Me too. I loved that entire album from note one. Still my fav Shins record.

Having seen them, I would venture a guess that they're not able to really do a lot of the songs well live. My impression was that Mercer pretty much does everything in the studio, and thus the full-band shows are a little Meh.

I say this (should someone be pissed, etc) because of a few things in particular:
- No solos. That's right, every neat little quirky guitar solo you know from the albums was missing live, with very few exceptions, if I remember right.
- No Backup vocals. None. The other front dude had a mic, but only used it to make bad jokes between songs.
- Little energy. ...not to get all hippy. But a lot of the jump that made it through on the Chutes (first song, for example, is positively pounded out in the studio) was notably absent when I saw them. This could've been an off night. Maybe they had bad food backstage.

So my guess there Bob is that Mercer realized maybe biting off more than one new one would've been a mistake. I donno.

yeah, the shins seemed sedated on snl. good performance, but not remarkable.

They weren't so great on Austin City Limits last season either and I couldn't watch more than a few minutes, so I doubt I will ever see them live.

My life felt noticeably unchanged.

We left the concert feeling like we didn't get ripped off, but didn't want to ever go see them again. Meanwhile, they put out good albums.

well, i'm still hoping they'll go to lolla 2007 & that i can go. i don't think i'd ever go see them individually based on what i saw on snl, but as part of a lolla experience, sure thing.

I saw them live and they were full of energy and played really damn well. But I've heard from many that they can suck in concert.

Dov and I saw them open for the White Stripes in Coney Island at the baseball stadium. I think the venue was too big for them, but have wanted to see them again in a smaller place.

i'm psycched to see them again. particularly now that they've got that kid from the Fruit Bats playing with them. I expect that once they get into the swing of this new lineup we'll be seeing a lot more of that clever guitar noodling and backing vocals some of you were missing from previous live experiences. that dude is a hell of an addition, in my opinion.

i really like 3 tracks and the rest are average. hopefully they grow.

They were great live at the Sasquatch Festival3-4 years ago and they were fantastic (naked guy made his to the stage).

I'll be at the Milwaukee show in a week or so.

Loved the first album...hated chutes...this sounds better after one listen than chutes but i'm not sure if its good enough that i consider it worth buying.

OK, so I'm really digging this album. Split Needles is the best song on the album. Sea Legs, probably the worst.

I would say it's better than Chutes Too Narrow (which is decent I suppose) but not quite as good as Oh, Inverted World (which I loved).

right on opa. totally agree.

good album, but probably won't make my 2007 top 20.

I am vexed by those who don't like Chutes Too Narrow. Does. Not. Compute.

um, yeah. that first album had some great songs, but i find it to be overall just alright, whereas chutes too narrow is a better complete piece with nothing as great as oh, inverted world's 2-3 best tunes. and they're essentially the same formula anyway.

Finally heard this and I enjoyed more than the last one as well. I didn't really feel Chutes as well, while I really liked the debut. I think the this one is maybe a bit closer to that, but we'll see after a few more listens.

It took many spins to realize it's their BEST record to date.

a fourth and ffith have emerged and the rest is growing. chutes took me a few listens but i think this will have to get quite a bit better to surpass that one. Not that this album is bad.

Turn on Me is the newest grower, it's fantastic...and i like Sea Legs

Turn On Me is undeniable. Unfuckingdeniable.

love this album

I had that stuck in my head all day after the first listen.


And Chutes is my favorite. It had more of a kick to it than the Nick Drakey sedative-rock of the first one.