen his mood for a second sold out set at the Paramount in Seattle.

With a 50 foot high rendition of their album cover as a backdrop, the Shins started their set with a couple of my new favorites, “Australia” and “Phantom Limb” and then dove into the old favorites. A number of the tried and true tracks had been retooled to slower and sparser arrangements that seem more in the style of the new album. A notable highlight happened when a fan threw a very large set of grannie panties tightey-whitey’s on stage with the writing “this is how much we love you.” “I Love you THIS much.” Martin (the keyboardist) thought that was hilarious and draped it over a mic stand for a few songs. The pair of underwear were so big he thought he might wear it as a shirt for a song, but that didn’t work out so well.

Despite Mercer’s vocals being rough and strained at the high note moments, it didn’t detract from the quality of the performance. They were all clearly happy and prepared to have a good time on stage, and that rubbed off on the crowd. The new songs were much tighter than when seeing them at Deck the Hall ball, and when put in a concert context, seemed to fit in with the rest of their catalog seamlessly. I do think that this size venue is really their limit though.

Viva Voce was also very good. I was rather suprised by it actually. I haven’t delved deeply into their newest album so didn’t know any of their stuff, but it didn’t matter because they had an effusive energy that was difficult to resist, especially drummer Kevin. His shoutout and acknowledgement to the front row member with the headband matching his own, and who he saw waiting in line when they arrived, was one of the nicest things I’ve seen in a while. Being a superfan has its benefits.

Related

Flickr Set:  The Shins - The Paramount - February 20, 2007

This weekend and the next week features a number of free live performances you may or may not want to take in. In chronological order:

Ben Kweller will be doing an in-store at the new Sonic Boom General Store in Fremont at 5:30pm. That is two hours from now people!

The Trucks doing an EndSession on the 107.7 The End with harms at 6pm on Friday.

The Heavy Hearts will be doing an in-store performance at Sonic Boom West Seattle at 8pm on Friday.

Ice Age Cobra will be doing an in-store performance at Silver Platters Queen Anne on Saturday at 6pm. They’ll be playing at the Sunset later that night.

The Shins are going to be doing a noon in-store at the Easy Street Queen Anne location on Tuesday February 20.

Aqueduct will be at Easy Street Queen Anne at 7pm on Friday February 23.

Intervention - Arcade Fire (of the forthcoming Neon Bible)
Brilliant Ideas from Amazing People - Ice Age Cobra
Lies, Lies, Lies and Cold Ground (lay me down) - The Hands
Lavender Lunchbox and the Psychadelic Light Bulb
This Canary - A Gun That Shoots Knives
Slow Down Gandhi - Sage Francis
Tourist Trap - Bright Eyes
Neon Golden- Notwist
Wincing the Night Away - The Shins (just like everyone else in Seattle….)
Watch Out for This Thing - The Whore Moans (my favorite band name, possibly ever)
On The Breaks - The Heavy Hearts
Stuck Between Stations - The Hold Steady
Kid A - Radiohead
Cinnamon - The Long Winters

… the more I look at it, the more this list is completely non-sensical, i’ve been really scattered this month…

The Shins will debut at #2 on tommorow’s Billboard charts. With over 100,000 units sold it’s been a good week for Sub Pop. Will anyone even remember who Little Ricky is six months from now? American Idol Daughtry came in at #3. (Hat tip to LineOut.)

Band of Horses annouce show at the Showbox. They’ll be playing with one of my new favorite local’s Sera Cahoone on Monday February 26th. Tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10am. I should also let you know that the Bright Eyes show on the 11th of March is sold out.

The Vera Project auction was a success! So far the tally is over $200,000 and it all goes to finish funding the all-ages venue’s new space in Seattle Center.

Pretty Girls Makes Graves announces breakup after one final tour. What everyone is talking about today.

Second Shins show added! To be February 18 at the Paramount. Tickets go on sale February 2nd (Friday)! Hat tip to Lineout.

Harp interviews Modest Mouse about their new record. A very interesting read. They also have a small interview with new band member Johnny Marr, formerly of the Smiths.

The Elected on Daytrotter! Blake Sennett of Rilo Kiley has another band called The Elected. Their last release, Sun, Sun, Sun was in January of 2006. Now they have a live session with Daytrotter for download. (Not really northwest related I know, but I sure do love The Elected!)

Okay, so maybe flawless sans qualifier, five times, was a bit much. Still, I’d stand by the description “nearly flawless,” a hundered times over to describe this album.

I disagree with Pitchfork and commentor “Josh” (of sciencevsromance) that songs 1-4 are the best of the album. While, I couldn’t agree more with Pitchfork’s statement that “songs 1-4 are unerringly solid,”  the more I listen to Wincing The Night Away, the more I am compelled by the album’s later tracks. In fact on my initial listen of the album, my favorite tracks were “Black Wave” and “A Comet Appears,” respectively tracks 8 and 11.

Yes, I love the songs which everyone else seems to be describing as ‘The Shins fucking with their winning formula.’ My feeling is this: whatever album these guys put out was going to be criticized. If they stuck with their Garden State sounds they would have been ridiculed for trying to pen Zach Braff and Natalie Portman’s next life changing song. Yet, once they released an album that diverted from their previous material, they’re ruining something sacred. 

And truthfully, I don’t think Wincing The Night Away is that big of a change from their previous releases. It still features what the Shins do best, write incredibly well crafted songs, which strike close to the listeners heart. Though there may be more instrumentation or as Pitchfork labeled it “sonic punch” - the album still sounds wonderfully familiar, intimate, and comfortable. Even with some fuzzy Amnesiac era introductions (espescially featured on “split needles”) the songs are still beautifully compelling; enveloping in their elegant simpleness and silky harmonies.

Austinist Updates its SXSW list. Now 340 bands confirmed. Among the new confirmations are Catfish Haven, Midlake, The Rosebuds, and Bishop allen  

British sensations the Kooks have announced a small North American tour and, wonder of wonders, they are stopping by our own Crocodile Cafe. May 3rd is the date for those interested.

The Shins are said to have sold around 60,000 albums so far in the initial week. Daughtry (of American Idol fame) pulled off a #1 chart spot last week with only 65,000 sold. Pretty Ricky is pulling in 110,000 already this week, putting a damper on the Shins parade. LEt me just say: Who the fuck is Pretty Ricky? Nonetheless, this is still the biggest Sub Pop debut in history which is great.

Did you get your endmail today telling you about a Coachella presale starting tommorow morning?

Hope you didn’t wait to buy your tickets till the album was out. The Shins February 20th show at the Paramount Theatre, has officially sold out. Truthfully I was surpsised it didn’t sell out faster.
Have you bought and listened to the new record? What do you think?

Again, Pitchfork and I have beef. I’ve spent quite some time, let’s say two weeks, mulling over just how to extol the virtues of The Shins latest release, Wincing The Night Away. And I’ve got bupkiss. In fact I got one measley line down, something like ‘if you needed my review to convince you to buy the Shins third release you are probably a lost cause anyway.’

Pitchfork, on the other hand, reviewed 5 albums today, January 22nd. Three of them, including a compilation (yes one of those “Various Artists”) got higher ratings than The Shins, who clocked in at a somewhat dismal 7.0. Which left me yelling at my monitor: Really Pitchfork?! A 7? And a 7.0?! No extra half a point? Not even a .3?

Thus, in solidarity with…myself; I stand by my initial review:

The following are my top five reasons why it’s impossible to write a review, much less a critique, of Wincing The Night Away:

1. it’s flawless
2. it’s flawless
3. it’s flawless
4. it’s flawless
5. it’s flawless