Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs Album Review

  • 18 June 2008

Album review of Narrow Stairs by Death Cab For Cutie

God this stuff's dangerous. It's intriguing, it's compelling, and slightly mystifying. Remember when music actually meant something? (look around for your rose coloured spectacles of youth, they're in the drawer somewhere) Remember the days when albums were works of art, with the first listen being a magical moment of drawn and held breath?

Yes this is that good. From the delicate opening of Bixby Canyon Bridge, with its swinging descent into Pumpkins-esque grunge, through the sleepwalking daze that is 'I Will Posses Your Heart' and into the grand 60s sound of 'You Can Do Better Than Me', this is an excellent adventure.

The marriage of Ben Gibbard's vocals and the awesome production is a key one, an example of how to turn a good album into a great one through the inspired use of a mixing desk. Throw in a set of dangerously well written songs and this could be the hit of the summer. Majestic.

Richard Edge