Aughts Songs: #17 The Shins - "Kissing The Lipless" from Chutes Too Narrow ('03)

This is the song that got me into The Shins. I remember seeing the video for "So Says I" late one night on MTV when I was home from college and being kinda sickened by the gross animation. And for all I was hearing about their hooks, it certainly didn't seem very catchy. About a year later, Quillen made me a mix and put this song in the five spot. It didn't jump out immediately as being one of the best songs. Then one night at work a few weeks later, I found this song stuck in my head and became really excited about it. Since then, there have been countless times where I'm alone in the car and belt out the cathartic transition to the verse ("you TOOOOOOOOOOOLD us of your new life..."). One of the unique things about a part that feels so anthemic is the (more or less) cymbal-less drum part that joins in. You expect chaos at that point, and it doesn't really happen. But the part that really takes the song to the next level is the ending, with its high, chimey delayed rhodes and slide guitar, as well as the finely-toned alternating note guitar part that comes in the last time through.