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Oh Inverted World by: Shins

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Rating: - Mind expanding and eye opening

For all that Shins frontman James Mercer talks about the band's love affair with 'pop music', the Shins' full-length debut is anything but a stroll down pop music's well-trodden alleyways. 'On Inverted World' is as apt an album title as any - this is pop, but 1960's guitar pop put through a strange filter and turned inside-out.

From opener "Caring Is Creepy" that comes on like early Cure or Echo and the Bunnymen, it's a tour through the strange and psychedelic worlds of pop music. 'Weird Divide' is the Beach Boys on a bad trip, 'New Slang' owes as much to the spaghetti western maestro Morricone as it does to 1960's guitar pop, while 'Pressed In A Book' recalls Pavement at their experimental best. Album closer 'Past and Pending' is heartbreaking, a wonderful chord progression lamenting the end of summer and another winter sprawling out ahead.

It'd get five stars, but 32 minutes of music for a full-price album is a bit of a gyp. However if it's all about quality and you're not bothered about the quantity, go right ahead and get hold of this. A few listens and you'll have a new best friend.

Rating: - The Shins - unknown genius at work

What is there to be said about this album? Well, a heck of a lot really, but rather than go into great detail about its many fine points, I'll leave you to discover them for yourselves. Let me just say that this album is perfect summer easy-listening, a record full of breezy, melodic and occasionally haunting tunes. Lead singer James Mercer's soft voice is easy on the ears as are the poetic lyrics which he writes. There are literally no weak tracks - with the exception of spooky interlude "your algebra" which isn't really a song anyway. Standouts include the excellent opener "Caring is creepy" and the beautiful accoustic strum of "New Slang". It is easy to see how the vocal harmonies could draw comparisons to the Beach Boys or Simon and Garfunkel and while the Shins are unlikely to achieve the same level of recognition, they will remain one of modern music's best kept secrets.

Rating: - Oh inverted preconceptions!

I was first aware of The Shins when Caring Is Creepy featured on a playlist on the Poptones website. More recently Girl Inform Me and the album were endorsed by Brendan Benson so I thought i'd give the album a try. I had thought The Shins would be part of the Strokes/Vines/Von Bondies bandwagon - how wrong can you be!
Although the album is retro it avoids the obvious reference points, so much so that it is redolent of, but never similar to or the same as, and this is a pretty astonishing feat in itself. It reminds me of early Pink Floyd, early REM, and more recently Super Furry Animals, but that's just a lazy attempt to get a handle on it. You could spend a long time trying to pin it down!
It's quite melancholy or at least wistful in places, which is a winner with me, and for an American band The Shins are very English without this seeming at all studious or forced.
Spending time with this album occasioned a good deal of pleasure and excitement, and repeated listening guarantees more of the same. If you want some you know what to do!

Rating: - A little saddened

I have never before felt compelled to write comments about an album. I was optimistic that I might enjoy The Shins album "Oh inverted world". The customer reviews were highly complimentary...

The immediacy of the acoustic versions are almost destroyed by 60s whispery harmonies. The album is for me very different from the beauty of the acoustic renditions of their songs. If the 60s harmonies were ditched and the super hooks made more evident, this album could have been superb!!

Rating: - Break from the tedium

The mysteriously titled "Oh, Inverted World" is an excitingly unique album. Released in a time when artists are shamelessly making their influences almost as obvious as the inevitably comparisons that their work will draw, The Shins' latest offering presents a musical paradox and a refreshing change. Both timeless and modern, "Oh, Inverted World" has a familiar sound while drawing no obvious parallels with any other album. At times The Shins sound like a band from the 60's, with occasional and subtle contempoary connections. Every track is melodic and unique and, although apparently unexciting on first listen, "Oh, Inverted World" is hypnotic and soon begins to invade the listeners consciousness. The simple guitar melodies and softly sung vocals complement each other perfectly, contributing to a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding album.

Stand-out tracks are the catchy opener "Caring Is Creepy" with its lyrically excellent chorus, dark and intimidating "Your Algebra" and the highlight of the album, the fantastic "New Slang", with its relaxed lazy summer evening feel. The video for "New Slang" also features on the CD. Don't be put off with the pop label, this is an intelligent album perfect for relieving the tedium of the latest crazes for stripped down 70's rock, Brit-band indie and American pop-punk.

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