It was a cold October day in the city of lights and my nerves were shot to hell. My lovely and charming wife, Coverton, of whom we shall speak no more, was laid up with a severe case of hypochondria, which meant the country house was off limits and I was confined to the city.

Piloting my brown 1967 Citroen DS through the streets of the city I felt like a turtle, encased in my lovely shell but nervous and distracted on the inside. At the apartment, two lovely ladies were due to arrive. Normally this would be a solution and not a problem, but if you know Ines and Sophia the way I do, you wouldn’t want them to meet each other, especially not at my 15 rooms in the 17th.

I thought that smoking a joint would soothe my mind, but it only made me more restless. My phone was ringing so I turned it off. Circling around the block a few times I debated whether or not to go in. Just then I remembered something and fired up the in-dash ipod.

The Shins have a new record coming out October 21, and if the first single is any indication, the band is growing and maturing, but sticking close to the formula that made them such a favorite of mine. The new song, entitled So Says I , from the album Chutes Too Narrow, is everything a moody rock song should be. The singer’s voice is engaging yet ultimately mysterious, and the music shifts between being self-aware to being entirely consumed with itself, as the emotions drift out of control and the guitars follow. The song is a beautiful introduction to a new record, and filled my heart with hope.

I parked in the garage and decided to face my lady friends. Even if it went badly, I would always have reason to smile inside my shell…

DOWNLOAD THE SHINS NEW SINGLE: SO SAYS I