You should buy this album because the vocals are average (hey it's better than that processed boyband pop crap!), but the music is excellent. I think this group has room to grow and develop more but as they stand now this is top stuff. The Shins have something that no other group existing has and thats what makes them so unique. I see links to other groups here, but those groups can't hold a candle to this group. If you like this album and the group, please support them. Get the word out that good music isn't always what mainstream media plays/shows. Explore different music, genre's, independent artists, and mostly support The Shins.

This cd is awesome from start to finish. I guess I could relate this cd in greatness to the first Strokes cd. This cd has its own sort of awesome chilled out, happy,and upbeat, sort of mellowed out theme to it if that makes any sense. Every song is a highlight. Kissing the lipless starts this cd out on an amazing note, thats followed by track 2 which has an addicting chorus, I'd go on about everysong but you really need to listen to it for yourself.I always try to intoduce new music to people this is one that everyone has always loved.

This CD cannot really be compared to any other. It is completely original, completely amazing, and is so appealing that I I did not have to change it out of my CD player for the first week I owned it, even though I listen to music for about 3 hours every day. Buy this CD, you will love yourself for it.

I'll admit that I missed out on 2001's "Oh, Inverted World." After reading the reviews here on Amazon, it looks like I'll have to pick it up soon.Anyway, I had been hearing some righteous things about Albuquerque's very own Shins. So ... I sought out "Chutes Too Narrow" last month and I must say I dig it from start to finish.Singer-songwriter James Mercer clearly loves the written word. His lyrics are cryptically clever and the song structures are quirky, yet they somehow work. Keys-man Marty Crandall supplies some subtle organ work. I really like his creepy prog tones on the eerie folk song "Those to Come." My favorite tracks are the challenging "Young Pilgrims," the breezy pop of "Mine's Not A High Horse" and the brilliant "Saint Simon." Drummer Jesse Sandoval and bassist Dave Hernandez supply a solid rhythm section and deserve equal credit. Pick up "Chutes Too Narrow" and by gum, put down that Nickelback record, you nincompoop!

Chutes Too Narrow is a lovely nugget of pop. It starts off with three brilliant tracks, the first being "Kissing the Lipless", which contains some incredibly lovely melodies driven by intense singing and light electric guitar. "Mine's Not a High Horse" has a similar melody but is drier, lower and quite Belle&Sebastian-ish.; "So Says I" might just be the catchiest song of 2004.The rest of the album continues in this vein but is melodically a bit weaker. However, tracks 8 and 9 ("Turn a Square" and "Gone for Good") stand out. "Turn a Square" has a rockabilly feel to it with a great chorus and "Gone for Good" is pedal-steel folk-pop.This album reminds me a bit of "If You're Feeling Sinister", so if you like B&S; or catchy indie-pop, this is a must. Very well-written, and the lyrics are surreal and inviting.

I don't know what drew me to buy this cd. I bought it before Oh, Inverted World, and I bought it before I even heard one song on the CD. I believe that I bought it becuase of the many, wonderful reviews this album is getting.And the reviews are rightfully so. This is one of the greatest albums I've ever heard in my life. Many people say that it's the eclectic mix of sounds that makes this CD wonderful, and I'd have to agree.Also, to me, each lyric can represent a different aspect of your life and be applied in various situations. That sounds very pretentious, but it's true.The album is catchy and there is a sheer wonderful feeling that you get when you listen to it, like you could own the world.All this in a CD that probably plays for only 45 minutes.This CD is great for any type of situation: a laid back party, a car ride, a field trip, anything at all.This CD is wonderful and is 'mazing.