Pitchfork: The Shins Recording Third Album

Having successfully changed all of our lives, indie pop juggernauts the Shins are hanging up their superhero capes and getting back to what they do best: making music. The band recently entered their home studio (located in frontman James Mercer's basement) with reliable producer Phil Ek, who manned the boards on 2003's Chutes Too Narrow. As of right now, very little progress has been made on their as-yet-untitled third album, with drum tracks being laid down this week, but Pitchfork will keep you updated on the status of what is likely to become the soundtrack to any number of 2006/2007 romantic comedies concerning quirky contemporary twentysomethings.

The Shins will be leaving their subterranean lab only four times in the coming weeks, greeting the adoring public as the opening act for three White Stripes shows and as part of the massive Vegoose festival.

Caring is creepy:

09-24 Brooklyn, NY - Keyspan Park *
09-25 Brooklyn, NY - Keyspan Park *
09-27 Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion *
09-29 Las Vegas, NV - Sam Boyd Stadium (Vegoose festival)

* with the White Stripes