In 2003, the Shins decided that they were going to dispense with the dramatics of withholding their best work and come out with Chutes Too Narrow. I'm here to talk about their new album, Wincing the Night Away. I like it quite a bit. The hype about the tracks being "different" is wrong. It's a completely solid Shins album. If you want new experimental bands, please feel free to explore other realms of music.
To be honest, there is nothing experimental or different about the Shins. There is nothing refreshing about them other than their solidity (i.e. the listener's ability to count on each song being well-crafted). The Shins know their abilities, understand the criteria to be successful, and they trust their songwriting capabilities. James Mercer's vocals are a point of interest to most, yet he doesn't try to counteract analysis by overcompensating. This being the basic formula that has made The Shins, this is not to say that Wincing the Night Away is formulaic or boring. There are tracks that follow in the vein of Chutes, however, those are offset by standouts such as "Split Needles," "Black Wave," and, to a lesser extent, "Sea Legs." While the reminders of past glory (the single, "Australia," "Phantom Limb," and "Girl Sailor") are wonderful, the newer-sounding tracks add an element of mystery to the future for the Shins. If the point of a solid album is to entertain and leave you wanting more, then Wincing the Night Away has succeeded immensely.
Those expecting a colossal explosion of growth and improvement will find a new album filled with missed opportunities. The greedy listener expects transcendence, a monumental album emerging from a stagnant period pregnant with rumors of "an experimental record" or "a different look." Adding more than keyboards, lap steels, or programmed drumming noises seems ludicrous to the nature of the band. Betraying the simpler, already modern effects is a mistake the Shins are not willing to make (at least not on their third release).
To be sure, there is a slight amount of expansion, but its instances are few and far between. The occasional looping or stringed instrument lingers about to add depth to the quieter tracks, and Mercer expands his meandering vocal lines on occasion. Lyrically, the songs tackle new issues—both personal and vaguely political at times—but for the most part, Wincing stays the course, if you will.
In a way, I can see the arguments for weakness and stagnation. I, however, support the Shins’ cause for continued solidity. A marriage of new and old styles takes time. I wonder if they had decided to stylize and put together more sonic studio tricks, would they be lambasted for their inability to expand? Would they be considered incapable of expansion altogether? Experimentation is one thing for a band of a more prolific nature (say Guided By Voices or Superchunk). With Wincing the Night Away, I am more than happy to accept the regular effort—an unyielding exertion to craft—however moribund it may seem to those spoiled by the profundity of talent being discovered in the digital age.
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