After ten plus years as a band, Washington’s Death Cab For Cutie have found success. Success, though a subjective term, here, it is undeniable. The band now long since have quit their day jobs and realized their rock and roll dreams. Narrow Stairs is their second release for the monster label Atlantic. It is their follow-up to 2005’s breakthrough, Plans, a record that brought the band their earned right to many, many more fans, solidified their success, and perched them beside Modest Mouse as indie rock’s major label representatives.
A contradiction in terms, it seems, for “major label” and “indie” to be in the same sentence. Maybe the sentence should have the word “traitor” as well. But Death Cab, as they are lovingly referred to these days, have stayed true to one important quote from singer Ben Gibbard, “Here is a detailed list of the changes that will occur now that we are on Atlantic Records: 1) Next to the picture of Barsuk holding a 7”, there will be the letter ‘A’ on both the spine and back of our upcoming albums. I hope all of you can deal with this list.”
It rings true. Very little has changed over the years. And when news of a new album leaks onto the Internet, one can’t help but think, “Oh.” Chances are you know what you’re getting. Stability is not something we find so often in the music world, and the band should be proud, but stability can also make for boredom in rock and roll. It was difficult to get excited for this record, but after a few listens some gems were discovered.
The band does challenge themselves a little more on Narrow Stairs than on its predecessor. On the lead single, “I Will Possess Your Heart,” we wait through a building four-and-a-half-minute bass heavy intro to hear Ben’s boyish vocals. An intro such as this would have been unheard of years ago, but here it fits seamlessly with the dark, stalker-esque lyrics.
On the album’s first track, “Bixby Canyon Bridge,” another heartbreaking tale of searching, Gibbard whispers almost a capella before a quiet guitar meets him. Its chorus of “Dream, dream, dream,” is crushed with this realization: “And then it started getting dark / And I trudged back to where the car was parked / No closer to any kind of truth.” The end fittingly finds buzz and static building as the character in the song reaches the height of confusion.
Another highlight is the lonely despair of “Your New Twin Sized Bed.” It seems Gibbard still tells sad stories best. A story of giving up on hope stands sadder than most, and it is told over a sweetly stirring medley of instruments.
The album does have some standouts, but it also has some weak songs, like “No Sunlight” with its repetitive chorus and uninspired lyrics. All in all, though, Narrow Stairs is a Death Cab album in the respect that is a solid record. It is immediately familiar. And it will sit proudly alongside their increasing catalog of good records.
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