The Shins - Port Of Morrow

Released: 19^th March 2012

Label: Columbia Records

Genre: Indie

IN a lot of reviews I’ve read for this album, the first paragraph always talked about what has happened in the past five years. Five years ago, I was thirteen years old and experiencing what many people refers to as puberty. In those five years I’ve suffered many awkward classroom boners, numerous voice breaks, and presentation breakdowns so severe with heat, sweat and what I call “redface”, people have suffered second degree burns if they were within 10 feet of the pulsating tomato that was previously my face.

Anyway, the reason why the past five years are documented so fondly in these reviews is because it is also the same amount of time since we last heard an album by The Shins. But now they are back with new album Port Of Morrow, and it’s really very good.

I’ve never really been a fan of The Shins’ previous material. The sound they were producing always sounded a little too safe to give a reason for me to gravitate towards. However with Port Of Morrow, there appears to be some character infused with the tracks, and it really works well.

There are acoustic numbers which sound completely individual from one another, the electric instrumentations bare their own qualities, but the shining star for me has got to be the vocals. They have moments of pure passion and drive, while also being beautiful and perfect neighbours for the acoustic tracks.

Without wanting to offend anybody, but Port Of Morrow is the first album of The Shins to capture my attention throughout its entirety. There’s an element of character here, as if The Shins is finally brave enough to input more of their own flavour to the mix. It’s worked out really well for The Shins and Port Of Morrow will definitely be played through the speakers of a new found fan.