Shins "Wince" their way into record stores

The Shins release their third album, titled Wincing The Night Away, on Tuesday, January 23rd, amidst critical praise and high expectations. The group's tiny independent label, Sub Pop, has shipped 200,000 copies of the record to stores, the highest initial shipment in the company's history. The band's profile has also been raised by being featured in the 2004 movie Garden State. But frontman James Mercer is reluctant about possibly becoming a rock star, telling MTV.com, "It isn't something I enjoy, because the whole game is so foreign to me. I mean, the idea of creating a popular record...it's pretty nuts. I'd much rather sit and work on songs. But it's my livelihood now -- I'm about to have a family -- so, you know, it's important."

The Shins performed on Saturday Night Live two weekends ago.

Wincing The Night Away follows up the Portland, Oregon band's 2003 release, Chutes Too Narrow, and features the single "Phantom Limb."

The Shins will begin the first leg of their tour in support of the new album on February 8th in Minneapolis, and will take a few months off later this spring, when Mercer and his wife are expecting their baby.

Mercer has also contributed backing vocals to three songs on the new album from Modest Mouse, We Were Dead Before The Ship Even Sank, which is due out in March.