Stream Death Cab's Narrow Stairs
From the album title punchline contest to the Construction Paper Album art nicknames to the cute girl/creepy stalking video, the build-up to Narrow Stairs' release day has felt longer than sitting through a four-minute instrumental intro. And now web rippers and law-abiding music consumers alike can listen to and discuss DCFC's latest with clear eyes, full hearts (can't lose). Pretty sure everybody likes it better than Plans (right?). Fans of The Photo Album, We Have The Facts..., etc. will see some moments of those good times in "Cath" and "Your New Twin Sized Bed"; DCFC lovers of the major label days won't find anything too mean to their ears; and as most have realized/read, there are some Walla attempts at fleshing out the sounds, bringing in the tablas, turning the amps to 11 (it's a mixed bag). The more knobs tweaked, though, the more it's clear this is a band that will live and die by Ben's hand: Walla, Harmer, McGerr are all right in the pocket, but this is Gibbard's ball. When he gets it right, and he does here on a majority of tracks, Ben can twist a phrase at just the right angles, turn a melody to just the right shape. If you like Death Cab, you will like Narrow Stairs. Unless and until the band wants to give us a Great Reinvention, it's this. And mostly, this works. Stream it at AOL.
Posted at 6:46 PM
Tags: Death Cab For Cutie
Grapvine fires is amazing! Really loving the new album, very few misses, looking at you Talking Bird, and a lot of personal classics.
Score = 2
I found this "Cath" tab this morning and it sounds pretty good and is easy.
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/tabs/d/death_cab_for_cutie/cath_ver2_tab.htm
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haha, I'm the one that submitted that Cath tab. Glad you're liking it.
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New album is only okay.. best songs are Bixby, Cath, Twin Sized Bed, and maybe Long Division.
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9 of the 11 songs are pretty good, with the only real clunkers being Pity & Fear and Talking Bird. It's all downhill after the first 4 songs though in my opinion.
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I enjoy most of the album, not a real fan of No Sunlight and Long Division.
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Picked it up today. Here's what I thought on my first time through it. I kinda feel like the songwriting is less interesting than usual, but the sonic construction took a step forward. As you said, more Walla knob adjusting and that sort of thing.
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some thoughts on the album
http://www.patrolmag.com/index.php?id=417
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Four awesome songs and a handful of mediocrity. It was the same way with 'Plans', too. Bixby Canyon Bridge is effin beautiful. So is 'The ice is getting thinner'. 'Grapevine Fires' is also incredible. The rest of this album is just not worth much of a listen. Im going to be seeing them in Bend, though, so i hope they play the best!!!!!!
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Rats, my link didn't go through. Here's what I thought on the first time through:
http://fightingtheyouth.blogspot.com/2008/05/first-blush-death-cab-for-cutie-narrow.html
Sorry for the double-post.
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On first listen I can't really say I like it for the most part.
I'm willing to give it a few more listens through though.
I do like talking bird and bixby though.
Score = 1
Friday Night Lights for the win. This album for the win also. Surprising, considering I wasn't much of a fan of their previous works.
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Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
1) Bixby Canyon Bridge - Jam
2) I Will Possess Your Heart - Crap!
3) No Sunlight - MONSTER JAM
4) Cath… - MONSTER JAM
5) Talking Bird - Jam
6) You Can Do Better Than Me - Crap!
7) Grapevine Fires - Crap!
8) Your New Twin Sized Bed - Jam
9) Long Division - Jam
10) Pity and Fear - Crap!
11) The Ice Is Getting Thinner - Jam
Jam To Crap Score: 11/33 - *33.3%*
Score = -4
i used to be a fan (like obsessed with the photo album) but this one, like plans, is boring.
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nice. reminds me of the old days but still..i can't help but be bored with this. hopefully Ben will make a new Postal Service record..<3 someday
Score = 2
I'm living in Prague and can't stream this....any link anywhere for those of us living outside the US????
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NO. you should be out roaming around that beautiful city, not huddled by your puter listening to a mediocre album.
Score = 4
I've been a big DCFC fan for years now, and I think the new album is great. Maybe not EVERY song hits it out of the park—but overall, a nice album. I have been jamming it for the last few days—and I have to say it will grow on you. Give it more than one quick listen before you throw your judgements so harshly.
Just my two cents.
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I've been a big DCFC fan for years now, and I think the new album is great. Maybe not EVERY song hits it out of the park—but overall, a nice album. I have been jamming it for the last few days—and I have to say it will grow on you. Give it more than one quick listen before you throw your judgements so harshly.
Just my two cents.
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i really like the new album. "cath" might now be one of my top five favorite dcfc songs. i can't stop listening to it.
Score = 1
I didn't know people didn't like Plans...I thought it was a great album. Pretty and summery. The new one (after 2 listens) is GOOD...hoping it will grow a little more. I feel like the whole thing doesn't even start till like the 4th track...
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I'm with Batten. Why the "Plans" hate? I like the new record ok, but so far I don't hear anything that matches "What Sarah Said", "Different Names...", "Brothers on a Hotel Bed", or, yeah i'm gonna say it, "I Will Follow You Into The Dark". Time will tell, I s'pose.
Score = 1
there is a Purdie Shuffle on this record, and its sounds killing! how many bands in indie rock can sneak that shit on a record!
Score = 1
I love the record. A lot. My only real complaint being the sharp ending of Pity and Fear. Come on. It worked for Arcade Fire with ATB, but not so much here.
But the rest of the album is killer and will probably end up in my Top 10 of the year.
Score = 0
If I have to hear Ben Gibbard talk about "finding love" one more time, I am going to lose my sh*t. Shut up already. Nobody "loves" a whiner.
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I've read a bit about the band and about ben if you read about ben's life and the music on the new album i think you'll think a bit about calling him a "whiner"
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-Am I the only one that really likes "I Will Possess Your Heart"?
-yeah that love thing really bugs me too
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new album is great - a proper summer record.
although i will say i thought 'plans' was the band trying to recreate 'transatlanticism' - but making something not quite as good - i think that 'narrow stairs' is dcfc trying to recreate 'photo album' - and doing it quite well.
not sure bout talking bird, and twin sized bed is a bit 'plans' for my liking - but otherwise its really strong. 'Cath...', 'Bixby...', 'Possess...' and 'Pity and Fear' would make any DCFC best of's. Especially Cath - what a song. Possibly in my top ten DCFC songs...
(not in order)
1. Cath...
2. No Joy in Mudville
3. Tiny Vessels
4. Passenger Seat
5. A Movie Script Ending
6. Company Calls
7. Title Track
8. Title and Registration
9. Fake Frowns
10. Brothers on a hotel bed
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@ Sam: hmm. i never thought of plans as an attempt to recreate transatlanticism. i looked at plans as an attempt to take their sound in a different direction. i look at DCFC's trajectory as trying something, getting good at it, and then abandoning it. i looked at we have the facts as the mastering of the sound they were going for on airplanes, and i felt that the photo album was a transitional phase between the old sound and a newer sound on transatlanticism. [YES, this is an incredibly myopic scope.]
i have faith in the band that what they've been doing since transatlanticism will pay off in an incredible album, but i don't think that narrow stairs is the one. based on only two listens, i find the album to be well executed but, on the whole, uninspired. but i like DCFC, will buy the album, and i plan on giving it more time because i am willing to believe that there are layers to it that i haven't discovered yet.
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My thoughts on the album: http://carryyouaway.blogspot.com/2008/05/album-review-narrow-stairs.html
I liked it - I like the change in sound and most of the lyrics there. Cath, Heart, Grapevine are my favorite tracks.
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