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The Shins — The Past And The Pending
Album: Oh, Inverted World
Avg rating:
7.3

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2041








Released: 2001
Length: 5:12
Plays (last 30 days): 1
as someone sets light to the first fire of autumn
we settle down to cut ourselves apart.
cough and twitch from the news on your face
and some foreign candle burning in your eyes

held to the past too aware of the pending
chill as the dawn breaks and finds us up for sale.
enter the fog another low road descending
away from the cold lust, your house and summertime.

blind to the last curse of the fair pistols and countless eyes
a trail of white blood betrays the reckless route your craft is running
feed till the sun turns into wood dousing an ancient torch
loiter the whole day through and lose yourself in lines dissecting love.

your name on my cast and my notes on your stay
offer me little but doting on a crime.
we've turned every stone and for all our inventions
in matters of love loss, we've no recourse at all.

blind to the last curse of the fair pistols and countless eyes
a trail of white blood betrays the reckless route your craft is running
feed till the sun turns into wood dousing an ancient torch
loiter the whole day through and lose yourself in lines dissecting love.
Comments (159)add comment
Great song that ends a 10 album!................
 Proclivities wrote:

This song has completely different chords and progression but the tempo and the minor key probably make it reminiscent.


(reminiscent)/sounds like this rare sublime song
But oh, the horns! 
 tinypriest wrote:

Total nonsense throw-away lyric. No clothes on this one.




Never heard, or felt, poetry?
 mrtuba9 wrote:
Props to Neils Galloway on the french horn! R.I.P Neils  
Damn, born 4 days after me. 
My very favorite of all Shins songs. Not a complete departure from other Shins music, but certainly less "poppy" than other tracks. Of course, the same pensive lyrics also carrying into the tune itself. They must come from deep within. But this song only serves to underscore how deep Mercer's/The Shins talents lie given all their quality music, and that of Broken Bells. More, please.
Twenty years old already.
Only on RP would nervous AF The Shins be considered mellow.
 Edweirdo wrote:

Indeed - a word salad if ever I saw one.  Nice tuba though (could be a euphonium I suppose).
 

Do not agree with both parts of your comment oh and 

Props to Neils Galloway on the french horn! R.I.P Neils  
 tinypriest wrote:
Total nonsense throw-away lyric. No clothes on this one.
 
Indeed - a word salad if ever I saw one.  Nice tuba though (could be a euphonium I suppose).
 tinypriest wrote:
Total nonsense throw-away lyric. No clothes on this one.
 
 You gotta be kiddin!
Total nonsense throw-away lyric. No clothes on this one.
 khardog145 wrote:


This album is really good and also Wincing the Night Away.  
 
This album is wincing the night away?           budda boom!
 khardog145 wrote:
 
 
Do you mean "too many notes?"
 Pilsenaaa wrote:
It seems too long , nooooo ?
 
Nope.
 westslope wrote:
Seems that every time RP spins a Shins song I like it.

Any suggestions as to what the first purchase should be?
 

This album is really good and also Wincing the Night Away.  
It seems too long , nooooo ?
Simon and Garfunkel and you will even travel on the Greyhound westslope wrote:
Seems that every time RP spins a Shins song I like it.

Any suggestions as to what the first purchase should be?
 

Always a good listen Thanks
Nice harmony
 westslope wrote:
Seems that every time RP spins a Shins song I like it.

Any suggestions as to what the first purchase should be?
 
Yes!  A monthly support payment to Radio Paradise!
Seems that every time RP spins a Shins song I like it.

Any suggestions as to what the first purchase should be?
Props to Neils Galloway on the french horn!
Beautiful song, but I have no idea what the lyrics are telling me.
ZZZZ....

Not even if I was in a chair by the surf in the sun, and just finished my third Mojito.

Please, something to wake me up!
Thank you, Bill, for the "heads up."  An amazing song.  10 for me.
{#Meditate}
beautiful and disturbing, in worthwhile ways. 
 lizardking wrote:

Same here CoJo!  One of the things I like best about The Shins is it's music that's best listened to, not just heard.  In fact, I need to practice my 'listen harder' skills as taught to me by one of my fav college profs; Dr. Marc Seales. 

Long Live RP!



 
Lizards rule.
The Shins will change your life. Yes, I know it's probably been posted before. So, sue me. {#Nyah}
Mercer and his Shins are astonishing.

Revelation.
 coloradojohn wrote:
I am continually stunned by the quality of recording, the flawless adherence to sonic excellence, and the level of lyrical brilliance here...

 
Same here CoJo!  One of the things I like best about The Shins is it's music that's best listened to, not just heard.  In fact, I need to practice my 'listen harder' skills as taught to me by one of my fav college profs; Dr. Marc Seales. 

Long Live RP!


I am continually stunned by the quality of recording, the flawless adherence to sonic excellence, and the level of lyrical brilliance here...
 ChrisVIII wrote:
 right ? I'm always amazed at how RP switches from one style to the other without having us really notice when it happened ! It's simply all fitting right, the songs are matching one another, it's impressive, I love it !

 
Indeed, and even if the songs don't exactly match musically, then at least they will match according to a certain theme.
{#Bounce}
Merciful......get it!
One of those songs containing within it an entire Universe of quantum-entangled galaxies of feelings, yearnings, regrets, and lessons;
'blind to the last cursèd affair,' we can burn vast chunks of Time trying to analyze what may well be The Way Things ARE, not were...
It is interesting to hear his younger voice compared to later (more familiar) stuff say like on "Wincing the night away" album.  Makes you realise that through RP you are listening to peoples lives progress...
Love the French horn in here. For some reason this song just reminds me of being in school , college.
Even though it was so many years before this song was thought of.
  
 Zocket wrote:
As always, a smooth transition between Stranglers - Golden Brown to this, even though the songs are not really similar.  I think the transitions are among the things that make RP superior.

 
 right ? I'm always amazed at how RP switches from one style to the other without having us really notice when it happened ! It's simply all fitting right, the songs are matching one another, it's impressive, I love it !
all those here having a much better musical knowledge than me might laugh but, to me, this is typical brit pop. It's well done, not exceptional but pleasant to hear, hence, 7 :)
 ThePoose wrote:
The needle and the damage done.

oldman wrote:
The opening sounds like a Neil Young song.

 

 
This song has completely different chords and progression but the tempo and the minor key probably make it reminiscent.
 bstevens1951 wrote:
7 > 8

 
Indeed!
7 > 8
Never heard it quite like I did just now, with the lyrics going into my heart like a knife into butter; the synchronicity of RP astounds me...
 Zocket wrote:
As always, a smooth transition between Stranglers - Golden Brown to this, even though the songs are not really similar.  I think the transitions are among the things that make RP superior.

 
too true Zocket.... good comment
As always, a smooth transition between Stranglers - Golden Brown to this, even though the songs are not really similar.  I think the transitions are among the things that make RP superior.
Window down cool driving through the Central Plains out of Sydney.  Good friends cold beer at the local, and the smell of cows up the road.  Thank you for the memories.



 

This shows as Robert Plant and Carbon Leaf......jest a little out of sinc on the playlist.

This is not a complaint, all good stuff.


 Rick_V wrote:
Still an amazingly great song.


Sadly, I'm living this song now.  

 
Achingly, hauntingly beautiful. You'll have to elaborate on the song's meaning - I can't fully understand most Shins lyrics.
The needle and the damage done.

oldman wrote:
The opening sounds like a Neil Young song.

 


Still an amazingly great song.


Sadly, I'm living this song now.  
One of the best things about Radio Paradise lately is seeing the comments from relative newcomers to songs us (relative) old-timers discovered here years ago and have come to think of as familiar territory/oldies but were breathtaking on first hearing!
amazing Flow
just lovely
Wow, quite pretty for being right between the eyes.
Nice to hear this song again.  I always did like this song {#Music}
What an interesting song.
The acoustic guitar on this reminds me of John Fahey's song "Rain Forest" from his 1986 release Rain Forests, Oceans and Other Themes.
I need more French Horn ...
Nice sound on this album,
Was rated 9.  Now is a 10.  
Man, I love this song.  (Bought from Amazon.) 
One of the best albums of the last 20 years IMHO.
I used to do that!   {#Sad}

Yet another cd in my Amazon shopping basket (through the RP link of course). Not complaining at all. . . I seem to get most of my musical buying leads from here nowadays. . . 
7 -> 8 for me.  Man, I cannot seem to get this song out of my head after I hear it on RP.  Same with that damn Broken Bells song.  Oh well, there are worse problems to have.
 siandbeth wrote:

I know! I'm trying to get the song name because it's a direct copy. 
 
 
It's a pretty standard, well-used, folk progression: E -A  - G - D, more or less.  Neil's lawyers would probably not pursue any legal action.



I need to get this album.  I have Wincing the Night Away, but it seems that the songs on this album get stuck in my head more frequently when played on RP.
My favorite Shins song.
Hey, it's The Shins on RP! {#Wink}
oldman wrote: The opening sounds like a Neil Young song.


I know! I'm trying to get the song name because it's a direct copy.

Something off "Comes A Time" I think



Love this song
 oldman wrote:
The opening sounds like a Neil Young song.
 
I know! I'm trying to get the song name because it's a direct copy. 
 
THIS BAND IS GOOD
 WonderLizard wrote:

And they're no more. Sigh. For the longest time my ideal—never fulfilled—concert would have been Calexico, The Shins, and Iron & Wine. Great songwriters, impeccable craftsmen, and they all give you food for thought in addition to a good time.

 
WHAT?!? They have a show next week in Eugene. Are they already doing reunion gigs?

One of the most poignant songs ever written, and sung well, too. Lovely musical arrangement throughout! Blows me away, farther each time, but only if I'm really paying attention. I am able to feel something painfully new and yet hauntingly familiar with every listen...
 davin wrote:
The Shins are based in Portland, Oregon. (but yes, they're from Albuquerque, New Mexico.)
 
And they're no more. Sigh. For the longest time my ideal—never fulfilled—concert would have been Calexico, The Shins, and Iron & Wine. Great songwriters, impeccable craftsmen, and they all give you food for thought in addition to a good time.

The Shins are one of those groups whose songs take on entirely new levels of depths when you read the lyrics.  Their music is fantastic, but their lyrics are positively poetic.  Finding a group that can achieve both seems too rare these days.
The relationship ends, love drifts away slowly, like the horn at the end.
I love this song. So well conceived.
I left the city.......................... Needle and the Damage. Niel should sue,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Hypnotic...monotonous... Loses me toward the end.
Forever Changes?
The opening sounds like a Neil Young song.
I like both versions of this song, one of The Shins better efforts no doubt!
I too dig the horn part, very nice touch.
Nice!!
As a french horn player I have to say that I appreciate the horn line in this piece.
Superb.
 davin wrote:

Dear crazy,

I am surprised you do not find this guitar exciting.

Signed,
me

 
{#Lol}


 crazy wrote:
lyrically ok, talent in instruments...??boring guitar 
 
Dear crazy,

I am surprised you do not find this guitar exciting.

Signed,
me

.........just lovely...............great emotional song..........
nice lyrics, comfortable pace, easy on the psyche . . . .  I likey!


lyrically ok, talent in instruments...??boring guitar 
 Relayer wrote:
 I love this song, so well written musically and lyrically.

Unfortunately, the lyrics just recently starting hitting too close to home as I found myself going through a very rough time with my wife.
 
Agree, agree, and relate. My sympathy, mate.

 nate917 wrote:

Ah, yes — where Bugs Bunny took a wrong toin.
 

At least NM is known for something....{#Rolleyes}
 I love this song, so well written musically and lyrically.

Unfortunately, the lyrics just recently starting hitting too close to home as I found myself going through a very rough time with my wife.
This was one of my first RP-inspired purchases. Thanks, Bill and Rebecca!
I love this whole album way beyond all pop music love.
I can't listen to this album without hitting replay on this song 2-3x there at the end.
 harmaton wrote:
The more I hear the more "the shins" rock.
 

Totally agree. Quality stuff!
davin wrote:
The Shins are based in Portland, Oregon. (but yes, they're from Albuquerque, New Mexico.)
Ah, yes -- where Bugs Bunny took a wrong toin.
A classic tune from one of the very best pop bands of the last 10 years.
WonderLizard wrote:
Albuquerque. Quirky.
The Shins are based in Portland, Oregon. (but yes, they're from Albuquerque, New Mexico.)
The more I hear the more \"the shins\" rock.
Far and away my favorite from the Shins. Sublime.
hippiechick wrote:
Are they from California? Because they sound very California
Albuquerque. Quirky.
Easily my favorite Shins song.
Great harmonic structure. Good use of horns too!
This was on my i-Pod earlier today. I could hear it every day for years. I love it. So deep. So sweet, so poignant, so damn GOOD, lyrically and musically, like all Shins songs. More Shins, Bill, anytime! 'As Natalie Portman so accurately put it, "The Shins will totally change your life."' Dang, Natalie Portman, no less...YEAH, BABY!
I love this.
I love the way horns have been integrated into the music. Just as little accents here and there. Very stylish!
Krispian wrote:
Very likeable. The Shins are a really great new band. Don't know if I'd buy it though...
You should, every song on their album is great. Chuts to Narrow was in my stereo for weeks before I took it out. I just wish they would put out another.
god, these guys just have it all figured out.
Very likeable. The Shins are a really great new band. Don't know if I'd buy it though...
For some reason it does nothing for me - I can totally understand why most like it - the Shins are talented...I just can't get into this song.
'tis my favorite Shins song... thank ye RP. it just gives me a feeling of relaxation and contentment... if that makes any sense.
oh, i thought this was Belle and Sebastian
very nice air to this one...
What would life be without these guys? Oh, inverted world! It's been often-times so much the better since I have discovered them -- thanks to RP! They craft such artfully simple and gorgeously rich tunes around such transcendental Spirit of Spinoza meets Ghost of Melville lyrics... They're such a kick!
hippiechick wrote:
Are they from California? Because they sound very California
They're from Albuquerque originally, now from Portland (more or less).
Wallyman wrote:
I hear shades of the Zombies (Time of the Season) in the echo of the lead vocal. This song grows on me more every time it comes around. Solid 9 in my book.
Are they from California? Because they sound very California