The Shins - Australia

What this video is

Released in April 2007 as the second single from The Shins' third album 'Wincing the Night Away' (Sub Pop), 'Australia' arrived at the apex of indie rock's mainstream crossover period, accelerated by the band's earlier exposure via the 2004 film Garden State. Director Matt McCormick, a central figure in Portland's experimental film community and founder of the Peripheral Produce distribution label, brought a wry,…

Why it matters

A landmark example of the mid-2000s indie rock narrative music video: modest budget, high-concept storytelling, and a comedic register that avoids ironic detachment in favor of genuine warmth. The video exemplifies Sub Pop's visual branding strategy of the era — naturalistic, character-driven, and…

The director

Matt McCormick (b. 1972, USA) is a Spokane, Washington-based filmmaker, video installation artist, and academic. He holds a BA in Moving Image Arts from the College of Santa Fe and an MFA in Media Study from the University at Buffalo, SUNY. His films have…