This time around Death Cab For Cutie has added a little bit more indie than pop to their mix. Long time fans who have made it through the last couple of releases will still swoon over the new album, the only people affected by the band’s subtle style progression will be the casual-ist of listeners.
Once admitted to the musical world which Death Cab For Cutie lives in, all the songs begin to glow and radiate with the emotion that drips from each one. Like all good albums ‘Narrow Stairs’ has a distinct personality that is inviting musically but darker lyrically. Lead singer Ben Gibbard simply has a pop voice which can’t be hidden or faked.
Although I can appreciate the band obviously sticking it to someone and making the 8 minute track, “I Will Possess Your Heart” the radio single, I often found myself skipping in favor up the upbeat “No Sunlight”. “I Will Possess Your Heart” found its way into my head more than once as I would catch myself singing it at random times but the repetitive/monotone nature of the chorus especially got a bit old after awhile.
Both “Cath…” and “Grapevine Fires” are huge winners and memorable tracks that fans are sure to eat up. Both have a classic style to them and tell their stories in traditional and epic Death Cab For Cutie fashion.
Among other outstanding songs, “Your New Twin Sized Bed” overshadows the rest as the best track. The combination of bass line and guitar picking makes a musical grove that is so intriguing and flows so gracefully that it sweeps you up in its path. The song which is about being single is masked as a song about getting a new mattress. A combination of summer music and lonely lyrics works in only a way that Death Cab For Cutie has proven they are masters at.
After the first couple of times through the album I was convinced the band had outdone themselves greatly. A few more times through the record and I found myself always skipping the same songs to get to other songs faster. This is definitely a great album, worth buying the day it comes out but I’m still not convinced that outdoes ‘Plans’.
6 Comments
very cool- thanks for the review. Can’t wait to pick up the album…
I downloaded a leak of this album. I’ve given it a quick listen but I will be listening to it more in the next couple of weeks. I figure I deserve to get a leak since I won’t be in the country to buy it when it first comes out. I’ll probably buy it on vinyl though when I get it.
Can’t wait for this album, I have yet to hear the leak and don’t plan to. I’m seeing them tomorrow, also can’t wait!!
Ah I also agree “Your new twin sized bed” is the best track on the album.
I really expected the album to be better but it was good.
Not there best album, and not better than plans.
But it does have its “skip-over” songs(You Can Do Better Than Me”, “Bixby Canyon Bridge”.. like plans(Different Names for the Same Thing”,”Someday You Will Be Loved”).
It also definetly has good songs and it is a different sound thats not too shocking.
I disagree. I don’t think they have outdone themselves, I think they have replicated and reproduced much of what they did on earlier albums, only, slicker, more polished, and with less heart. I had hoped they might go further into places they haven’t explored, unfortunately, in redesigning the car I think they only changed the hubcaps and added a few features. This would be a good intro for folks unfamiliar with Death Cab, but for fans who’ve been there awhile is might be disappointing.
this album feels like a resignation to loneliness and a mature approach to that. the sound of it has a totally claustrophobic feel and thats pretty seductive.. right from the beginning of the first track i was drawn into the album.
Its a breath of fresh air after the sweet tackiness of Plans.
musically its jazzy and dark and the beats are layered to create that close feeling that the emotions depict in Ben’s story telling.
I want to wrap myself in this album, its not the album i expected from them…but in a way it is the logical next step to a lot of the places the end songs on Transatlanticism and Plans have gone.
its not clean, its not a light and pretty album..but thats never been the side of death cab i have loved.. so i’m happy. others mightnt be if they like their poppier side