Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
Death Cab For Cutie is a contradiction if there ever was one—a quartet with the heart of a indie band signed to Atlantic Records. Despite the fears that the DCFC guys were “selling out”, the band’s first major label release (‘Plans’- 2005) went platinum and even garnered a GRAMMY nomination. Big things were happening for this little college band from Bellingham, Washington. Fast forward three years and Death Cab for Cutie is standing on another precipice releasing Narrow Stairs; an intimate album that stretches the band’s artistic boundaries.
Recorded at band member Chris Walla’s studio “McGerr’s Two Sticks”, the band literally sat eyeball-to-eyeball, instruments in hands to craft each song on Narrow Stairs. Going for a minimalist approach when it came to overdubs, DCFC also wanted to capture the energy of a live performance in a studio recording. The result is an album that builds on the foundation the band laid with Plans to produce an album that exceeds expectations.
From the release of the first single, “If I Could Possess Your Heart”, DCFC fans knew Narrow Stairs wasn’t going to be a run-of-the-mill piece of overproduced pop. What artist, in his right mind, would release an eight and a half minute long single…for radio? Ending on a hopeful note, the song is a departure from Gibbard’s melancholy musings on relationships and love, which are prevalent in songs like “You Can Do Better Than Me” and “Your New Twin Sized Bed.”
Full of movement, “No Sunlight” is a poppy ballad overlaying dismal lyrics. Halfway through singing along with Gibbard’s ethereal vocals, the listener realizes that he or she is singing that there is “no sunlight” and “the optimist died in me.” The irony is precious.
While songs like “Talking Bird” and “Cath…” may not seem all that impressive to many, the cryptic lyrics and disorganized flow add unpredictability and a taste of DCFC’s indie past.
Narrow Stairs is a portrait of Death Cab For Cutie and a tasteful compilation of the band’s decade together. Instead of bowing to formulaic rock, DCFC continues to tear at the edges of something new, focusing on artistry, lyrical depth, and experimental sound that doesn’t seem to exist outside the world of independent music. Then again, DCFC is just doing what comes natural to them and doing it successfully.
Posted on June 9, 2008 10:34 AM
Comments
I love Death Cab, but their songs are so beautiful and true they make me sad....
Posted by: Stephanie Nikolopoulos | June 2, 2008 8:05 AM
I've listened to this album more than a few times and all I can say is "meh." It's not bad, but it's really not that good. To borrow from Rob Gordon, it's music that I can ignore if it's playing at work or at a party. It's decent space-filling music and that's not really a compliment. There's more depth here than there was on "Plans," but at least "Plans" had a couple fun, poppy singles (the 8-minute WTF?!? that is "I Will Possess Your Heart" is NOT a single).
Posted by: APN | June 2, 2008 9:13 AM
cool - i had heard the new dcfc was making waves as i was more into their older stuff previous to transatlanticism. an 8 minute radio song? sweeeeeeeet.
Posted by: dave | June 7, 2008 11:29 AM
amy - great review. adam - i disagree with you wholeheartedly. i wouldn't call myself a die hard dcfc fan BUT i have admired them since my cousin bought me transatlanticism. i think your analysis of this album is dead wrong - there is more depth here than any of their last 3 albums as it is more raw and wriggling than their heavily overdubbed past 2 albums. the songs are simple and about real experiences (bixby canyon bridge) as opposed to lofty ideals.
i just think it's a great album.
and so should you :)
Posted by: matty mckechnie | June 8, 2008 9:20 AM
Matty --
We will have to agree to disagree. I don't hear any of this "rawness" of which you speak. I head lots of lovely, pretty, clean pop music, and while there's nothing wrong with that, it's not impressive to me.
And I personally thought that Transatlanticism wasn't that great. I prefer Photo Album over the rest of their material. So there!
Posted by: APN | June 9, 2008 7:21 AM
...Yep. Narrow Stairs rules.
It really caught me off guard, and my first experience totally surprised me...Which initially I wasn't a fan of. I LOVED Plans, so I expected more Plans. Thankfully, DCFC is better than that; the new album replaces instant gratification with true, wholehearted, honest-to-goodness genius and meaning.
Thanks for the review, I'm glad you liked the album too!
Posted by: Blair | June 9, 2008 7:28 AM
Your review gave me courage to go put the CD into the stereo! I bought the album almost a week ago, but still continued to listen to Plans and other previous works. I just wasn't sure if I could stomach Narrow Stairs, for all the hype it has generated over the past month, it being a deviation in style from their previous album. :)
Posted by: eugene | June 12, 2008 8:49 PM
Narrow Stairs is boring and a disappointment. I hate to disagree with the review, but it is completely wrong.
While Death Cab is a great band in my book, this new album shows what happens with a major label and major success.
Posted by: Tim | June 14, 2008 2:26 AM
i agree with Tim, i've only listened to it twice but nothing has really stood out to me...kind of a dissapoinment but i haven't lost hope
Posted by: Tat | June 15, 2008 8:10 AM
i agree with Tim, i've only listened to it twice but nothing has really stood out to me...kind of a dissapoinment but i haven't lost hope
Posted by: Tat | June 15, 2008 8:10 AM
i love how people can just make a claim like 'this new album shows what happens with a major label and major success' and not back it up at all, giving zero examples of what they mean. this album shows GREAT marks of a band that is dedicated to a sound and dedicated to their craft. why is everyone so grumpy? did rolling stone write a negative review or something? is it 'cool' and 'hip' to diss death cab now? take another listen to the album.
Posted by: kevin | June 22, 2008 9:35 PM
I have to say it needed to grow on me, but I think most people can agree that Plans was a brilliant record and hard to follow up.
I saw them in Philly recently (about two weeks ago) and got the oppritunity to see them do their Narrow Stairs material live.
And it was amazing. They're progressing. It's different and I celebrate the diversity.
Posted by: Timmy Joe | June 28, 2008 11:24 PM