Something Like Sound

This review marks the first time that I started using a more straightforward format for reviews.

-Tim

Last spring, as the days began to grow longer and thoughts of warmer days occupied students’ minds, an album was released. Even before its release, Narrow Stairs had generated a decent amount of publicity. When the disc finally dropped, it was not quite what many people expected.

Background:

Death Cab for Cutie, a Seattle band that has been creating music for the better part of the last ten years, began small, but has since grown in standing and sound. The first mainstream success Death Cab for Cutie saw was their 2003 album Transatlanticism, followed two years later by the even more popular album Plans.

Those records did more for the band than simply providing extra money or even allowing them to sell out venues across the globe. Ben Gibbard, Death Cab for Cutie front man and lyricist, became the indie-rock equivalent of Jack Kerouvac. At the same time, Chris Walla, Death Cab’s lead guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, branched out into the world of production and has been behind the scenes on some of the top indie records produced in the last five years.

Best Song:

“Cath” is the best representation of the current Death Cab sound. Catchy guitar riffs and a good dose of percussion keep this song from dragging. The track has a warm feel and an excellent music video which helps play out the lyrical imagery and storyline.

Song to Skip:

The first four minutes of “I Will Possess Your Heart.” Building toward something epic is great, but after two minutes of listening to the same bass riff the song becomes dry. The lyrics are catchy, but depend too much on repetition. By the end of the song the listener is ready for the next track.

Final Thoughts:

The first time listening to this record, do not expect it to be Plans 2: The Electric Boogaloo. While Plans had an almost perfect and surgical attention to detail, Narrow Stairs is more of an exploration of sound. The lyrics are poetic and the overall sound is warm and deep. On some tracks (“Grapevine Fires” and “Your New Twin Sized Bed”), Narrow Stairs will cause the listener to think of a dreamy, warm summertime afternoon while other tracks (“The Ice Is Getting Thinner” and “Talking Bird”) are slightly more chilling. Fortunately for Death Cab, they have not let their mainstream successes dictate their sound, so they still have credibility as musical artists. Overall, it is not the type of record that can be taken in pieces, but must be listened to as an entire composition.