lambchops's Full Review: Oh, Inverted World by The Shins
The Shins make me feel like a musical dolt. I try to stay current on bands and pick up the best new music, but this is one band that managed to slip through my greasy fingertips. The only thing I can figure is that New Mexico-based act got too much acclaim and that it seemed impossible they would live up to the considerable hype.
At the center of the musical movement is singer/songwriter James Mercer who initially envisioned The Shins as a side project to Flake Music. Joined by fellow Flakes drummer Jesse Sandoval and keyboardist Marty Crandall, Mercer's side project morphed into a major musical endeavor. The band toured with Cibo Matto and Modest Mouse and released a handful of 7"s before finding themselves signed on Sub Pop. The initial lineup as rounded out by bassist Neal Langford. Dave Hernandez stepped up as bassist, but left the band in 1999 only to be replaced by Flake bassist Neal Langford. Langford then up and left in 2003 only to be replaced by (get this) Hernandez. The Shins are now back to their original lineup despite a change of locale to the Portland/Seattle areas.
Debut album Oh, Inverted World (2001) earned the foursome immediate critical respect. It's obvious why people enjoyed their music so immediately. They're indie, they're emotional, they're pop, and they are just plain cool. The world seems better with The Shins in it. The album and the eleven songs it contains are brief. Rather than falling prey to the desire to make the biggest, most epic release ever the band did something rare and smart--they put together a quirky, cohesive, and concise pop album. It's all I could have hoped for and more. It whets my appetite and leaves me ravenous for more. That, my friends, is what music is meant to accomplish.
Minimalist and organic, Oh, Inverted World is fabulous from start to finish. The emotion is real and the instrumentation is impeccable. On one level this is a wholly retro album complete with keyboards, echoing vocals, and odd percussion. However, in the end it feels wholly modern and ultimately timeless. The hazy, psychedelic delivery makes for a relaxing but invigorating listen. Mercer's voice is perfect for arrangements. The Shins make wholly creatively realized music.
It is difficult to say one song here is musically better than another. Oh, Inverted World is full of perfect moments. New Slang, Caring is Creepy, One by One All Day, and Pressed in a Book are my personal choices for best but nothing ever comes as a let down. New Slang and album opener Caring is Creepy are the most immediately attractive, but all the songs have a great deal to offer. I'm entertained throughout which is an unfortunate rarity today. The album is lyrically rich and melodically catchy and imaginative and--oh darn it all--it is just fantastic. As with all great music, I find it almost impossible to put my thoughts into words as I don't want to do the band a disservice. The Shins are transcended. Oh, Inverted World is their collective philosophy and heart.
Make sense? Probably not…that's why I'm going to simply recommend that all fans of indie pop, alt-pop, pop-rock, and things truly outstanding buy this album (at full price) and join me in celebrating The Shins. If you think you know great music and have yet to appreciate Oh, Inverted World then you don't really entirely know great music. This is an album that positively is bursting at the seams with not-too-sentimental passion. Maybe the best way to describe this fantastic disc is with a collage of not-so-random adjectives.
Hopefully those few words will prove more useful than my hollow and lame attempt at a review of a perfect album. If you already enjoy bands like Wilco, Modest Mouse, Guided by Voices, and The Apples in Stereo then The Shins are for you. The band returned in 2003 with the better selling but slightly less rewarding Chutes Too Narrow.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Track Listing:
01. Caring is Creepy
02. One by One All Day
03. Weird Divide
04. Know Your Onion!
05. Girl Inform Me
06. New Slang
07. The Celibate Life
08. Girl on the Wing
09. Your Algebra
10. Pressed in a Book
11. The Past and the Pending
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