NEW MUSIC REVIEW: Death Cab For Cutie's "Narrow Stairs"

[T. D. Keck]

RELEASE DATE: May 13, 2008
LABEL: Atlantic
RATING: 6.8

Death Cab's sixth full length album "Narrow Stairs", is not going to set any records in 2008 for originality, nor is it going to make fans think they are listening to the same sound that made them believe in lead singer Ben Gibbard's genius which surfaced in past albums like "Transatlanticism". This is the bands second album with Atlantic Records, after "Plans" was released in 2005. The problem is ... I liked Death Cab For Cutie and now I don't! "Narrow Stairs" will have its opportunity to grow on its listeners, but simple chord progression songs and three-minute one string guitar solos don't impress listeners. The album single "I Will Possess Your Heart", with a running length of eight minutes, is the only seductive song relying on a rhythmic piano progression and a catchy bass line. Other tracks such as "Grapevine Fires" with repeated whinny lyrics like "...It felt like you were about to call.." is not going to make Death Cab any more sappier then they already are. The three years of suspense on whether or not Death Cab was going to create perhaps another masterpeice that would make my 'New Year', like back in 2003, has failed me. If you like the sound Death Cab For Cutie has delivered to emo fans and high schoolers alike, I recommend listening to Death Cab's multi-musician/producer Chris Walla's solo album "Field Manual". My rating on this new up coming release is a 6.8, but if it would have been listened to on a cold October afternoon, when the trees have no leaves and I needed a reason to cry, then "Narrow Stairs" could have a chance to catch my attention.

[T. D. Keck]

[Sarah Harris]

You were not actually listening to Narrow Stairs by Death Cab at all. You were listening to Velveteen, a small German band. Because they sound somewhat like Death Cab, their songs were used for an April Fool's Day PRANK, in which the album Narrow Stairs was supposedly leaked before the actual release date, online. Actually, all of the real songs were just replaced by this other bands songs. "It felt like you were about to call" is not part of the actual "Grapevine Fires" song, only the downloaded prank version... Which makes this review pretty terrible, especially since you're saying the album is bad when you didn't even take the time or effort to find the real album to start with.