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Chutes Too Narrow's breezy subtlety is less accessible than the Shins' debut, but that doesn't mean the album lacks great songs.
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Despite having a lot in common with their first disc, there are some slight variations in sound that make Chutes Too Narrow even better than its predecessor.
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Alternative Press[They] satisfy largely by serving up more of what made their debut so good. [Dec 2003, p.142]
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On every tune, Mercer packs more hooks and melodic invention than most bands do on one album. As a whole, it's an even better record than Inverted World.
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Every emotion is intense and genuine, and the musicianship is just as moving as Mercer's lyrics.
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BlenderTheir second album is equally charming and more consistent. [Nov 2003, p.120]
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Shins fans will find this a solidly enjoyable album.
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An incredible record.
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If you can’t find something here that has you smiling and quoting the old saw about rumours of indie’s death being greatly exaggerated, it’s time to take up opera.
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On Chutes, Mercer’s voice is singing right next to you, and the change works wonders.
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Any music snob who has ever fantasized about grafting Belle & Sebastian's deceptively sweet melodies onto Modest Mouse's angular rhythms and riffs needs look no further than the Shins.
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Entertainment WeeklyJust the record you'd want: production a bit bigger, and songs more adventurous but no less indelible. [Listen 2 This supplement, Oct 2003, p.14]
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MagnetA better record than the Shins' first--a sonically bolder production with fewer effects and more hooks per square inch than a flyrod factory. [#61, p.109]
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MojoIt sears through the essence of what makes this band special, the brave voice and ebullient delivery of singer-songwriter-guitarist James Mercer. [Apr 2004, p.98]
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Despite the weak finish, Chutes Too Narrow is still a fantastic next step for the Shins, building on the wildly successful formula of Oh, Inverted World, while still managing to push their sound in new directions.
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Not simply an excellent album, Chutes Too Narrow is also a powerful testament to pop music's capacity for depth, beauty and expressiveness.
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Recalls the overwhelming splendour of the Go-Betweens at their finest.
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The Shins dare to take some chances on this CD, and their boldness winds up elevating this album over their first one by a considerable margin.
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Q MagazineA leap forward. [Apr 2004, p.120]
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Chutes Too Narrow proves the Shins have more on their minds than singing the perfect harmony or writing the ultimate couplet, and it's that deeper sense of introspection that makes it a keeper.
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SpinMercer staggers from self-doubt to self-righteousness with each song, concealing razor blades inside his caramel-apple anthems. [Dec 2003, p.133]
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The Shins' second effort sparkles with a clarity that was not always evident on their debut and energizes with a spark and an enthusiasm that previously seemed forced.
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Stylus MagazineReview 1: All the elements of timelessness are there, but the songs just don’t seem to live beyond the last note. [score=73] Review 2: The Shins’ music has grown by leaps and bounds. [score=90]
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Without the thrill of discovery, it's no shock that the returns have diminished slightly on Chutes Too Narrow. But a minor step down from greatness still sounds damn good.
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[Chutes] finds Albuquerque's finest further mining their own private bittersweet seam, kicking off with the pop turbulence of Kissing the Lipless and absurdly joyous Mine's Not a High Horse, before reaching another career peak with the dizzying exuberance of So Says I.
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UncutYou don't expect progression from such evident classicists, but there's a new clarity, poise and refinement. [Apr 2004, p.107]
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Under The RadarSounding even sparser in instrumentation and sonic flavor than the previous record, Chutes often comes across like a Mercer solo project. [#5, p.104]
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 181 out of 212
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Mixed: 6 out of 212
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Negative: 25 out of 212
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Nov 3, 2010
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Sep 6, 2014
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Sep 5, 2013Despite the boring performances, The Shins (James Mercer) has been a part of countless brilliant pieces of music and this album is his master piece...