Port Of Morrow [CD]

I'm slightly dissappointed that this is all I can say about a Shins album, but then both Inverted World and Wincing were growers for me so I might come back feeling great about it in a few days or weeks.

The first two tracks made me feel like this was going to be another Wincing the night away. Melodic, catchy, full of Shins composition cues, and even a bit rockier than I expected. I heard Simple Song on the radio before I bought this album and thought 'Oh my God, there's a Shins CD I've missed'.

And that's kind of the problem for me. It's good but I don't think it's that fresh. It doesn't sound like 5 years have passed since Wincing.

After a so so mid section it picked up again briefly with Fall of 82 and 40 Mark Strasse. Then I found the final and titular Port of Morrow track started slightly remeniscent of Broken Bells. So overall, doesn't burn as brightly as Wincing, and doesn't approach the same cohesiveness as Inverted World. But then what does?

No other band has been overshadowed by a reference in a movie more than The Shins. That Natalie Portman line from Garden State has been mentioned in every critical review of this album and its a little unfair. Not only are the band radically different from that era (they are no longer really a band in the traditional sense as most members have departed), but their music has evolved. Port of Morrow is not the same vein of innocence that their first album had and this is as it should be. After all that album was released over ten years ago. However, whichever way you cut it this isn't as good as some previous efforts.

Port of Morrow is a record that sounds like it belongs in the seventies. The kind of singer songwriter music that at turns was mournful and at other joyous. The music is light and at times effortless. However, its lack of weight also means that it lacks the impact and longeviety many would expect. Bait and Switch, for example, is a pop ditty which is light of heart and whilst you find yourself humming along it doesn't linger as it should. Simple Song is effective and efficient but where it should soar highly it doesn't quite take flight. The vocals are strong and this is a strength and a weakness as they seem to lack the emotive edge that first bought The Shins to fame.

Those are the quibbles. And its the kind of album where expectations are high and you focus on what doesn't work before you realise what does. Fall of '82 and 40 Mark Strasse have a kind of linger aftertaste. This is not just due to the melodies, harmonies and instrumentation. The lyrics are also part of their strength. 40 Mark Strasse obviously has a deeper meaning and with its ending refrain of 'you are going to let these Americans put another dent in your life' you realise that the time it has taken to make this is reflected in the overall effect. The title track end proceedings well and has the wistful quality of The Shins at their absolute best.

This is music that will grow the more you listen to it. But it won't grow into the classic many expected or wanted. Its not bad at all. But the weight of expectation of any Shins album make you feel like its not what it should be. But then again the band aren't what they used to be. The sparse arrangements are not as strong as they were and this is the album of one mans work really. And that man, James Mercer, is obviously a different person than he was previously. Thats what is really reflected here.

It's rare that I've approached an album with an adamant desire to hate everything about it. After hearing the news that James Mercer had fired the entire band and drafted in a new team, whilst having the cheek to keep The Shins name... I wanted nothing more than to hate the album, and enjoy doing so. So it was strange that in listening to it played by my brother... I was left with a burning intrigue to listen to more. Grudgingly, I had been hooked.

It's tough to pin down the stars for this one. The songs range from I-just-listened-to-that-so-let's-listen-to-it-again addictive to why-is-my-brain-trying-to-rip-out-my-ear-canal awful. There's a lot of 4-5 star material brought down by weak tracks. It feels like it both is and isn't The Shins (firing the original band would do that)... almost like it's The Shins' offspring, where the mother is Broken Bells. The sound is similar to The Shins' previous work - But new additions to the team mean that there's more in the way of instruments and effects.

Lyrically, it's nice to see that Mercer's ability at crafting words elegantly hasn't been hit too hard, though it does feel a little watered down at times. Many songs keep The Shins' charming style of clever metaphors and honest thoughts... but there are points that sometimes feel a little, dare I say, bland. It certainly lacks some of the same charm that fans of The Shins' previous works might be able to relate to.

1. Rifle Spiral - So the album kicks off with this. It's an excellent opener with a nice dark edge to it, infused with Mercer's unflinching ability to craft such visceral images. It carries a lot of overtones of 'Wincing The Night Away'
2. Simple Song - This is ultimately standing as the 'Phantom Limb' of the album. It's a divine piece and thoroughly enjoyable.
3. It's Only Life - Continuing the pace with it's charming tone and delightful catchiness, this track feels a little twee, but is hard to dislike it when you're bobbing along to it. A very pleasant track to say the least
4. Bait & Switch - This is where we start to fumble a bit. It's a fast-paced and upbeat track, synonymous to the likes of 'So Says I' - but the chorus feels a little 'much'. Not sure if it's the distortion, the high pitched voice or both
5. September - It's around here that I start to zone out and the album hits troubled waters. It's pleasant, but lackluster and a little too matter-of-fact (where The Shins have normally been more cryptic). Mercer might have well sung "I'm an imperfect sod... but my woman is perfect. And she loves a man like me. Wowza!"
6. No Way Down - An upbeat and enjoyable track. Whilst it's not as powerful or as memorable as the stronger ones - It's steadfast and quite Shins-esque
7. For a Fool - Definitely a highlight of the album... think of it as 'September's' more talented and likeable brother. It's heartfelt but doesn't get bogged down in being too sweet. The chorus is deceptively simple, but beautifully crafted. One of my favourites
8. Fall of '82 - A bland addition to the album. It's pretty much reading the diary of a miserable kid with a cheesy chorus
9. 40 Mark Strasse - This valiantly tries to save the second half of the album. And it nearly succeeds, as it's perhaps the strongest here. The chorus is a work of genius, and the haunting whistling makes for a tremendous hook. I've sometimes sat with this song on loop for ages, it's that enjoyable.
10. Port of Morrow - Now I know the previous song is a hard act to follow... but 'Port Of Morrow' is like following an opera with a raspberry. It's an effort to finish and actually feels quite creepy. The vocals of the verses are intimidatingly high, and the whole sound is very "I'm going to haunt you in your sleep". An unfortunate finish to the album and left me with an unusual taste. The sort you'd get after eating a wasp. I normally go back and play 'Simple Song' as a form of brain mouthwash

So it's not a BAD album... in fact some of the songs on here are truly outstanding. But a few weak pieces really brings the whole thing down. If I listen to the album excluding tracks 5,8 and 10, it's good. But this one's a real mixed bag and hard to truly sit back and enjoy