The Shins - ‘Chutes Too Narrow’ (Sub Pop) Released 15/03/04

Think Sub Pop, think Nirvana, grunge and left-field minority interest indie right?  Wrong!  Because what with Hot Hot Heat and now The Shins, Sub Pop could (ironically considering the name) well become the byword for sublimely crafted pop that’s desperate to become a chart-hugging mainstay. Still relative unknowns this side of the big pond, this Albuquerque four piece have quite possibly delivered one of the finest albums of the year, sitting comfortably alongside Franz Ferdinand’s self entitled debut and The Stills ‘Logic Will Break Your Heart’.

Skilfully referencing your harmony heavy west coast Byrds-ey rock, the melodic intricacy of Arthur Lees Love and Brit r n’ b without wallowing in any Thrills like heavy handedness, ‘Chutes Too Narrow’ already has the feel of a classic.  Take ‘So Says I’, that like The Coral’s ‘Pass It On’, floats by on a breeze of good feeling, unashamed jingly, jangly guitar and sharp lyrics that work the song into an almost perfect place after all of 30 seconds.  But even better is the truly astonishing ‘Saint Simon’ that manages to pack Pet Sounds era Beach Boys, folk rock and Simon & Garfunkel into four and a half minutes that stand as a tribute to the redemptive power of music.  If this song fails to lighten the mood on a shitty day, you’re basically beyond hope.

Focussing on the carefully constructed seamless pop intricacies of this record, however, is to do The Shins a muso disservice, because from the DIY recording ethic through to the pared down mix by Phil Ek (Built To Spill, Les Savy Fav), there’s a stark simplicity to ‘Chutes…’ that contributes to its immediacy.  ‘Fighting in a Sack’ is a blast of They Might Be Giants quirky college rock (nothing more, nothing less) and ‘Gone For Good’ taps into the well worn alt country seam to show those wannabee troubadours a thing or two with its Jayhawks melodies and sublime slide guitar.

With not a precious second wasted over its short playing time, Chutes is an exemplary demonstration of less definitely meaning more.