Guardian Music — HMV Forum, LondonIn the five years since the Shins released their last album, Wincing the Night Away, Sub Pop's most successful group has seen out its contract and shed almost all its personnel.Sole survivor, singer and guitarist James Mercer also ow... more info

KEXP Seattle — The long-awaited album by The Shins, their first in five years, tops this week’s list of new releases. James Mercer has rebooted his project with a new band and heightened production, thanks to Greg Kurstin (Lily Allen, Kylie Minogue, The Flaming L... more info

DrownedInSound — The risks that Damien Jurado and producer Richard Swift take on Maraqopa are small and subtle adjustments to those already made on Saint Bartlett, but they are small steps which reap exquisite rewards for the listener. Read the full story on D... more info

Brooklyn Vegan — by Andrew Sacher DOWNLOAD: Damien Jurado - "Nothing Is The News" (MP3) Damien Jurado will release Maraqopa, the followup to 2010's Saint Bartlett, on February 21 via Secretly Canadian. The album was produced by Richard Swift, who also produced Saint.... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — Damien Jurado takes on Vince Guaraldi’s yuletide classic, “Christmas Time Is Here.” Culled from 90% of your social circle’s favorite Christmas album, it’s a brave choice met with spirited results.  Jurado’s next full-length, Maraqopa —... more info

Altsounds — Welcome to Maraqopa, population 2. Damien Jurado's newest collaboration with producer Richard Swift drops us into a brutal and benevolent landscape. The bold strokes and new turns the pair made with 2010's Saint Bartlett are taken even further. H... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — It must be the season for new Richard Swift. Last month we shared the troubadour’s ode to a maimed hand, “Broken Finger Blues,” and today Swift offers up “Whitman,” the first taste from his forthcoming release, Walt Wolfman. A fine ode from... more info

Stereogum — The Shins have a new lineup, a new label (Columbia imprint Aural Apothecary), and a handful of new tunes that will appear on the band’s long awaited, Greg Kurstin-produced fourth LP, due next year. Currently backing James Mercer on the road are Ric... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — Richard Swift dropped this number on his blog earlier today, a track he recorded in response to having a cast removed from a broken finger. A man of many musical hats, we find Swift donning his soul cap on this one. Swift’s blog, by the way, is ver... more info

Aquarium Drunkard — Gardens & Villa: I was recently turned on to this coastal California quintet via their connection to Richard Swift who produced group’s upcoming, self-titled LP. Having teamed up with Secretly Canadian on the label front, G&V craft new-wavey pop mu... more info