The Shins‘ 2003 album, Chutes Too Narrow, is getting the reissue treatment in honor of its 20th anniversary.
The record will arrive with remastered audio on October 20.
Chutes Too Narrow was the sophomore follow-up to The Shins’ breakout 2001 debut, Oh, Inverted World, which spawned the single “New Slang.” While Chutes Too Narrow didn’t feature any songs that changed Natalie Portman‘s life, it was a critical success and helped cement The Shins as staples of the 2000s indie rock scene.
“I was very aware at the time that I had struck gold with the first record, and it was unlikely to happen again,” says frontman James Mercer. “‘Sophomore slump’ and all that. The pressure to prove myself as a viable writer had never been so pronounced.”
“Midway through the mixing process, I realized one of the songs would not work, so I stayed up after everyone went to bed and wrote ‘Young Pilgrims,'” Mercer continues. “And with [producer Phil] Ek‘s help, it worked! Such a stressful but beautiful experience!”
The Shins previously released a 20th anniversary edition of Oh, Inverted World in 2021 and celebrated the milestone on tour in 2022.
Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.