You've got too much to wear on your sleeves. It has too much to do with me.

The Shins should be my perfect band. Their lyrics are intelligent and funny and their music has the sort of pop hooks I find irresistible. Still, while I enjoy The Shins, they are far from my favorite. I think it's the lead singer's voice.

I also shouldn't be picky about voices. Lots of people can't stand Adam Duritz and Elvis Costello. I even found a way to love Joanna Newsome. But a couple of minutes into the The Shins' 2003 album Chutes Too Narrow and my teeth are starting to hurt. It's sad, too, because the first track "Kissing the Lipless" is one of my favorite songs on the album.

Maybe the whole reaction is involuntary. It's like how I hate touching cotton balls or my dad hates the feel of velvet. Some sort of strange sensory overload.

That said, their quieter, lower songs don't bother me at all. "New Slang" from the Garden State soundtrack is a good example. I've heard their new album might sound more like that so maybe I'm in luck because it's not like I hate The Shins. It's really more like an allergy.