Interview: The Shins' James Mercer on 'Oh, Inverted World' at 20 Years

[@farpointstation]

James, live your life, enjoy your kids and being at home. You earned it. You don't have to tour if it's not in your heart

[@adderon]

He toured it

[@TheNerdProblems]

I have an embarrassing story about the shins. I discovered them in 2014 or 15, and legitimately never heard of them before and would have told anyone that some of their classics were NEW songs. They have over time became one of my favorites and I’m just now learning that they started in the early 2000’s 😂. I genuinely feel that if I discovered their music in the 2000’s I might be a different person today.

[@zachary9009]

Don't "fix" anything. It's perfect. It still brings tears to my eyes 21 years later.

[@jamiegustkey2573]

For what its worth... When i first heard this album i remeber it feeling like listening to an old who record….?!! It sounded old?… but not on purpose?! The way it was recorded WAS the charm… by happy accident or again, truthfully just recorded on the best gear you had at your disposal! The charm that oozed from the RECORDING was perfect. So to kinda be like ehhh the drum sound coulda been better and what have you. The WHOLE ESTHETIC of this milestone LP… 😙👌🏼)))) In the words of Michael Hutchence… “Don’t change a thing… for me!” Man I gotta say. The shins are and always will be the lads from New Mexico… James Marty Jesse Dave Neil.

[@KC-yg1cy]

James you’re amazing

[@mgr741]

I have been a fan since 07... and I identify so much with him... not as a musician but as a person. It's nice to hear other people say that they like the peace that covid gives...

[@bend3rbot]

So many bands talk about knowing they were onto something when the editing staff and techs were humming yesterday's recorded song today. To get inside the head of a music tech savvy, and in all probability music theory skilled industry figure is a feat, so you KNOW you have memorability, hooks, novelty, and or innovation leading the idle thoughts of a cynical bunch around, it's GOOD!!

[@al1976-v7m]

I loved the lo-fi sound on the album, also the drum sound. It's part of the whole charm. Yes the subsequent albums did sound better but i still like "Oh Inverted World" a lot. Kind of like a diamond in the rough.

[@YadenSamsara]

Our 'Oh, Inverted World' vinyl showed up yesterday!

[@SJG69]

great interview

[@livequality4578]

Really great interview

[@6ftS]

i only got to know about the shins from the short clip played on the movie garden state... been a fan ever since...

[@rideandraceHD]

I wish we had an update on upcoming broken bells album

[@MrChausten]

You finally got your wish!

[@memorycamp4990]

One word sums all this up. Rollerblading

[@chaz32]

Firing the backing band was a bad call those guys contributed a lot to the sound whether he appreciates it or not.

[@howardkoor2796]

Good interview

[@dexterj5615]

C'mon man play some bar shows around P town again

[@russell7790]

“You’re in a basement”

[@kiereluurs1243]

'A comet appears' always catches me, from a different album. I had to check, I have their first 3 albums on CD. Speaking of the sound, while playing the first song of 'Inverted world', that could have been better, generally. It sounds thin while still fuzzy. Either overproduced or crappy recording. Oh 'Saint Simon', also a favourite.

[@JM-co6rf]

zero music talk, zero songwriting talk. complete fluff

[@JM-fo1te]

Skyler White Podcast?