Narrow Stairs is Death Cab for Cutie's 7th Studio Album
Despite stealing their name from the Beatles movie, Death Cab for Cutie aren�t exactly sixties pop. Sure, at times their lyrics (as well as their sound) could easily be related to certain late Beatles� songs (think Yellow Submarine) but over their ten year history Death Cab have certainly come into their own indie/soft pop niche. Their newest studio album �Narrow Stairs� was released in May, with their already US released first single �I Will Possess Your Heart� getting selected airplay in New Zealand and Australia.
After an epic and somewhat controversial (amongst fans) introduction to their first single from the album �I Will Possess Your Heart�, the listener can be excused for thinking that Death Cab have lost the plot. Following on from previous albums such as the highly successful �Plans�, DCFC appear to have deviated from the usual safe alternative sound some fans appreciate. Thanks mainly to the TV show The O.C, Death Cab gathered a massive amount of teenage fans for their almost emo-like music. �Narrow Stairs� takes the band (and the fans) to the next level and such a different definitive album will separate the die hards from the try hards.
The first few songs give an impression of a quick catchy set of songs. However the middle dries up, by taking a completely unexpected turn with slower than usual rifts and interludes. �Talking Bird� especially takes on a much slower, almost bored feel and, if it wasn�t for Ben Gibbard�s animated voice, could double as a two year old�s lullaby. �You Can Do Better Than Me� has Ben sounding like Ben Folds mixed with Tim Freedman before it flows right into the next song �Grapevine Fires� which has a swaying, sleepy like quality to it. For me, the stand out song from the album is �Long Division�, with its catchy heavier chorus and funny yet sad lyrics; it could easily be the next single. The final song �The Ice is Getting Thinner� has a familiar rhythm to �Bixby Canyon Bridge�, giving the album a sense of coming full circle.
The album takes a dangerous step into the unknown and not exactly popular genre of music. What starts off as easy listening with exciting clashes of piano and guitar, dips into the softer, mellower sounds in the middle before popping its head back up for a jazzy ending. Not quite the album you�d consider for Saturday night grooves or speeding on the freeway but if you�ve got a few close friends coming over for wine and nibbles before a game of Pictionary, put this in your CD player. Also works quite well while getting ready for bedtime.
