Narrow Stairs

Maybe I'm just out of touch or something, but I haven't heard much of anything about Death Cab for Cutie's newish album Narrow Stairs that they released last month. Indeed, I didn't even realize it had been released at all until about a week ago when a friend offered me a ticket to their show earlier this week at Merriweather. Well, I got the album, I went to the show, and it all makes you recall that Death Cab is a really band!

Pitchfork, in full-on hater mode, gives it a 6.0 and makes remarks worthy of ninth grade like "surely Death Cab's awkward position as one of the few indie rock groups with a platinum record would be enough to drive anyone to drink" but it's a good record. I promise! One doubts anything here will convert non-fans, but decent folk will like it fine. "Bixby Canyon Bridge" is the best, the extended intro to "I Will Possess Your Heart" was annoying to watch live but, to me, works on the album.

Comments

Death Cab is a really band

You're missing the word "bad".

Posted by Al | June 12, 2008 5:31 PM

"is a really band"?

(is this the equivalent of "FIRST" or "FRIST" on other blogs?)

Posted by dbt | June 12, 2008 5:32 PM

Death Cab is, indeeed a really band. Maybe even a really really band.

I'm sorry, I usually resist poking fun at the typos, but that one was too easy. It's like a MadLib! Death Cat is a really ___ band. Answer: "Death Cab is a really (decent as long you've long ago stopped expecting indie rock to contain any 'rock'") band."

Posted by too many steves | June 12, 2008 5:34 PM

You are a really blogger, and John Edwards would be a really VP candidate.

Posted by Neil the Ethical Werewolf | June 12, 2008 5:34 PM

They're a really confusing band, I'd say. Outside of being in the same genre, each of their albums is so far afield from the others that it's hard even to assess their oeuvre at once.

I'm finding it hard to get Narrow Stairs so far, though I don't think it's bad. I do think it's the least good album of theirs I am familiar with. Just for fun here is my ranking of the four albums of theirs I listen to regularly. I'd love to hear comments:

1. Transatlanticism (with a caveat that I listen to it least b/c its cathartic nature makes appropriate moments rare)
2. We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes
3. Plans
4. Narrow Stairs

How about y'all?

Posted by Mike | June 12, 2008 5:39 PM

Death Cab is a really band!

This would look good on a Japanese T-shirt.

Posted by live | June 12, 2008 5:40 PM

I don't know the precise definition of "indie" but what I heard of this band sounds like the same old whiny pop-punk drivel that the big labels have been putting out of each new generation of tweens since around 1995.

This supposedly "Indie" album was released by Warner Music Group, a gigantic corporate conglomerate. I'd object to a good progressive like Matt feeding such a beast, but I'm "got the album" translates to "downloaded every song on the album."

Posted by bob | June 12, 2008 5:44 PM

Pitchfork bashing, welcome to 2007!

Posted by Andy | June 12, 2008 5:48 PM

I'd been enjoying their stuff, but I've gotta admit, I find "I Will Possess Your Heart" to be just plain tedious. It's like listening to a guy who's failed to emotionally connect with a woman, trying to convince her that she should love him.

Gotta admit, I haven't heard a single new song worth listening to on WRNR this year. It isn't just Death Cab.

Posted by low-tech cyclist | June 12, 2008 5:49 PM

Frankly, if a music critic doesn't spend all his time hating, he isn't doing his job. Music criticism is all but useless for helping people find music they like, so the proper role for a critic would then be to tear down people's favorite albums in the most entertaining and obnoxious way possible.

That said, Death Cab sucks.

Posted by ACLS | June 12, 2008 5:51 PM

What'd you think of Rogue Wave? I would have gone just to see them, but I've seen them four or five times already, and I'd prefer to see them headline at a smaller venue than open at a larger one.

Posted by Seitz | June 12, 2008 5:53 PM

that Death Cab is a really band!

This may be one of the movies of the summer!!

-Leonard Maltin

Posted by Jim | June 12, 2008 5:57 PM

Pitchfork, my God, what a waste. Deathcab is good, but they're no St. Vincent.

Posted by hedgie | June 12, 2008 6:01 PM

On a related note, but with a good band instead, the new Silver Jews album, Lookout Mountain, Lookout Sea, is being released the 17th. Berman and the j00s rule.

Posted by lfv | June 12, 2008 6:05 PM

a really band?

I might have to do 'a google' on that phrase

Posted by James | June 12, 2008 7:09 PM

Obligatory Corrs post.

The Corrs - The Right Time (the video that introduced me to the Corrs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi3zbBF-_ZY

The Corrs - Little Wing (With Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones) LIVE In Dublin 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LgKLMSVTzFk&feature=related

The Corrs - Ruby Tuesday (With Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones) LIVE In Dublin 2002
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPhKHkQmolo

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | June 12, 2008 7:11 PM

this album made me realize that i actually only liked about half of the songs on previous death cab albums. looking back, its not that they went in a new direction, i just don't like it.

and yes we all know pitchfork sucks. because it got popular, counter-culture gets popular and becomes the culture and then it has to suck.

we must all move on to some new review site that is equally arbitrary, but no one knows about so that just by virtue of mentioning it people will know that we are super duper cool.

it is actually a lot like mentioning the washington post or the atlantic in casual conversation. saying "i feel like i read that in the atlantic somewhere" can mean "i have no idea what you're talking about, but i read, so am obviously crazy smart."

the nice thing about pitchfork, the av club, and the mercury, is that they hate so incessantly that if they like something that sounds sort of poppy, it is normally pretty rocking.

Posted by nate g | June 12, 2008 7:11 PM

this album made me realize that i actually only liked about half of the songs on previous death cab albums. looking back, its not that they went in a new direction, i just don't like it.

and yes we all know pitchfork sucks. because it got popular, counter-culture gets popular and becomes the culture and then it has to suck.

we must all move on to some new review site that is equally arbitrary, but no one knows about so that just by virtue of mentioning it people will know that we are super duper cool.

it is actually a lot like mentioning the washington post or the atlantic in casual conversation. saying "i feel like i read that in the atlantic somewhere" can mean "i have no idea what you're talking about, but i read, so am obviously crazy smart."

the nice thing about pitchfork, the av club, and the mercury, is that they hate so incessantly that if they like something that sounds sort of poppy, it is normally pretty rocking.

Posted by nate g | June 12, 2008 7:12 PM

I've found that the environment in which one experiences music can really affect the appreciation of that music.

The Postal Service sounds really good on a drizzly NW afternoon but not so much in sunny AZ.

Posted by ben | June 12, 2008 7:43 PM

I've found that the environment in which one experiences music can really affect the appreciation of that music.

The Postal Service sounds really good on a drizzly NW afternoon but not so much in sunny AZ.

Posted by ben | June 12, 2008 7:43 PM

Death Cab's for 11-year-olds. Listen to Faust IV and the Fleets.

Posted by M | June 12, 2008 7:48 PM

Listen to Faust IV and the Fleets.

Ugh. I used to like them when they were called "Faust 3 and the Rowboat", but they've totally sold out. I didn't realize that anyone actually listened to them any more.

Posted by This is why can't we have a civil discussion about music | June 12, 2008 8:03 PM

I just don't dig that Death Cab dude's voice.

Posted by Jeff | June 12, 2008 8:10 PM

Fucking christ. Death Cab is OK I guess- if you don't like to RAWK. I mean what the hell? Lair of the Minotuar has a new album out and it's acually on an indie label. Plus it kicks that whiny little fuck's bulls out the top of his pin-shaped noggin. If you don't like metal, try out something classy like intelligence.

Furthermore, Pitchfork? Seriously? I understand the whole "print is dead, blah blah blah" crap but that's just lame. Go read a real music zine and smell the newsprint!

That's enough for now, I gotta go burn down a church... or maybe whittle me something nice. Damnn kids...

Posted by ross johnson is a rock god | June 12, 2008 9:47 PM

I want to like DCfC, but they're always like 1/10th too twee and precious for my taste. Generation and demographic slice, I apologize.

Posted by Melia | June 12, 2008 10:20 PM

he nice thing about pitchfork, the av club, and the mercury, is that they hate so incessantly that if they like something that sounds sort of poppy, it is normally pretty rocking.

Actually, the REALLY nice thing about Pitchfork is that they throw a kickass festival in Chicago every year. This year is the best lineup so far. Animal Collective, Jarvis Cocker, Elf Power, Vampire Weekend, Spoon, Spiritualized (awesome!!), Les Savy Fav, Apples in Stereo, Caribou, etc. And a bunch of stuff that other people besides me probably like.

Posted by Seitz | June 12, 2008 10:36 PM

live wins the thread. Also, just because Pitchfork-bashing was popular in 2007 doesn't mean Pitchfork doesn't give its readers a lot of material to bash it on.

Posted by Reality Man | June 12, 2008 10:54 PM

I think about half the people opining about the "worst movies evar" last week were Pitchfork writers.

Seriously, if an indie music review didn't act like Pitchfork does, they would have transcended the whole idea of "indie" music.

Posted by Colatina | June 12, 2008 11:07 PM

All the cool kids flock to cokemachineglow now, which is even more pretentious than Pitchfork.

Posted by Andy | June 12, 2008 11:41 PM

Na dude, "The Ice is Getting Thinner" is the best.

Posted by Steve W. | June 13, 2008 1:00 AM

Death Cab? Used to be a fan. I've moved on.

I'm now listening to the incredible lyrical genius of Alex Turner(of Arctic Monkeys fame) on his new side project, the Last Shadow Puppets. Check these kickass rhymes:

As subtle as an earthquake I know,
My mistakes were made for you.
And in the back-room of a bad dream she came,
And whisked me away, enthused
And it's as solid as a rock, rolling down a hill
The fact is that it probably will, hit something
On the hazardous terrain
And we're just following the flock, round and in-between
Before we're smashed to smithereens, like they were
And we scrambled from the blame
and it's the fame that put words in her mouth, she couldn't help but spit them out.
Innocence and arrogance intwined
In the filthiest of minds
She was spitting on her birthday, and now
A face in the crowd, she's not
I suspect that now forever, the shape, she came to escape
Is forgot.
And it's a lot to ask her not to sting, and give her less than everything
Around your guilty conscience she will wind
And we're just following the flock, round and in-between
Before we're smashed to smithereens, like they were
And we scrambled from the blame
and it's the fame that put words in her mouth, she couldn't help but spit them out,
Around your guilty conscience she will wind.
And it's a lot to ask her not to sting, and give her less than everything,
Innocence and arrogance entwined

Posted by Abe | June 13, 2008 1:03 AM

Pitchfork gave the new My Morning Jacket a 4.7. I felt very violent. 4.7?!

Posted by TheBulge | June 13, 2008 1:17 AM

What is it about talking about music that brings out the douche in (some) folks?

Posted by ben | June 13, 2008 3:07 AM

I started reading the NME and the like when I was 12. When I was 16 I realized that popular music criticism is for some reason doomed to be hopelessly infantile, insipid and simply not worth the time of an intelligent person.

Posted by novakant | June 13, 2008 3:36 AM

Just in case no one saw first time around, The Onion article re: Pitchfork is priceless, check it out.

Posted by Sid | June 13, 2008 8:41 AM

Narrow Stairs is not a very good album.

I love Death Cab and don't understand the hate for them. Everyone's always saying "They're too ___, they're too ___." Well, good music is good music -- I don't care what adjective you put on it.

But Narrow Stairs is not a very good album.

Huge drop-off in quality from their previous two albums.

Posted by jaltcoh.blogspot.com | June 13, 2008 10:12 AM

This is how you know Death Cab has gone mainstream -- uber-hipster bloggers were unaware that they had a new album out, but lame suburban commuters who listen to the radio are already sick of the first single.

Posted by LaFollette Progressive | June 13, 2008 10:30 AM

'I will possess your heart' is the worst song that I hear all the time. I hate that song.

The song is horrible and overly cutesy - no pun intended. It made me think that a band like Death Cab for Cutie is primarily appealing to 13 year old girls and modern teeny-bobbing metro-teen boys with 3 collars flipped up.

Posted by adam | June 13, 2008 12:11 PM

"I Will Possess Your Heart" has been getting a little bit of MTV play lately. I happened to catch the video just as it started and saw it was DCFC, a band I'd often heard good things about but had never actually heard myself, so I thought, OK, good. Let's see what these guys sound like.

The answer quickly became clear. Shit. "I Will Possess Your Heart" is an incredibly bad song with some of the worst lyrics I've ever heard. The lyrics are just so dull and un-lyrical it really is astounding. Maybe they've got better stuff. Even the best bands have really crap songs. But man. Even the title is terrible. I Will Possess Your Heart?

And Abe, those Last Shadow Puppets lyrics suck as well. Not as bad as I Will Possess Your Heart, but not exactly poetry.

Posted by Rob Mac | June 13, 2008 12:21 PM

Yeah, Rob Mac, people are going to listen to your opinion. You've never heard Death Cab, but luckily you were able to catch them on MTV the other night. Right after your encore viewing of the Real World. Your opinions suck. And I'm not a Death Cab fan. You must not listen to much music if you say "I Will Possess Your Heart" has some of the "worst lyrics" you've ever heard. And then you complain about the title of the song? You're a nerd.

Posted by TheBulge | June 13, 2008 12:39 PM

Say what you want about Ben Gibbard, but he is definitely NOT a bad lyricist. Rob Mac sounds like an idiot.

Posted by Sammy | June 13, 2008 12:51 PM

As far as music criticism goes, I'd much rather drink Pitchfork's haterade than read about how Rolling Stone thinks songs by the Mars Volta, Sublime and John Mayer rank among the 100 greatest guitar songs of all time.

Posted by MG | June 13, 2008 1:38 PM

Hmm, TheBulge, your enraged reaction to the fact that I don't like a band that you claim to not even be a fan of leaves me pretty puzzled. But to call me a nerd because I think the title of a song sucks--that's just funny. Oh yeah? I'm rubber and you're glue! So there!

(And it was MTV Hits! where I caught the video, which I tend to flip to during commercials. Haven't caught The Real World since season one a very long time ago.)

Obviously "worst lyrics ever" is a bit of hyperbole, but starting off a song with "I wish you could see the potential" makes you a bad lyricist. And as for Death Cab's music, I just think the whole twee faux indie nerd rock wannabe Weezer thing was played out a good 10 years ago.

And yes, Sammy, anyone who disagrees with you must be an idiot. You fanboys need to chill out. I'm sorry if I made you cry.

Posted by Rob Mac | June 13, 2008 7:04 PM

Wow. Is Rob really still making a fool of himself?

Posted by Todd | June 14, 2008 3:18 AM