I HAVE loved The Shins ever since Natalie Portman raved about them in the excellent indie film Garden State.

So I was delighted when main man James Mercer returned from his hit and miss side-project with Danger Mouse, Broken Bells.

And Mercer once again excels in creating indie pop which mixes up the best bits of The Beach Boys, The Smiths and Beck.

There’s no denying songs such as It’s Only Life and No Way Down, which mean the odd moment of banality, such as Fall of ‘82, can be forgiven.

This will be the perfect soundtrack to the forthcoming summer - not that we will have one, being as we live and work in Cumbria.