Oh, Inverted World

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Title: Oh, Inverted World
By: Shins
Released by: Sub Pop Records
Released on: 2001
Rating (out of 10): 8
Date: 12/16/2001

Ghosts of Summers Past

The Shins, who have gotten a lot of buzz these days, are in danger of falling into the trap of overhype and too-high expectations, but they definitely deserve better. Their debut album Oh, Inverted World, which evokes the feeling of the classic 60’s summer pop of the Beach Boys and Donovan, is like a tall glass of iced tea on a hot summer day; not instantly catchy, but meant to be savored and deserving of time to grow on you, which, assuredly, it will. This album is all about flow, and is by far one of the most cohesive works of pop music I’ve heard in a long time; there isn’t a single jarring moment or abrupt change in tone to break the spell. The tunes are melodic enough not to annoy friends and co-workers, but they are full of enough subtle flourishes and poetic lyrics to listen to many times over.

That is not to say that all of the songs are equally good. The first half of the album is definitely the stronger one, beginning with the opening song, “Caring is Creepy,” setting the retro tone nicely. Imagine the spacey music and vocals of Yes or Pink Floyd with jangly guitars and an indie pop flavor. This leads into “One By One All Day,” a song that rolls along gently with crisp cymbal beats and spacey sounds here and there to keep things interesting. “The Weird Divide” features a gentle strumming guitar and very Brian Wilson-like delivery (think “In My Room” and you’ll have the idea).

From there the album shifts gently into early REM territory with “Know Your Onion" and "Girl Inform Me,” with the lyrics:

but your lips when we speak
are the valleys and peaks of a mountain range on fire
so let me walk these coals til you believe
I can cut the mustard well enough.

Lead singer/songwriter James Mercer tends to take the long way around expressing emotions, but you can usually tell exactly what he means. And then comes “New Slang,” the standout on an album full of charmers. The lyrics to this song in particular demonstrate songwriter Mercer’s ability to express simple ideas in creative and poetic ways that manage to get the idea across perfectly (“king of the eyesores” instead of just saying “I’m ugly,” for example). This is definitely an album you’ll want to buy rather than download to see the enhanced CD has a video for “New Slang.” The clip mainly consists of a fetching actress lip-synching the words and filmed in flickery black and white. The effect is mesmerizing.

The rest of the album doesn’t quite maintain the magic of the first half. The songs aren’t as distinctive, and the lyrics in such songs as “Your Algebra” become more obtuse than evocative. They are still entirely pleasant--just not quite as memorable. By then, however, it doesn’t really matter—as the folksy “The Past And Pending” slowly drifts off into silence, you may be so caught in the mood that you won’t want it to end.

© Copyright CultureDose.com 12/16/2001

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