100 Best Albums of the 2000s: The Shins, 'Oh, Inverted World'

100 Best Albums of the 2000s

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The Shins, 'Oh, Inverted World'

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From the jangling disaffection of "Caring Is Creepy," to the mournful, infamously synced "New Slang," the Portland, Oregon-based band's debut never needed a hype machine to make it worthy of repeat spins. James Mercer's disembodied tenor lifted tunes like "Girl on the Wing" from their low rumble and set the standard for indie-pop frontmen who could invoke gauzy nostalgia in the now – which, 10 years later, makes Oh, Inverted World a joyfully resilient listen.

Related:
• Rolling Stone's Original 2001 Review

• Rolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of the Aughts: The Shins' "New Slang"

• Video: Members of the Shins, Decemberists and Sleater-Kinney Play Imaginary Rock Band on 'Portlandia'