Port of Morrow

“Your face changes each and every time I “see”you.something darkly mystical clouds my very being ethereally and then—————————YOU APPEAR! “ WITCH “ BY M.N.NIVOLI ..................... I “PORT OF TOMMORROW IS A GREAT ALBUM ON ITS OWN TERRA-FIRMA.BUT,”BAIT AND SWITCH”DESERVES A REVIEW IN AND OF AND BY ITSELF!CONJURING A CASTANEDA-ESQUE WORLD OF BEAUTIFUL WITCHES,WHO ARE CAPABLE OF SUCKING AWAY BOTH YOUR LOVE AND YOUR LUMINOSITY LIKE ONE WOULD DRINK UP A STRAWBERRY 🍓 MILK-SHAKE THROUGH A PEPPER-MINT COLORED STRAW.”B AND S”ALSO SUBLIMINALLY OUTLINES A BRAVE (OR NOT SO BRAVE?)”NEW WORLD,WHERE THE ANCIENT DEMONOID RACE OF THE “INCUBUS AND THE SUCCUBUS”HAVE ALREADY ARRIVED ON OUR 🌎 EARTH,AND HAVE BEGUN TO PERFORM THE “SECRET BLACK MASS”AND “TWISTED SACRAMENT”OF TURNING THE”HUMANOID RACE”INTO ITS VERY OWN VAMPIRE FOOD SCOURCE OF ANOTHER KIND AND A DIFFERENT HISTORICAL DIMENSION.IN THE MIDST OF A REALLY COOL POP SONG AT A TRULY UNPRECEDENTED MOMENT FOR US ALL.........THE ALBUM ISN’T HALF BAD EITHER. MARTY NOEL AKA;M.N.”REVOLUTION ROCK”

niiiice

Beautiful album.

I held off buying this album until 2017 because every time I streamed this record I just didn't hear anything compelling. But I so badly wanted to hear something new from The Shins as I loved the first three records - Chutes Too Narrow and Wincing the Night Away particularly. Well I came across this album on vinyl for a good price at a local record shop (please do the same) and finally purchased it. Top tip: this record sounds so much better on vinyl, or at least a good HiFi system. I have very little desire to hear it on my phone, but the record sounds fantastic and I sometimes crave hearing it. So it's a great recording if you're into vinyl. Ok, first of all, I'm the type of music listener who can't love something the first time I hear it, otherwise it's a dead giveaway that the music has no depth and I will have heard everything there is to hear in the first few spins. I'll get tired of if right away and never want to hear it again. I did not like this album right away. I'm not sure it even sounded interesting. And, that's usually what I listen for, just an overall feeling that it is interesting. This album has taken a week or so to grow on me, but I can say that it is growing on me. I rated it 4 stars because techinically I would say "It's good" and better than just "It's ok" but I probably would've given it 3 1/2 stars if it was an option. I don't think it's chock full of 4 & 5 star tracks like their other albums, but they're mostly solid 3-4 star tracks from start to finish, maybe with a couple 2s. The lyrics aren't as interesting or creative and definitely neither is the instrumentation. The hooks are more subtle, and not intentionally so - at least it doesn't seem to be, because they don't feel as clever. But there are hooks if you give this album time to grow. I feel like this album is more lyrically forward, and I appreciate music more for the instrumentation, so on that front it is a bit disappointing. This album doesn't follow the normal pattern, to me at least, of putting the strongest songs 1-5 either. I feel like many of the strongest songs are on the B side, or maybe they're just all kind of in the same 3-4 star neighborhood? In the heirarchy of Shins albums, I still have to place this at the bottom, but if you give it time to grow on you, perhaps it will and you will genuinely enjoy it, and then it won't feel so far behind the others.

I loved "Wincing The Night Away" for its simplistic arragements contrasted by the billiantly writen songs. That's hardly found here. I understand that artists are supposed to evolve, but dumbing down songwriting -to me- seems like a step in the wrong direction.

My god. Mercer’s lyricism knows no bounds. How anyone can critique some of the most terrifying aspects of the near future, somehow juxtapose them around simple narrative pop ballads, and still have it all work together, will forever be beyond me. The Shins fourth album runs the full gambit of commentary; from the generational war, to environmentalism, even to discovery of our own place in the universe. And like all previous efforts, it’s genius. Get used to the dust in your lungs children, we’ve deliberately screwed this world up. Remember to thank the Shins for calling us out on it.

I pretty much like all of the songs. What more could you want from an indie rock band from Portland? It's pretty great. No... It's amazing! P.S. I will always be a cheerleader for the shins.

The best all around album in years! I love this band and They really out did themselves. Their best work, Truly a masterful album !

This album is fantastic

The shins can do no wrong!