Narrow Stairs

Narrow Stairs is Death Cab for Cutie's newest album. It came a week or so ago, May 9th. In the weeks leading up to the release of this album I replayed all my old Death Cab Cd's. I love rediscovering all my old favorites preceding the release of any follow-up. I watched all the Indiana Jones before we went to see the new one, I played Rainbow Six Vegas 1 for about two weeks non-stop before number 2 came out. I feel it's the only real way to see how the band/movie series/video game or whatever has improved/declined. So in the weeks preceding the release I really got psyched and excited to see what they were going to bring to the new album.

Death Cab is their own style, choir boy vocals, cleverly put together lyrics over subtly layered instrumentation, they are one of the few bands that have not really changed their style throughout the years.

People get mad at bands if they reinvent themselves album to album and complain they're not like they used to be and people also dislike bands for sounding the same album to album. Narrow Stairs has stayed true to DCFC style with enough subtle changes to keep it fresh.

This is Death Cab's second album released with a major label. Fans, including me was scared about their switch from their independent label to Atlantic. Most Indie bands that make that switch make an album and then fade away and are never heard from again. DCFC's first album with their new label, Plans sold 90,000 units the first week while Narrow Stairs sold 144,00. It would seem the switch has paid off.

While Plans was mostly recorded in parts and mixed in the studio, Narrow Stairs was mostly recorded live. Apparently the band wanted to get back into the natural feel of making and playing music. I personally think it paid off. Plans was more Poppy than the usual Death Cab album, while Narrow Stairs has gotten back to the dark, almost creepy lyrics of their past. With tracks like I Will Possess Your Heart, Grapevine Fires, Cath, Pity and Fear, You Can Do Better Than Me and Bixby Canyon Bridge, I highly recommend purchasing a copy for yourself, if your not too sure I have a couple tracks on my playlist so give them a listen. It's hard to find an album now days with more than two or three great records on it. The only song I skip when listening is Talking Bird. Pop it in, crank it up and just chill out with the cold and smart lyrics of Death Cab for Cutie.

Craig's Score: 81%

PS: They are playing in Utah at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, I unfortunately have a wedding to go to that night, so if anyone goes please let me know how the show was! Later!