study in old-school pop songwriting, full of Sixties-style psychedelic folk rock, abundant pop hooks and James Mercer's inimitable high-pitched croon." Critical reception Chutes Too Narrow was met with critical acclaim upon its October 2003 release. Matt LeMay of Pitchfork designated it "Best New Music", summarizing that "Not simply an excellent album, Chutes Too Narrow is also a powerful testament to pop music's capacity for depth, beauty and expressiveness." AllMusic's Heather Phares wrote that the band "excel[s] at sounding happy, sad, frustrated, and vulnerable at the same time, and their best songs, whether they're fast or slow, feel like they're bursting with nervous energy." The New York Times Kelefa Sanneh called Chutes Too Narrow a "sly, restless album that includes a cryptic protest song—full of sugary harmonies and disconcerting slogans—and a dreamy meditation on ontogeny." Rolling Stone gave the record four stars, with reviewer Barry Walters commenting, "It must mean something that the freshest indie rock boasts tunes more substantial than what is sold in the mainstream." Robert Christgau of The Village Voice called Mercer "a gifted melodist with an arranger's knack for psychedelicizing simple structures and a folkie's fondness for acoustic strum." Q called the record "a leap forward", while Uncut wrote that "You don't expect progression from such evident classicists, but there's a new clarity, poise and refinement." Mojo wrote that the album "sears through the essence of what makes this band special, the brave voice and ebullient delivery of singer-songwriter-guitarist James Mercer." Spin Zac Crain compared their style to their "fellow travelers the New Pornographers", writing that "the Shins are reverent and referential, practically documenting their source material with footnotes, while acting like they own it." While Dave Simpson of The Guardian opined that "downbeat self-deprecation" permeates the recording, he wrote that "there's a certain small-town romance vibe throughout, they're not averse to surprises." Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club felt the record was a disappointment in contrast to its "near-perfect" predecessor, but did speak positively when comparing: "[Chutes Too Narrow] does share its intelligence and concision, as well as its remarkable ability to make kicky pop-rock sound both simple and complex, retro and modern." In contrast, The New Yorker considered the album an improvement over Oh, Inverted World: "With better writing, better playing and better singing, the album illustrates the breadth of the lead singer and songwriter James Mercer's vision; the cuts […] are elevated by accessible