Eleven years ago, the Shins released Oh, Inverted World an excellent debut which placed them squarely in the elite ranks of the indie rock universe and gained them quite a few converts. During the early ‘00s alongside bands like Modest Mouse and Broken Social Scene, they were instrumental in turning independent music into what it is today. Before SoundCloud and Spotify, before the blogosphere, the Shins were letting more and more people know that there was a whole world of music out there if they would just look for it. Two more full lengths followed, 2003’s Chutes Too Narrow and 2007’s Wincing the Night Away, which reached as high as number two on the U.S. charts.
Soon after Wincing the Night Away was released, bandleader James Mercer teamed up with Danger Mouse to make music as Broken Bells, and the Shins went dormant. The five years that have passed since it was released may not seem like a long time, but in the ever-changing world of contemporary music it’s a lifetime. So, when it was announced that the Shins would return, I had mixed emotions. I knew that Mercer was a capable songwriter, but after a reasonably long break was anything really going to sound as good as it did a few years back?
It turns out Port of Morrow was probably aided by Mercer’s hiatus. He sounds refreshed and energized, and jumps into the ten tracks on the record with aplomb. A bunch of fresh faces behind him including Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse and producer Richard Swift ensure that this isn’t your average Shins record.
Port of Morrow begins with an impressive opening salvo. "The Rifle’s Spiral" and "Simple Song" are the type of easy-going surf rock one expects from the Shins, but everything from Mercer’s vocals to the buzzing guitars behind him and even the ELO style synths take things into the realm of power pop. It’s a refreshing way to start things off. On "It’s Only Life" and "September" the mood is more subdued, but no less beautiful, Mercer’s voice in particular sounds great in front of the simple acoustic/drum arrangements. He shows he’s not afraid of making stylistic leaps either, take for instance the new wavey "Bait and Switch" or "Fall of ‘82" which seems to borrow it’s big horn section from a Chicago song.
Mercer’s been so successful with Port of Morrow because he didn’t forget all the things that made the Shins great. Even when he’s playing around with new ideas he makes sure to keep the breezy, carefree mood of a Shins tune at the core. That easy-going feeling can be a bit misleading though, these songs were certainly anything but easy to make, each piece has been chosen with extreme care and the result is one of the better sounding albums in a while.
Five years on hiatus might be a death sentence for some musicians, but for James Mercer it seems to be the perfect amount of time to let things percolate. He proves that the Shins still have something to say even in a musical climate that is vastly different from the one he came of age with. Maybe Mercer won’t ‘change your life’ the way Natalie Portman promised in Garden State, but he is one of the most reliable songwriters around, and apparently one that gets better with age.
Grade: B+
Port of Morrow is a refreshing change of pace for the Shins. Glad to have 'em back in my life! Fans should definitely give this album a listen, and give it a chance.
There's a few good tracks but overall, I'm not blown away. I feel like James Mercer has taken to writing standard pop tunes. Very few standouts.
These guys are great no matter what they do. This live performance blows me away. http://vevo.ly/FQigVQ
I am loving this album and all of the videos that they have made for it! It's Only Life has to be one of my favorite videos! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fweNLKBCh5A&feature=player_embedded