The Decade in Music

Released: October 21, 2003
Metacritic Score: 88 (40th)
Genre: Indie, Pop
Length: 33:50 (11 Tracks)
Label: Sub-Pop
Precedes: Wincing The Night Away

Like so many others my age, I was first introduced to the Shins by Natalie Portman in Zach Braff's 2004 indie-flick Garden State.  If you haven't seen it, Natalie's character hands Braff a set of headphones and says, “You gotta hear this song.  It’ll change your life, I swear.”  Man was she right.

Listen to "Saint Simon"



Five years later,

I don’t think there’s a single song I’ve listened to more times than “New Slang” from The Shins’ debut, Oh, Inverted World.  It’s one of my favorite songs of all time, and at least in my case the famous line from Garden State was true.  Before seeing that movie, I was pretty single minded in my listening habits, which at the time included a lot of DMB, Dispatch, and little else.  

“New Slang,” and a couple other entries from the Garden State Soundtrack opened my eyes to the indie scene, and showed me that there was life aside from jam bands.  Now, I know that some have insisted that the Shins’ initial success was due more to the hype machine surrounding Garden State than the quality of Oh, Inverted World, but I politely disagree. 

I acknowledge that there were probably more than a few people that “liked the Shins,” because liking the Shins was cool.  However, for every one of those there were probably three or four *real* fans, since…you know… the music is pretty freakin’ awesome.

Thoughts on the album

Metacritic has The Shins’ sophomore effort Chutes Too Narrow ranking in at number 40 on their top 200 with an overall score of 88.  For whatever reason, it looks like Metacritic never catalogued Oh, Inverted World, which is unfortunate because I would have been pretty interested to see which album the critics preferred.

• (Actually, Pitchfork does have both in their top 200 of the decade, with Chutes at #41 and Oh, Inverted World at #115ish).

Anyway, the album opens on a high note, with the strange, image-evoking “Kissing The Lipless,” and never really misses a step.  While I don’t think any single track is as atmospheric or “life-changing” as “New Slang” was, I would say a few come close. The final track “Those To Come” is probably the most comparable in mood and character, and also the most poetic. 

Whether due to improved production or a conscious transformation by Shins front-man James Mercer, I like the vocal delivery better on Chutes Too Narrow than Oh, Inverted World.  Mercer sounds different somehow, clearer perhaps, or more contemporary. 

Either way, plus one for the Shins.  I don’t want to go on too long, so I suppose I’ll get down to—

The Bottom Line

While “New Slang” and “Caring is Creepy” are probably still my favorite songs from The Shins’ first two offerings, I can’t say for sure whether that’s musical quality speaking or just pure nostalgia from having heard them first.

 I will say that I enjoy listening to Chutes Too Narrow cover to cover a bit more than I do Oh, Inverted World.  I tend to favor the crisper production on Chutes, and think some of the tracks on the Shins’ debut would have fared better with the same high-budget treatment.  Apart from that, I think the stylistic tweaks the Shins made between albums, and the decision to feature guitars over Oh, Inverted World’s keyboard were well implemented. 

Chutes Too Narrow is a great album from a great band, but you probably already know that.  If somehow you missed it, totally go give it a listen.  Here’s hoping 2010 brings us a fourth entry in the Shins’ catalog.  

Rapid Fire:

Favorite Track: For me, I think it’s gotta be “Saint Simon.”
Close Second: Album-closer, “Those To Come.”
Best Lyric: From Those To Come:

“quaking leaves and broken light
shifting skin the coming night
the bearers of all good things arrive
climb inside, twist and cry
a kiss on your molten eyes.”

Favorite Moment: The minute or so of soft whistling at the end of “Those To Come.”  Even though it closes out the album, it has the effect of sticking with you to the point where its almost impossible not to keep whistling the melody long after the song fades away—and in this case that’s a good thing.

The Shins on Last.FM
The Shins on Amazon 

On Deck: Four Tet – Pause.