ALBUM REVIEW: Death Cab for Cutie-Narrow Stairs
By: Scott Rader
5/15/2008
I felt a little nervous reading some press for the new Death Cab for Cutie album. To my dismay it claimed the band was "straying from their indie pop roots and exploring dark new sounds." This sounded a lot like the other bands I liked branching into different directions. Fortunately, Death Cab staves off new-direction infection by still sounding like themselves, with those darker sounds only helping to make them a better band.
This isn't an entirely new Death Cab, just a slightly different one trying to sound the same on every album. They didn't totally revamp to make critics or fans notice or leave them. They just made themselves sound more complex.
Take their single "I Will Possess Your Heart." There is no denying it's Death Cab for Cutie-ness. But it stretches over 8 minutes long, most of it a rollicking instrumental jam session. Like Death Cab took notes from the excellent Yo La Tengo album, I'm Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass. It isn't just some pretentious meanderings. This is how rock should be, it should spend time inhabiting your brain. Even if that takes 8 minutes.
Another great track, "You Can Do Better Than Me" plugs along with a marching band beat and the earnest lyrics that have made Death Cab so popular.
Also check out the lithe, short burst of energy, "No Sunlight."
But mostly, this isn't an alienating album. Fans rejoice. It's good. There are songs on this album that would have been great on The O.C. also. Mostly though, this is a fantastic, grown-up album that can and should be listened to from start to finish.
