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Shins' fifth release kicks in fun, grins

Album cover for The Shins' "Heartworms"
Album cover for The Shins' "Heartworms"

B+ The Shins

Heartworms

Aural Apothecary/Columbia

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Album cover for Seela's "Track You Down"

The Shins' James Mercer takes the production helm on Heartworms, the band's fifth album, and shapes the band's style and identity. Mercer creates a diverse set of tunes that remains playful even when he explores relationships where nothing appears to be simple or straightforward.

A folky guitar and snappy percussion drive "Mildenhall," a true-to-life glimpse into Mercer's military brat adolescence. "Painting a Hole" is the first of several tunes that seems musically inspired by those years Mercer spent in Britain in the 1980s.

"Cherry Hearts" has an angular, New Wave approach similar to Howard Jones, while "Rubber Ballz" namechecks Paul Simon. The title tune has more of the typically Mercer-ish confessions, wordy and rather resigned, with sounds that hark back to the band's early albums, what has been described as a "return to the handmade."

Album closer "The Fear" reverberates in that Radiohead-performing-Irish-Mariachi-music kind of way, small waves whose soothing repetition is upset by lines like, "This fear is a terrible drug/If only I had sense enough/To let it give away to love."

The Shins may not change your life but with albums like this they can definitely ease the tedium.

Hot tracks: "Mildenhall," "Cherry Hearts," "The Fear"

-- PABLO GORONDI,

The Associated Press

B Jidenna

The Chief

Wondaland/Epic

From his highly stylized sartorial splendor (pure Harlem Renaissance) to The Chief's historically referencing cover art (blue-eyed soul singer Boz Scaggs' Middle Man), it's clear that newfangled Wisconsin crooner-rapper Jidenna likes to show off. His visual bullet points are impeccable. Such posed elegance, however, would not work unless he had the soulful goods to pull off the look. Jidenna not only has panache to spare as a vocalist and producer (the gently sparkling "Bambi"), his sound has guts, guile and a politically astute sense of disgust.

Released through Janelle Monae's Wondaland label (she guests on "Safari"), Jidenna unleashes his delicately poetic, socially conscious ire on "A Bull's Tale" and the bass-rattling "Long Live the Chief," the latter complete with hard, homespun truths such as "Mama put a little money in the mattress/Taught me how to make a silver spoon out of plastic ... Now they say 'Jidenna, why you dressing so classic?'/I don't want my best-dressed day in a casket." Add to his lyrical flair a relentless curiosity to experiment (the electro-blipping "Chief Don't Run"), and Jidenna's debut disc is (hopefully) a lovely sign of adventurous sounds to come.

Hot tracks: "Bambi," "Safari," "Long Live the Chief"

-- A.D. AMOROSI,

The Philadelphia Inquirer

B+ Seela

Track You Down

Self-released

A superb voice that rings tough and vulnerable, strong in faith and one that occasionally aches with doubt makes these new songs by Seela, who was born in Canada to Indian immigrants and is now Austin, Texas-based, an often compelling listen.

Her earthy voice moves easily across the diverse emotional and spiritual landscapes. Track You Down is mostly acoustic-based folk-pop tunes, but it also embraces touches of rock and other genres. Her vivid lyrics and engaging melodies often captivate and inspire, especially on the memorable "Awake to Remember Me," which sets its dark lyrics to an uplifting rhythm.

While rooted in the spiritual search, Seela's creations are lived-in. There is an autobiographical quality that emerges from the perspective of personal experience rather than one of lecturing her listeners.

The deeply heartfelt "At a Loss" closes the album beautifully.

Hot track: "Awake to Remember Me" the gospel-infused "Brave," "At a Loss"

-- ELLIS WIDNER,

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

B Old 97s

Graveyard Whistling

ATO

The Old 97s were one of a handful of touring country-rock bar bands that emerged during the 1990s, writing clever songs that owed more to their rock 'n' roll heroes than anything rooted in Nashville. They are and always have been just twangy enough to have their albums filed in the country bins.

If there's a theme to their new album, it's that this band isn't dead yet. If you don't get the hint in the very first song, "I Don't Wanna Die in This Town," you're not listening.

Despite the occasional macabre undercurrent, this is not a somber album. Singer Rhett Miller leads the band through smart songs with echoes of Depeche Mode, the Clash and other rockers. It's what this band is good at.

That's especially true on "Bad Luck Charm," a barroom rocker that would hold its own wrapping up any late-night roadhouse set.

So no, this album doesn't break much new ground. But Miller, whose singing has always been the best thing about the band, still brings conviction to his work.

That's enough to keep the Old 97s whistling, rockin' or whatever they've been doing all this time -- but yeah, taking it right past the graveyard.

Hot tracks: "I Don't Wanna Die in This Town," "Bad Luck Charm"

-- SCOTT STROUD,

The Associated Press

Style on 03/21/2017

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