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One of the most renowned American indie rock bands, The Shins have carved a lasting legacy with their distinctive blend of folk, pop, and indie. Formed in 1996 by frontman James Mercer, the band built a following on the back of their 2001 debut, Oh, Inverted World. However, when the album’s lead single, “New Slang,” found its way into a pivotal scene in the 2004 cinematic classic Garden State, The Shins went from indie buzz to indie stardom.
The timing was perfect, as the band had released their sophomore LP, Chutes Too Narrow, was released just a few months prior to the movie’s debut. With Chutes celebrating its 20th anniversary with a reissue later this month, Mercer joins The Story Behind the Song host Peter Csathy to explore the origins of “New Slang,” diving into how it became one of The Shins’ definitive tracks and serves as a bona fide piece of indie rock history.
Mercer discusses his life at the time he penned the song, and how it impacted the formation of The Shins. “You know, it’s my late 20s now, I haven’t really got anything going on as far as a career goes,” Mercer recalls. “I knew I was gonna have to figure something out. I think I was writing about that angst.”
The musician also reveals the meaning of the track’s title and what it was like to perform it live for the very first time. What’s more, he dives into another Shins classic, “Phantom Limb,” cut from the band’s 2007 LP, Wincing the Night Away. In particular, he talks about how the track’s music video was partially inspired by the identity struggles of the band’s bassist Neal Langford, who recently passed away. During the discussion, Mercer credits the late Langford with helping encourage him to take the stage.
Listen to the full conversation with James Mercer about the story behind The Shins’ “New Slang,” “Phantom Limb,” and more in this episode using the player above. You can also watch a highlight segment below. Then, make sure to like, review, and subscribe to TSBTS wherever you get podcasts for updates on all the latest episodes of The Story Behind the Song.
For more, follow the Consequence Podcast Network for updates on all our series, and check out host Peter Csathy on Twitter @pcsathy and at Deep Cuts Media.
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