MP3 of the Week: The Shills, "Janus"

So bursting with goodness and surprises was the Shills’ 2007 homonymous full-length, it was hard to imagine how the band might build on their already sprawling array of sounds. Here’s our answer: on their newest, Ganymede, which is set to drop this Friday at the Middle East, the band go conceptual. It’s a song cycle that tells the story of a shipwrecked misanthrope who drives himself batty for lack of anyone to hate on. As attested by “Janus” here, the band adopt a looser, lusher approach that’s perfect for their nuanced pop. Bryan Murphy’s lithe falsetto plays nicely with a puffing chorus of horns, clever tangles of guitar, and all sorts of subtle, lilting harmonies. Smart stuff. Grab “Janus” below and catch them live on January 30 at the Middle East along with Kid:Nap:Kin, Supervolcano, and Justin Shorey.

LISTEN: The Shills, "Janus" (mp3)