CD of The Week

Following his recent work with Danger Mouse in Broken Bells, James Mercer turned his attention back to The Shins for their long-awaited 4th album Port of Morrow. Things have changed since they released Wincing the Night Away, as Mercer now balances the demands of fatherhood and working with a new lineup for the band — drummer Joe Plummer of Modest Mouse, former bass guitarist of Crystal Skulls, Yuuki Matthews, guitarist Jessica Dobson, and multi-talented songwriter, Richard Swift.

For some songs on this album, it’s easy to pinpoint which of the previous albums they could be matched to. For instance, “September” could easily have been on Chutes too Narrow. Other songs prove to be the perfect fusion of old and new, like “Simple Song,” where Mercer’s raw vocals bring to mind their debut, Oh, Inverted World, and the music itself is reminiscent of Wincing the Night Away. Considering this likeness, one would not be surprised to learn that some of the tracks on Port of Morrow were earlier unfinished works that just didn’t make their way onto the first few albums. But Mercer was happy to submit them to the interpretation and talent of his new bandmates and producer Greg Kurstin in order to give them a new life. There are certain rock spasms in tracks like “Simple Song,” with an airy guitar fluttering in the background, and then with “Bait and Switch” you have a fun bossa nova beat, which is something different for The Shins.

The unmistakable Todd Rundgren vibe in the chorus of “40 Mark Strasse” and Donald Fagan (Steely Dan) feelings in “Fall of ’82,” along with the dual role between himself and a creepy womanlike voice in the title track (which is awesome), finds Mercer stretching his vocal abilities and trying out a completely different way of singing — much more melody-based than just yelping out on top of the music. This may be a result of the pop influences that have crept their way into this album, but the previous style is what really gave The Shins a unique sound and some fans might not be ready for this new approach. With stellar songs like “The Rifle’s Spiral” and “Bait and Switch” that seem to preserve that true Shins sound, it’s apparent that the key elements are still in place — they just need to work the kinks out as they feel their way around one another both instrumentally and creatively.

The Shins play the Tower Theateron Thursday, May 3rd.