SUB POP
So, Brandon and I decided to try and have a little fun with this review. We listened to the album and discussed it song by song over a popular internet chat client. We aren’t sure how well this will read, but it was fun to write… so like, enjoy it. Act it out with a friend or something.
Brandon: so… this called is called “sleeping lessons”
Denny: yeah… and it makes me want to sleep.
Brandon: it’s pretty chill. I don’t think Mr. Mercer should put those effects on his vocals. : His voice is pretty, like a girl’s boobs
Denny: I think that’s my whole issue with this album, it’s all chill. Yeah, those effects are strange and at first it really doesn’t sound very “shin-y”
Brandon: it’s picking up though. When it gets louder here it kinda makes me wanna jump up and testify
Denny: the way it goes in to that pick up is really strange… this like, light strumming sound that sort of works as percussion… it’s weird.
Brandon: rock rock rock
Denny: ok, yeah, that sounds pretty good.
Brandon: try sleeping to this, lazy bones. I could never understand what his vocals are all about either. Very enigmatic.
Denny: I was actually going to say that… I can barely hear the vocals here. the music is way more overpowering.
Brandon: yeah, the music’s pretty good though, so maybe it’s ok
Brandon: what does he say at the beginning of “Australia”? That’s the next song right?
Denny: “time to put the earphones on!”
Brandon: weird
Denny: but he says it like a German guy
Brandon: yeah, it reminds me of the beginning of that def leopard song. This is a fun song
Denny: I’m having a strange moment right now… I like this. I didn’t like it before. I must have been listening it with the idea that I shouldn’t like it for some reason.
Brandon: well, that’s probably a good approach, cause a lot of stuff sucks. This is cool though, there’s some kind of picked mandolin or something
Denny: but, this really isn’t “new slang”, you know I hear that song can really change your world.
Brandon: man, it totally changed my life
Denny: I bet zack braff’s life won’t be so affected by this song.
Brandon: that and standing on an old bulldozer and yelling
Denny: So, I am only picking up pieces of these lyrics. I think he said something about being sad since January.
Brandon: he said the word “conundrum”
Denny: I can do without the “la la la’s”
Brandon: this song “Pam berry” reminds me of something else. Who is this Pam berry anyway?
Denny: it’s like… the beginning of that pulp fiction surf song, but it never really like… snaps into that part?
Brandon: yeah, it’s too short to take off or anything
Denny: and now Phantom Limbs, which is also a song by Elf Power. Oh, it’s “Phantom Limb”.
Brandon: this might be my fav
Denny: really? this is your cut?
Brandon: Deep in the cut. The crazy effected guitar for like 3 seconds before the bridge is cool…or is that a bridge? I dunno
Denny: have we heard it yet? I’m not impressed by this
Brandon: we? I listen to this song a lot I guess
Denny: I’ll let you have your song.
Brandon: I guess the shins are more of growers… not shower. Thanks
Denny: this sounds like a beach boys song to me.
Brandon: lots of whooooa’s and oooooh’s. Yeah. Agreed.
Denny: and harmonizing
Brandon: is this too pretty for you?
Denny: it’s actually pretty cool to think about the shins like that.
Brandon: like the beach boys?
Denny: yeah, well like Brian Wilson. he was a genius, some would say. This isn’t pretty enough for me.
Brandon: yeah, have you seen the shins play? The singer is kinda weird, like Brian Wilson, y’know a little introverted acting
Denny: I have not seen them.
Brandon: you son of a bitch.
Denny: ok, onto “sea legs”
Brandon: I saw them at the beachland tavern and then here in NYC
Denny: I’m not all cool like you.
Brandon: there’s a theme I guess, with the limb and the leg
Denny: I hate this right now. I hope it changes fast. Are you doing the white guy dance? snapping your fingers along with the music?
Brandon: you know it! They could do without that flute thing.
Denny: this reminds me of Sting. I really don’t like this.
Brandon: oh man, totally. It’s so new-agey sounding. They really need to bust out the rock here.
Denny:
splash symbol… but not much rock. I really thought we were going into it there.
Brandon: that’s kinda rockin but in an ELO kinda way. There’s like handclaps hidden in there too
Denny: totally. this is so Styx.
Brandon: yes!
Denny: Styx/elo/sting
Brandon: = ?? Is that a math problem? This is the worst song so far. Maybe the worst shins song ever.
Denny: yeah, it’s really awful.
Brandon: but I guess they’re trying something different…
Denny: all my favorite artists are “trying something different”.
Brandon: oh man, this organ solo
Denny: it’s so smoooooth.
Brandon: it just got worse
Denny: this song is really horrible.
Brandon: I don’t know what they were thinking. If I were drunk enough though, I would totally dance to this
Denny: hahahah
Brandon: so that’s something
Denny: ok “red rabbits” starts out kind of cute. Yeah, this is all dreamy like.
Brandon: it’s like a final fantasy soundtrack, is what it reminds me of. Like when you’re walking through the village. You know what I’m talking about
Denny:
I wouldn’t know, I’m not a huge nerd.
Brandon: ooooh
Denny: it reminds me of ashenvale, where the elves live in world of warcraft.
Brandon: oh, yeah, you’re right, about not being a nerd… this is “very nice”
Denny: I like this song a lot.
Brandon: I like it, but just because it’s sorta what I expect from the shins
Denny: yeah, and that’s good. I guess I have no problem when bands sound the same for the most part.
Brandon: I might give the old dark side a chance… that’s a good line. The cello or whatever sounds pretty awesome. I think these guys have their shit together
Denny:
yeah, I mean, if you can get over that last song.
Denny:
ok “Turn on Me”
Brandon: oh yeah, I already forgot about that ELO song. I’m ready for some guitar rock. More surf sounding guitar.
Denny: yeah, but this one has me swaying back and forth
Brandon: like a hippie chick?
Denny: I’m not diggin’ the lady back up vocals though, but I can get over it.
Brandon: a cute line… fond of y-o-u
Denny: “meeting you is fun”
Denny: I think I heard that. I think this is about love. I think this is the song about Elyse from America’s Next Top Model Cycle 1.
Brandon: what?
Brandon: are you serious?
Brandon: are they dating?
Brandon: answer me!!!!
Brandon: hello??
Denny:
I think it’s the one named Marty that dates her.
Brandon: oh, cool. This is a fun song.
Denny: it is, but it’s still not grabbing me
Denny: “black wave”
Denny: this sounds dark and dreary.
Brandon: vefy sark
Brandon: my kind of song I mean, anything with black in the title, is probably sad
Denny:
vefy sark?
Brandon: LAUGHED OUT LOUD
Denny:
vocals are booooring.
Brandon: I’m not down with the spacy feeling songs and effects. it doesn’t add much
Denny:
yeah, I’m very bored with this song.
Brandon: if I didn’t’ have to listen to it while it was playing, I’d probably dig it more
Denny:
“Split needles”
Denny:
I really dislike the use of keyboards on this album
Brandon: this one sounds like it rocks
Denny:
BRING THE ROCK
Brandon: finally, the drums are louder. He used the word “polymorphing”
Denny:
yeah. I wonder what the story is with that. Do the Shins hate their drummer?
Brandon: I think this song is great. the drums and weird keyboards do it for me. a few seconds of loud guitar make me happy too
Denny: I still hate the keyboard.
Denny: “girl sailor”
Denny:
This sounds like a song from the 60s
Brandon: I like this one too. pretty straightforward poppyness. Some more weird keyboards. So what do you think “girl sailor” means?
Denny:
see, again, this song is nice but it isn’t a song that I feel like I need to listen to a hundred times in a row.
Brandon: there are a lot of backup vocals on this album Am I the only one here that thinks that?
Denny:
yeah, there are… a lady. Maybe the girl sailor!
Brandon: ok
Denny: it’s about a girl who is a sailor, but she is sinking in her self doubt, and he’s all like “woman, you can do much more with yo bad self”
Brandon: oh wow
Denny:
“A comet Appears”
Brandon: nice one. the final track
Denny: songs about comets are soooo 2k6.
Brandon: for realz
Denny: this is pretty so far.
Brandon: I like songs with drinkin in them
Denny: I like songs about failure. This song is perfect.
Brandon: def.
Denny: ew. girl vocals again… but they sound good.
Brandon: who is that chick? I like it, but I didn’t know they had a girl in the band
Denny: I wish I could tell you, but I illegally downloaded this album
Brandon: me too! two months ago!
Brandon: I think I’ll buy it now that it’s out though
Denny: I don’t like it enough to buy it.
Brandon: so this album is over. what do you think now?
Denny: so, that was a great ending, but I still only really like 3 songs on it.
Brandon: I think more like 7
Denny: that’s exactly how many songs I like on the new Fall out Boy.
Brandon: really only 1 unlistenable one
Denny: Shins< Fall Out Boy
Denny: yeah, that one was really bad.
Brandon: thus it is shown
Denny: we have solved the problem.
Brandon: it’s really pretty, but not as good as either of their other ones, I think.
Denny: yeah. it’s nice. it’s a good listen. But, it’s definitely not the older albums.
Wincing the Night Away is available pretty much anywhere, but MyFriendCleveland.com fully supports customers buying these albums from local record stores, such as Music Saves or My Mind’s Eye. I want to link the Amazon page for this album just because you can watch a video from the album, which actually makes me like the song “Phantom Limb” a little more.
-Denny
Posted under Hometown
This post was written by Denny on February 21, 2007
