A Musical Interlude: The Shin’s Phantom Limb

Natalie Portman tuned me on to The Shins and their song “New Slang” in Zach Braff’s 2004 film Garden State. “Phantom Limb” is probably my favorite song by the band–even though James Mercer says that it is about a lesbian couple dealing with high school life, it holds a lot of relevance and energy for anyone on the margins.

Published by Jason W. Ellis

I am an Associate Professor of English at the New York City College of Technology, CUNY whose teaching includes composition and technical communication, and research focuses on science fiction, neuroscience, and digital technology. Also, I direct the B.S. in Professional and Technical Writing Program and coordinate the City Tech Science Fiction Collection, which holds more than 600 linear feet of magazines, anthologies, novels, and research publications. View more posts