Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

[impy13]

Finally digested the thing. Bixby is a great track. I also really like Grapevine Fires and Your New Twin Sized Bed. The entire collection isn't really as good as I had hoped, though. Maybe it'll grow on me, but I think there are more than a few clunkers on the album.

I won't really be able to find its place in the Death Cab discog until a month or more from now. If I had to choose today, though, I'd say it's their weakest since Something About Airplanes.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

I gave this album a listen today, too. I liked Bixby, Talking Bird, and Long Division well enough, but I agree with impy that there are a few clunkers. I need to listen to it a lot more, but Gibbard's lyrics were what threw me off most. Usually I love Death Cab lyrics (and Postal Service too), but some of these seemed awkward. For that reason, Twin Sized Bed did nothing for me. We'll see after a few more listens.

 

[phanan]

I really like it. I think it's better than Plans.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Cath has slowly risen to the top of the pile for me.

 

[LMP]

I really like it. I think it's better than Plans.

I definitely agree.

Bixby's still my fave.

 

[impy13]

While we don't have tickets yet, a lovely young lady and I are going to go up to my old DFW stomping grounds on Tuesday for this show. Very excited. They were excellent the first time I saw them.

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Will most likely be seeing them come August when Benjamin and friends traipse down to my neck of the woods.

How exciting.

 

[AtomicBono]

Saw them in Indy. Good show Glad they played I Will Posess Your Heart in its entirety

 

[HeartlandGirl]

So, is anyone out there still listening to this record on a regular basis? I feel like I'm still trying to get into it, but it just isn't working.

Anyone want to try to sell me on this album? Plenty of people in this thread said they liked it, but there wasn't a whole lot of discussion about why. Not to mention, after it came out, people stopped talking about it pretty quickly.

Anyone?

In the meantime, I'll keep slogging through it, but to me, it just doesn't compare to Transatlanticism or even Plans.

 

[joyfulgirl]

In the meantime, I'll keep slogging through it, but to me, it just doesn't compare to Transatlanticism or even Plans.

Agreed. I had a two week burst of enthusiasm with it but it did not have sustaining power. I don't dislike it, I'm always happy when a song from it comes on during a shuffle or whatever, but it just doesn't have the depth ofTrans or Plans and doesn't inspire repeated listenings. It's just perfectly fine. My first impression turned out to be my lasting impression.

 

[phanan]

I still enjoy it a lot. It's one of my favorites of this year. It doesn't come close to Transatlanticism, but then, neither did Plans.

I like this album more than Plans because, for me, it's got a better balance of slower songs and uptempo numbers, whereas Plans drags at times. Songs like Cath, Long Division, and No Sunlight give it a better balance. It's got a terrific opener with Bixby, a classic epic with I Will Possess Your Heart, and some absolutely gorgeous tracks like Grapevine Fires and Your New Twin Sized Bed.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but overall, I dig it.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I still enjoy it a lot. It's one of my favorites of this year. It doesn't come close to Transatlanticism, but then, neither did Plans.

I like this album more than Plans because, for me, it's got a better balance of slower songs and uptempo numbers, whereas Plans drags at times. Songs like Cath, Long Division, and No Sunlight give it a better balance. It's got a terrific opener with Bixby, a classic epic with I Will Possess Your Heart, and some absolutely gorgeous tracks like Grapevine Fires and Your New Twin Sized Bed.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but overall, I dig it.

my name is elfa and I endorse this message

 

[u2popmofo]

Yeah, it didn't last for me either. Other than two or three songs, I find it pretty forgettable unfortunately..

 

[HeartlandGirl]

As we come to the end of the year, the more I think about Narrow Stairs, the more I think it's my biggest disappointment of the year.

Other than the fact that I didn't even buy the new Coldplay album.

 

[powerhour24]

I like it, but yeah its not very memorable, I like "Your New Twin Sized Bed" a lot although its kind of stereotypical from them, and "I Will Possess Your Heart" is addicting, but its not epic, its just extremely repetitive to the point where the song becomes that long, the radio edit is horrible though, I agree the intro needed to be chopped but it makes the tempo of the song seem much faster than it should be.

 

[the tourist]

My favourite DCFC album is still Something About Airplanes. The Photo Album is second.

 

[u2popmofo]

The Photo Album

Ftw

 

[joyfulgirl]

Other than the fact that I didn't even buy the new Coldplay album.

Based on the songs I've heard, I'd say that's money well-saved. But I've never liked them so I'm not exactly the best judge.

I didn't buy all that many new records this year but when I think about it, Death Cab and R.E.M. got less love than the others.

 

[powerhour24]

Well for what its worth most fans of R.E.M. wouldn't classify Accelerate as a disappointment, but neither album is a huge leap forward for their respective bands.

 

[joyfulgirl]

They both enjoyed a brief burst of enthusiasm in my CD player and then I put them away.

 

[powerhour24]

I pop in Accelerate often for driving, so much energy, angry though it maybe, but its nice to get a lot of passion from them again, I hope we get a new album with this renewed energy and some sort of new direction in the near future.

 

[HeartlandGirl]

Based on the songs I've heard, I'd say that's money well-saved. But I've never liked them so I'm not exactly the best judge.

I didn't buy all that many new records this year but when I think about it, Death Cab and R.E.M. got less love than the others.

Yeah, I'm not feeling too guilty about the Coldplay thing. I saw them perform on The Daily Show when the album came out, and I wasn't impressed at all. About a month ago, I thought I might finally cave in and buy the record. Then while driving to a meeting, a coworker and I listened to a couple songs on his iPod, and they were just awful. Completely underwhelming.

Most of the albums I've bought this year have been from the trance genre, though some new stuff has come out here at the end of the year that's promising--Ryan Adams, Thievery Corporation, Enigma, People in Planes, Secret Machines. I even picked up the new Bloc Party on a whim after hearing it played at the CD store. It's been a weird year for music in my book.

 

[LemonMelon]

Perhaps I just fail at music taste, but I really, really like this record. Perhaps even more than Transatlanticism. At the very least, it's more singular, and I Will Possess Your Heart is my favorite song of theirs, so that helps.

 

[u2popmofo]

I Will Possess Your Heart is stellar, I'll give you that. It's been ages since I've listened to this, I'll try to remember to give it a spin tomorrow.

 

[LemonMelon]

Forgot to mention the greatness of Bixby, Cath (really, the first four, all in a row, makes for quite an awesome listen), and Grapevine Fires. Can't really get into Talking Bird.

Also, random fact: Wilco's Ashes Of American Flags segues perfectly into I Will Possess Your Heart. I may use that at some point.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Also, random fact: Wilco's Ashes Of American Flags segues perfectly into I Will Possess Your Heart. I may use that at some point.

I may steal that at some point.

 

[joyfulgirl]

Forgot to mention the greatness of Bixby, Cath (really, the first four, all in a row, makes for quite an awesome listen)

I agree with this. I sort of lose interest in the second half of the record but the first four songs are great. Maybe I'll listen to this tomorrow in the car.

 

[phanan]

I've said all along that I really enjoy this record, much more than Plans. It's in my Top 20 for the year.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

I really like The Ice Is Getting Thinner... I can't explain it really - I hated it up until recently and all of a sudden it clicked...

 

[joyfulgirl]

I really like The Ice Is Getting Thinner... I can't explain it really - I hated it up until recently and all of a sudden it clicked...

Same here. A friend included it on a mix that he gave me over Thanksgiving and suddenly I like it.