21 October 2003 · 24 YEARS
Chutes Too Narrow
The Shins
James Mercer recorded much of Chutes Too Narrow in his basement in Portland, Oregon, in June and July 2003. The band produced it with Phil Ek, and the mixing was done at Avast! Studios in Seattle before Sub Pop issued the follow-up to Oh, Inverted World.
“Kissing the Lipless” opens the ten songs, all written by Mercer, and “So Says I” went out as a single a month ahead of the album. “Fighting in a Sack” and “Pink Bullets” were released as singles over the next two years. “Those to Come” closes the record, which reached number 86 on the Billboard 200.
Sources
Label page: release date October 21, 2003, catalogue SP625; recorded in James Mercer’s basement home studio with mixing help from Phil Ek; tracklist.Corroborates October 21, 2003 (Sub Pop); recorded June–July 2003 in Mercer’s Portland basement, mixed at Avast! Seattle; producers The Shins and Phil Ek; singles So Says I (21 Sept 2003), Fighting in a Sack (2004), Pink Bullets (2005); US No. 86.