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Wincing The Night Away
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  • Record Label:
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Wincing The Night Away Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 37 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 188 Ratings

  • Summary: The increasingly-popular indie-pop outfit led by James Mercer returns with a third album.

Top Track

Phantom Limb
Foals in winter coats, White girls of the North, File past one, five and one, They are the fabled lambs, Of Sunday ham, The E.H.S. norm. And they... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37
  1. Austin Chronicle
    100
    Wincing the Night Away makes both [previous] albums sound like fragmented potential.
  2. Under The Radar
    90
    A layered and beautiful work that solidifies The Shins as The Band That Matters. [#16, p.94]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. The A.V. Club
    83
    Mainly, the new disc is just more tentative than Chutes Too Narrow, with a lot of songs—like the first single, "Phantom Limb"—sounding like foggier, heavier versions of what The Shins have done before.
  4. Prefix Magazine
    75
    Wincing the Night Away suffers from a fair deal of uncharacteristic filler.
  5. Spin
    70
    Wincing is a purposefully low-impact affair. [Jan 2007, p.87]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Almost Cool
    70
    WIncing The Night Away as a whole is both inconsistent and even odd in sequencing.
  7. The Guardian
    60
    There's something about this album that militates against devotion: a coolness that dampens the indie-pop energy and threatens to leave listeners entirely unmoved.

See all 37 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 85 out of 103
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 103
  3. Negative: 8 out of 103
  1. Cobweb
    Oct 11, 2015
    10
    It is so rare to encounter a flawless pop-rock album- too often, they're frontloaded with the catchiest tunes and let the second half beIt is so rare to encounter a flawless pop-rock album- too often, they're frontloaded with the catchiest tunes and let the second half be filler. But every track on this album serves its purpose- even the 50-second "Pam Berry" is used perfectly to build up tension before the opening bassline of the stunningly beautiful and romantic "Phantom Limb." "Limb," along with "Australia" and "Turn on Me," are three of the best songs of the decade and easily amon the finest the Shins ever recorded. This album is truly flawless. I wouldn't change a thing.… Expand
  2. CoreyJ
    Jan 23, 2007
    10
    This is The Shins' best album to date. The sounds are deep and mature, and it provides more and more on each listen. The tracks are This is The Shins' best album to date. The sounds are deep and mature, and it provides more and more on each listen. The tracks are hauntingly beautiful, especially "Sea Legs," "Spilt Needles," and "A Comet Appears." Their trademark wincing whimsy is here with "Australia," "Phantom Limb," and the astonishingly amazing "Turn on Me," which could prove to be this album's best song. Let's hope Mercer and company continue in the direction they're headed; it's a beautiful one indeed.… Expand
  4. EdwinT
    Jan 31, 2007
    10
    One of the best albums Ive heard in a long time. Ive always loved music by the shins and this is probably their best album
  5. micheleR
    Jan 28, 2007
    8
    Oh! Inverted World is still better than the last two.
  6. Vampire25
    Mar 24, 2011
    8
    Wincing The Night Away may be the least of The Shins album, but nevertheless a great album. The opener "Sleeping Lessons" is the most guitarWincing The Night Away may be the least of The Shins album, but nevertheless a great album. The opener "Sleeping Lessons" is the most guitar driven track The Shins have ever put out. The rest of the tracks are pop melodies that have different elements added to them. James Mercer's vocals is still wonderful this time round. All In All, Wincing The Night Away is the slowest Shins record yet, but it's still soft melodies that, just like every other Shins album, will stay in your head. B+… Expand
  7. Andy
    Feb 1, 2007
    7
    Chutes Too Narrow was one of the best, I knew it'd be hard to match up to that record. It seems like they try to but it all doesn't Chutes Too Narrow was one of the best, I knew it'd be hard to match up to that record. It seems like they try to but it all doesn't competely add up. It seem slike there are more songs that are filler than their past two albums combined. The "real" songs are fantastic but there should be more of them.… Expand
  8. KurtCobain
    Jan 22, 2007
    0
    The Shins give pop music a bad name. Go by Deerhoof's new album intead of this easy listening garbage.

See all 103 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

88
#88 Best Album of 2007
27
#27 Most Discussed Album of 2007
80
#80 Most Shared Album of 2007

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