Shins, Oh Inverted World

[numrologst]

I've always be a fan of The Shins.. I've always really dug the vibe of Oh Inverted World... To me, the vocals sound really cool on that album.

I've always wanted to get a similar tone with stuff I do, but can never seem to do it.
Now I know that alot of it has James Mercer's voice... But past that does anyone know what is going on with those vox. I mean past performance, what is there>?

[jdjustice]

this is a landmark album IMO. i think Chutes too Narrow is a masterwork as well.
i just can't wait to hear their new work; it should be released (if i am not mistaken) in January.

i don't know about the vocal processing, just wanted to chime in with some love for the Shins.



cheers.
~j.d.

[numrologst]

no doubt Chutes Too Narrow is a bad ass album, Oh Inverted World was definately a turning point. I always think about that movie Garden State where that chick says the Shins will change your world, no doubt they changed my world. Only a few albums in the past decade have changed my world... The ones that come to mind are Oh, Inverted World and YHF by Wilco. Totally blow me away.

The new shins album wincing the night away has been leaked. A buddy of mine mailed it to me for christmas. I was truly wowed. It's along the lines of Oh inverted world, but they definately took the album to an even higher level. Very nice sonics too... Lots of nice synthesizer too. They have a track or two on their myspace.

Wincing the night away has the same vocal vibe, but a tiny bit more polished

[jdjustice]

Originally Posted by numrologst

Only a few albums in the past decade have changed my world...........and YHF by Wilco. Totally blow me away.

YHF is a sonic masterpiece as well!! i think part of the credit for the great sound on that record is due to Jim O'Rourke who produced. he is always creative and quirky in an intelligent way.

[numrologst]

O'rourke is definately the man. He mixed I'm trying to Break Your Heart... I mean that song could have easily been blown into sonic oblivion but some how he carved all the extra sonics in and out of that song with ease. Quite a feat if you ask me.

[Josht]

James Mercer was in Tape Op a while back, he talks a lot about recording in his basement. If I remember correctly, he did Oh, Inverted World on really really cheap computer equipment.

[numrologst]

hmmm... Ill look for the article. any other ideas?

[numrologst]

I just found the article... recorded on a digi001 with sm57, rode nt2, and a 414. In the basement, no acoustical treatment.

I must say that I am shocked... I've listened to the shins for a long time now, and i never thought about investigating. But damn I can;t believe what i read

[C/G]

Originally Posted by Josht

James Mercer was in Tape Op a while back, he talks a lot about recording in his basement. If I remember correctly, he did Oh, Inverted World on really really cheap computer equipment.

He used a Rode NT2 into a 001 for the majority of the vocals. That I definitely remember from that TapeOp article. I'll dig up the old issue later and look at exactly what chain he used, but it was nothing special.

Wait until you hear the brand new Shins album, "Wincing the Night Away". It will kick your ass, I love it. I think it's the best Shins product to date with songs like Sea Legs. Phil Ek did some work on it and it was produced by Joe Chiccarelli. It sounds bloody excellent.

[Methlab]

I must get it...I love this band, and their recordings are great.

[starcrash13]

It's amazing how muddy and swampy that album sounds. The vocal effects sounds, at times, like he's singing through a karaoke machine. The drums sound like my old 4-track demos. Overall, I reckon it was recorded on one of those digital 8-tracks.

That said, it's also amazing how this album is so incredibly brilliant. The songs are arresting and his voice kills me every time. I remember hearing the first line of the first song for the first time. I was in my friend's car. My jaw just dropped and I was mesmorized.

I heard a sneak preview of the new album and it sounds great, except for one song that sounds like Enya.

[numrologst]

yeah oh, inverted world has a sort lo-fi sound that just seems so cool. It relly goes to show you thay great things can be done on a limited budget.

I remember when it first came out we woud play games trying to figure out what the hell James was singing.

But still that vocal tone sounds rockin. It's very wet, and the reverb has no trail. You just get the immediate effect and no trail...Probably because of such a high noise floor. I'm was thinking they did alot of it by accident...But sure enough the vox on wincing the night away have that same flavor and it was definately done on much better gear.

[corworld]

While the think the sound of the first album has a great vibe; Chutes to narrow is so much better just based on the cleaner production. I remember thinking the first time I put that on thinking that they got someone to mix the album properly. The first album reminds me of my old radio shack spring reverb.

A friend of mine played French Horn on the first album. I don't think he has any idea of the album that he played on.

True Indie fans tend to like the lofi sound. Means they didn't sellout.

[jdjustice]

FWIW, there is an interview with James Mercer up on Pitchfork where he talks about the process of making the new album, "Wincing the Night Away".
there is not much technical information there but it is an interesting read for a Shins fan:

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/articl...view_The_Shins