Artist Research on indie band The Shins.

1. Artist Case Study – The Shins
Samia Meziane

2. Meet the band…
 The shins are an American
indie rock band from
signed to sub-pop records.

3. Band Image
 The images of them that appear on a Google search
are a mixture between humorous and casual. The
band members are casually dressed and the
settings are familiar ones. Images include the band
members pulling funny faces or dressed in unlikely
clothing such as swimwear and life jackets, or
along side plush monsters. An image of being
unpretentious and approachable is presented.
Perhaps the band creates ‘light’ records that aren’t
too deep, possibly with a dance twist on average
indie.

4. The Website
Soft/neutral colours
Music player –
currently loaded is
their previous album
Links to where you
can buy band
Advertising the latest merchandise
album – the website takes
the form of a blog where
the background utilises
artwork from the digipak
– this reinforces the
importance of continuity

5. Video – Phantom Limb
 The video features a play where children march in
time to the music, they appear to be dressed in
Victorian clothes, it is snowing. The settings and
with them the time periods continually change.
Intertextuality that references historical events is
present throughout, at one point the burning of Joan
of Arc is reinacted. The band perform the song
against a red curtain background. The video
combines performance and concept to make
something entertaining that emphasises the
melodyof the song.

7. Digipak
 This is the front and back cover of the digipak for The Shins third studio
album; Wincing The Night Away.
The track list is written simply
down the left hand side, beneath it
The album artwork flows from is a barcode, the record label logo
front to back cover. and some copy outlining legalities.
The design of the album takes the
The band name is the boldest and
style of doodles with the shapes
largest text with the album title
being unrecognisable, apart from
text wrapped underneath
what appears to be trees.

8.  This is the inside cover and CDof the digipak for The Shins third studio
album; Wincing The Night Away.
The album artwork flows to the The inside covers are even simpler than
inside covers also. the exterior, making use of blank space.
The CD print is very simple, using the band name and album title exactly as
they appear on the front cover, but in white ink on black.

9.  This is the lyric book which accompanies the digipak for The Shins third
studio album; Wincing The Night Away.
This is the front of the lyric book,
the vibrant colours make a
welcome change from the
monotony of the digipak’s colour
scheme. However, the pattern and
colours look slightly out of place,
breaking continuity is unusual for
digipaks.
This is a look inside of the lyric
book. Listed in slanted blocks are
the lyrics of songs on the album.