Pitchfork

Sorry everybody, no Shins in 2006. The life-changing band's third album, originally slated to come out later this year, has been delayed until early 2007, according to Sub Pop. But they do have a shiny new website, on which they wrote the following album update:

"It gives us great pleasure to say that it is just weeks from being done! We can't leak any details, but we have never been more happy with anything that we've ever recorded before. And we can definitely say that it is due to the fact that we've been given so much time to perfect it. The record is the best we've ever done. We hope that you will agree."

In the meantime, we can tide ourselves over with the knowledge that a bluegrass tribute to the Shins is in the works, brought to us by Iron Horse, the same people responsible for the Modest Mouse, Ozzy Osbourne, Metallica, and Led Zeppelin bluegrass tribute albums. Oh lordy.

Shins dates:

08-23 Brooklyn, NY - McCarren Park Pool *
09-15 Austin, TX - Stubb's (Austin City Limits afterparty)
09-16 Austin, TX - Austin City Limits
09-30 Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheater (Download Festival)

* with J. Mascis, Sam Jayne