The Shins’ popularity skyrocketed with their contributions to the Garden State soundtrack from their debut album “Oh, Inverted World.” In 2003 they cemented their signature sound and promise as an indie rock band with their critically acclaimed “Chutes Too Narrow.”
Front man James Mercer explained that the long wait for their third just released album, “Wincing the Night Away” was so that the band could “stretch out” and develop their ideas as much as possible. And they did. However, it may be debatable to fans whether the stretch was for better or for worse.
It’s only natural to double check whether or not you put the right CD into your CD player when the album kicks off with “Sleeping Lessons.” Not only are Mercer’s distinctive vocals distorted and not at the forefront of the song, there is sound emitting from the speakers that you never could have dreamed would appear in a Shins’ song.
But the shock isn’t a bad one. When the song climaxes by kicking into rock-and-roll mode, the listener can’t help but feel drowned in refreshment. While their last two studio efforts showed the audience what a Shins’ song was and what forms it could take, this album displays just how much more Mercer and company had up their sleeves.
But what comes with trying to experiment and step out of one’s element is the inevitable miss. The album’s third track “Pam Berry” is their first big miss. Clocking in at 58 seconds, the centerpiece of the song is a distorted guitar riff aching with tension, equipped with some quiet vocals and extra guitar layers. The song fits awkwardly with the rest of the tracks, and for the first time ever in my Shins’ listening experience left me asking “why?”
As the next track began I was relieved, gaining back the confidence I had for the album. “Phantom Limb” is their first single, and isn’t anything out of the ordinary. But it’s songs like this that the Shins’ have built a career on and do best, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
With the exception of “Girl Sailor”, which is one of the less risky tracks, the rest of the album is packed with new sounds to the Shins’ catalogue and the album closes beautifully. Tracks like “Sea Legs”, “Red Rabbits”, and “Black Wave” are all formidable and memorable experiments on what direction the Shins’ could take their music.
“Wincing the Night Away” is a valiant attempt at pushing the expectations of what a Shins’ song could be. Upon the first listen it’s impossible not to be excited at the new shapes and liveliness in the song writing. But for fans who wished they had stuck to what they know, they will find only a select grouping of tracks will make it to their next listen.
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