Flake Music

The band that eventually became the Shins, Albuquerque, New Mexico's Flake Music left a trail of singles dating back to 1993 and a lone full-length release to posterity (1997's When You Land Here, It's Time to Return, Omnibus Records). Originally known as Flake, the group was formed in 1992 by singer/songwriter/guitarist James Mercer and featured drummer Jesse Sandoval, keyboardist Marty Crandall, and bassist Neal Langford. Soon after, they changed their name to Flake Music and delivered shimmering guitar pop evoking ecstasy on the order of Robert Smith's best. After releasing When You Land Here, the quartet remade themselves as the Shins, trading instruments and places on-stage; by 1999, Flake Music essentially disbanded when Langford joined the Shins as well. ~ Sean Hurley