As James Russell Mercer continues to dismantle The Shins, its becoming harder and harder to recognize the band. Now the only original member left, Mercer, also of Broken Bells, has ruled with an iron fist, single-handedly changing the direction of The Shins–no more familiar faces, no more Sub Pop.
Alas, members change and bands move on. On another stint together, ex-Shinners Marty Crandall and Neal Langford have paired together to form Sad Baby Wolf. Their latest release (they put out their debut single last September) is a cover of “Everything Is” originally by Neutral Milk Hotel, whose lead man Jeff Mangum coincidently also went solo. The fuzzed-out cover of NMH’s first single has us scrambling for our ripped jeans and proves that there is life after leaving “New Slang” and JRM behind.
Sad Baby Wolf- Everything Is (Neutral Milk Hotel) (download)
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