Narrow Stairs

I've been trying to get some more variety in my music library lately. Being from Washington, I've heard these guys on the radio a lot, so I figured I'd give them a real chance and picked up Narrow Stairs.

My jaw was on the floor the first four songs, and for a few more after that. How have I let Death Cab get by me up until now? Most of the lyrics are well thought out, and Gibbard does a great job setting up an atmosphere with the music.

I thought I was impressed the first time I listened to this album, but it gets better every time. Since getting this, I've gone out and gotten Plans and Transatlanticism, and I'm about to listen to those. My favorites here though have to be: Bixby Canyon Bridge, I Will Possess Your Heart, Grapevine Fires, and Your New Twin Sized Bed.

I have to first say that if you are reading this, I have to establish that I'm not a really big fan of Death Cab in the sense that I only have two albums. I picked up Plans, and was really impressed. I figured I'd pick this one up, because I'd heard good things about it, and I had "I Will Possess Your Heart," and I really liked the song.

I was fairly disappointed in the songs on this album. I have come to expect great lyrics from Death Cab, and no doubt that there are songs on this album that show Ben Gibbard's talent for good lyrics. Some of them are just there. Some of them just leave a bad taste in your mouth.

However, I am not recommending that you pass this album up if you are always looking for good music. Some of the songs are really worth having, and if you don't want to buy it, remember to get it burned from a friend.

You should get Death Cab's Narrow Stairs for the first four songs alone. Each is a model of perfection. Even though 'I Will Possess Your Heart' clocks in at over 7 minutes, you never get bored.

This is a must have.

[DW]

I don't want to be one of those people who can't enjoy Item A because of the existence of Item B, which they feel is so superior to Item A that they can't enjoy A because of the inferiority in comparison to B, but... well, that's kind of how I feel in this case. In my example, Item A is this album, "Narrow Stairs", and Item B is Death Cab's 2005 "Plans".

Prior to purchasing "Plans", I owned a few Death Cab albums, including "Transatlanticism" and "The Photo Album", which I thought were alright but, with the notable exceptions of stand-out tracks like "Tiny Vessels" and the "Transatlanticism", never really grabbed my attention. I wouldn't listen to either CD without skipping. I absolutely adored the songs I adored and liked the band overall, but decided that I would never buy an album of theirs again, just download the songs that I liked.

Then "Plans" came out, and I loved every track. I listened to that album on endless repeat, saw their show in St. Louis this year, and decided to take a chance and buy "Narrow Stairs" in its entirety. Sigh. And we're back to "The Photo Album" where I like two or three songs and skip through everything else. It's not that the rest of the album is unlistenable, just that it's not, to me, exceptional.

I know it's not fair to decide one piece of art against another by the same artist, but when that artist paints a masterpiece, setting a whole new level for your expectations, and then fails to live up to it, you can't help but think, "Where did the guy who painted the Mona Lisa go?"

"Grapevine Fires" is an incredible song, and for me, the highlight of the album. It's an evocative meditation on the wildfires in California and the frailty of human civilization. LOVE IT! I also like "I Will Possess Your Heart" and "Bixby Canyon Bridge". "Cath..." has amazing lyrics, but I'm not fond of the song.

A simple and sweet review. I admit I am a relatively new DCFC fan, within the last few years, but I really enjoy this disc. I own the previous 2 releases and enjoy them just as well! The differences between this one and Plans are highly appealing to me. I cannot believe some do not like this cd. Must be fair weather fans. Nothing wrong with a little rockin' out! With my continuing research of their past catalog I think this is a solid release and true fans will dig it.

I think most bands have a hard time following up an album like Plans, especially when the follow-up is a little different in tone and style. When I first got this album, I was expecting something like Plans, even though Gibbard repeatedly said it was more a return to their earlier work. I was disappointed. Then, I saw Death Cab on their current tour, and was reminded of why I love the band in the first place. Now I can appreciate this album for what it is--not a clone of their last album, but a true, old school Death Cab record. If you appreciate Death Cab's past and present, you won't go wrong with this album.

It would be very difficult for DCFC to match the greatness of Plans but this new release does not disappoint. I think my favorite track is Your New Twin Sized Bed. It's so sad and beautiful but then again, so are most of these tracks.

Death Cab's first album in three years, Narrow Stairs, starts off with a song somewhat different from anything else by the band that I have ever heard. Bixby Canyon Bridge is still a foray into pop melancholy, but it's lyrics approach the tragedy somewhat more roundabout by talking less about feelings and telling a story instead, and the memorable hook takes until over halfway through the song to uncover itself. This sounds like the start of a hit album, and no doubt this album will end up being Death Cab's most popular album, even more popular than Transatlanticism, or at least it will be the one that people will listen to most while the purists swear by Transatlanticism. I don't know which album I prefer more. I guess I haven't gotten to know Transatlanticism that well.

I have gotten to know Narrow Stairs extremely well, though, which is odd, because it is a fairly new album, but it seems like whenever I am in a car with someone, there is a fifty percent chance that either Goodbye Blues by The Hush Sound or Narrow Stairs by Death Cab For Cutie will be playing on their CD player. I've only actually sat down and listened to both albums once. I don't need to listen to them any more, because I already know them front to back. And I don't really want to listen to them anymore, because I am sick of them. I'm sure time will heal them as it heals all albums that have been played too much for an individual listener, but for now the opportunity is ripe to look at Narrow Stairs objectively.

Completely objectively, it is a hit album. It's sold extremely well and it's going to keep on selling, and the reason for it is simple. Ben Gibbard writes extremely good vocal melodies, and he has now come at ease to pairing them with building, big sounding guitar rock to make the music reach a wider audience. Whether or not you actually like his vocals is a completely different story. It's not a matter of loving them or hating them. Personally, I think they're acceptable. His voice is smooth enough to do the songs and lyrics justice, but they have built a deserving reputation. Ben Gibbard writes whiny, sad music and sings with a whiny, sad voice.

Or does he? On Narrow Stairs, some things about Death Cab have changed, and other things have stayed the same. Gibbard still writes about depressing life, which is fine, because that's what his audience likes. Sometimes his lyrics are touching poetry, particularly the only obliquely sad You Can Do Better Than Me, and at other times they are downright embarassing, such as on Long Division (The television snows softly. Oh that's poetic static, Ben.)

Another embarassing moment is one of the longer hit singles in American pop, I Will Possess Your Heart. On it's exterior, the song is an epic jazzy trance tune, and that works out fine for it until Ben Gibbard comes in and ruins the show with one of his most contrived vocal melodies and trite lyrics ever. This is what happens when Gibbard tries to pretend he has balls. In two words, it's jock indie, lyrics about a date rapist over what we would like to pretend is a massive sonic exploration but really isn't anything you haven't heard before.

But it has gotten radio play. Lot's of it. I'm sure that by the end of the albums radio lifetime, at least five of its eleven songs will have been singles. People are going to eat them all up. And once again, that is because Gibbard knows how to write hooks, be they good or secretly bad and unimaginative. It might sound like I am bashing the band here, because I am, but there are several songs here that are musically extremely well written. No Sunlight is going to end up a singalong Death Cab classic for a good reason. I also enjoy the melodies on Your New Twin Sized Bed a lot, and the use of the Indian percussion instrument tabla on Pity and Fear is quite creative and yields great results. You Can Do Better Than Me is a love song at heart, and as a friend has pointed out to me it almost sounds like some kind of orchestral arrangement by Nobuo Uematsu.

The album ends in the same way it starts, with yet another story about geology. But what that last song, The Ice Is Getting Thinner, reveals is that it is not a so different than how the album started, and how the album started in not so different a way than most Death Cab songs. Yes, musically this album takes some chances and succeeds slightly more often than it fails, which means it has something going for it. But this is counting out the lyrics, and counting out the lyrics is wrong. Lyrically, Death Cab For Cutie have been writing the music the same for ten years. When I listen to Death Cab, I get depressed, and I don't like getting depressed. But beyond that practical issue, when a band does the same thing for ten years with little variation, they get boring. Death Cab For Cutie are on thin ice, or perhaps going down a narrow stairwell that's only getting more narrow.

I'm not a huge fan of Deathcab but got somewhat hooked on their single "soul meets body" which is a great song hardcore fan or not. I was disappointed listening to "Plans" to find out nothing on the rest of that album was as good as that single or remotely as upbeat. I just thought that it was decidely too melancholy for me. So it came as a sort a shock when i heard the opening songs "Bixby Canyon" and "I will posess your heart". "I will posess your heart" has no lyrics except a couple of lines that the singer repeats like a mantra and it's indulgently long for todays standards. It doesn't matter though because the magic is obvious. The first half of the album is flawless but the rest of the songs almost sound like b-sides in comparison to how good the rest of the album is. Even though i don't think it's consistently good from begining to end that first half is better than alot of whole albums this year!!!!

This band is unique. This isn't music I would blast in my car because most people would think I'm gay, but I enjoy it a lot. It's a guilty pleasure. This band is talented and this is a great album.

Let's make this short and sweet. I really didn't know what to think about this cd when I bought it. I guess I just wasn't feeling DCFC as much with their newer stuff. But this Cd wasn't bad at all. It has a few catchy tunes and made it worth the buy. Need I say more?

I've liked Death Cab ever since my friend introduced me to them in '04 which is a litte late in the game I confess but a fan is a fan. This album seems like a follow-up to The Photo Album rather than Plans. Grapevine Fires has to be one of their best songs to date. I recommend this album to anyone.

I've been a fan of this band for quite some time now and since have found out that singer Ben Gibbard and the band have been making music for almost a decade. He is a true artist in the indie-rock fashion, but did get more "mainstream" recognition with their 2005 release of "Plans". It even got a Grammy nomination and much heavy rotation on radio airwaves everywhere.

"Narrow Stairs" is slightly different from the more pop under-toned "Plans" with it's darker tone and slight sad with songs like "Pity and Fear" and "The Ice Is Getting Thinner". I also liked "I Will Possess Your Heart" which is eight minutes long and features interesting lyrics in the typical Ben Gibbard fashion yet slightly creepier. "You Can Do Better Than Me" bumps things back up to the more chamber-pop alternative side of Death Cab.

The band has always impressed me with their lyrics and the way they are willing to experiment and not try and fit any one style or do what's popular in the music world.

Forget all these long and boring reviews. Here's all you need to know. I'm a huge DCFC fan... have most of the albums. Was very excited when this came out. Other than "I will possess your heart" (which is marginal at best) there is nothing memorable on this album. I hate to say that, but it's true. If this is the next direction of DCFC, they've lost me. There are no melodies that stick in your head. The vocals are too clear and painfully point out weaknesses in Ben's voice. The songs are boring. And they're extremely repetitive (even for DCFC). After my mandatory 3 listens to be fair and give it time to grow on me, I'll likely never play this album again. If you're a DCFC fan, you'll probably get this album anyway just to have it. But if you're new to DCFC, pick something else like Plans or Transatlanticism and you will be much, much happier. I'm not counting them out, and hope the next album will be back to their usual very high standards.

Narrow Stairs (2008, Atlantic) Death Cab For Cutie's sixth studio album. ****1/2

I'm not sure that it really matters if Narrow Stairs is of the same caliber as Transatlanticism. What matters is that on its own, Narrow Stairs is a fantastic album, certainly one of the best of 2008 thus far. The tone is very clear, and never does its message of loneliness and wanting, the darkness of unrequited love, get lost in even the upbeat and inspiring music.

"I Will Possess Your Heart" is easily a strong point in the album, but by no means is it the only memorable tune. It's almost too long, for the four-minute instrumental introduction is not necessary at all. But once Ben Gibbard's vocals come in, the undeniable beat of his voice is imposible to ignore. The indie rock and alternative pop/rock quirkiness is fluent throughout the next several tracks; "No Sunlight" is very upbeat, having a quicker tempo and seemingly sunny lyrics. But like everything else, it is almost drenched in lyrics of the attitude that love is not what it seems. "Cath" is a truly frightening song, about the dangers of settling when there appears to be nothing else, and its address to a named person makes it act like a Ben Folds song.

The album's shortest song "You Can Do Better Than Me" is just under two minutes, again about two lovers who stay together due to its comfort. And yet in tragic fashion, Gibbard laments how his lover is superior to himself. With the laid-back "Your New Twin Sized Bed," Death Cab is able to make a very light groove to sit the defeated tone of lines like "What's the point of holding on/To something that never gets used?"

Narrow Stairs is a tightly themed, paced, and sounding album, with no weak points and no lagging. There's no filler, just the best that Death Cab for Cutie could come up with, and they've done a fantastic job. While Narrow Stairs isn't the new Layla, it's about as close as we may come. The powerful beginning of "Bixby Canyon Bridge," with rolling riffs and commanding vocals, all the way to the pitiful ending of "The Ice is Getting Thinner," the end of a tale of two people. With the end, it begs the question of whether the time spent together - even though it was doomed from the beginning - was well worth it for the connection they had, for the fond memories, or if it was merely a waste of time in the journey for the right person. I can't answer the question, but I imagine the Death Cab crew did at some point during the making this record. Outstanding, brilliant, heartfelt. (I Will Possess Your Heart, No Sunlight, Cath, The Ice is Getting Thinner)

As a fan from the "Something about Airplanes" days, I have no problem labeling this the best Death Cab album yet. I was a bit worried after the post-Plans emo-crush on lead singer Ben.. and the breathy vocals he would exhibit on random love-lorn covers and tv appearences.. but this album is totally a masterpiece. I usually start with "You Can Do Better than Me" and my favorite song on the album, "Grapevine Fires." Then I start back from the beginning. The album might be a grower and not as big as "Plans" because their lead single has a 4.5 minute intro that some of the teenybopper fans don't want to sit through, but it's a solid album. Put it on in the background. One day you'll be hooked and realize they've surely outdone themselves here.

At first I thought this cd was a step back from previous efforts from Death Cab, but after a while it grows on you. Many of the songs run together very well, and I can say that after I removed "I will possess your heart," the quality of the cd went up 10 fold for me personally. After Bixby leaves you just wanting another great song, you're put into the boring and tedious 2nd track. It feels more like a secret type song that is put 5 minutes of silence past the last track.

Transatlanticism. Wow! Masterpiece! I've never heard a better indie album! It is surely untoppable!
Then Plans comes along. Full of insanely awesome, yet very discreet hooks, and pitch-perfect songwriting, it was a sad affair that nearly beat out Transatlanticism.
Then comes Narrow Stairs with its unexpectedly artsy fartsy lead single "...Possess Your Heart", and was clear that Death Cab had reinvented their own personal musical wheel.
Let's get one thing clear, I really only love about half of the album. "Bixby Canyon Bridge" has all been done before, "No Sunlight" seems almost like self-mockery, and "Pity and Fear" and "The Ice is Getting Thinner" are just flatout boring. And "You Can Do Better Than Me" is meant to be a joke, right? Ha ha.
Anyways, now for the songs that will be playing in my mind until I am an old decrepit geezer. "Cath..." has the best blues influence you'll likely ever find on ANY indie album, and it is also the track that has been generating the most steam. Best of all, I HATED this song the first few times I heard it. Then something happened, I think I payed greater attention to the guitar, which made the song for me.
"Long Division" is absolutely one of the catchiest songs I've ever heard. But catchiness doesn't matter. A guitar riff that starts on the half rest, plodding its way through a song that it feels like it doesn't even belong in, like an Ewok at a Cannibal Corpse concert. Okay, bad analogy. But it doesn't feel right, but yet it's awesome. An amazing tune.
And for my favorite song of 2008, at least until Underoath comes back around, is "Grapevine Fires" Oh, geez, what a SONG!! I swear I cried when I heard it. You will too. It has the most hauntingly off-kilter and beautiful melody just about ever, and it will never leave my mind. A great way to cap off my freshman year of college. This song made 2008 for me so far. The lyrics obviously pertaining to the Governator's wildfire crisis, are so down to earth and warming it feels like the song is actually conversing with you. Amazing!
Many people have disliked this album. Yes, it has flaws. Some parts are Death Cab or perhaps even all of indie rock at their most mature, while others are just silly. But the four or five good songs on the album warrant it a classic, they really are that good. I'm pretty sure every Death Cab fan in the world has heard this album by now, but if new to the band, it's not a bad place to start, even if after it the other albums sound like a transgression.

It says a lot when the most striking and original thing about an album is the artwork on the liner notes. Unfortunatly, this is the case with Narrow Stairs. Although it is very similar to the poppy Plans, it has the problem of being just an extension of that album's material. There are no songs here that are catchy in a poppy way, or memorable in the lyrical way that the best Plans material, and the best pre-Plans DCFC material.

I've listened to this album 3 or 5 times since I bought it, but afterwards it quickly dropped into the vast reaches of my MP3 archive. If it surfaces from time to time I won't be upset, since all the songs are listenable and easily identifiable as DCFC. But I doubt that I will seek it out.

If you are already a Death Cab fan, then this a good buy if you want to be a completist. For casual fans, I would suggest looking into an older album that you don't already own.

I wouldn't call myself a fan of Death Cab, but I picked this album up off Amazon because I wanted to go see their concert when it was in town. It definitely has some excellent vocal melodies which are memorable, for example on "Bixby", "I Will Possess Your Heart", and "The ice is getting thinner". But altogether its not a very exciting album (they didn't play many of the songs at the concert, hmmm).

Well, no one can accuse Death Cab for Cutie of selling out. While their last album, Plans, had many questioning Ben Gibbard and company's artistic vision, Narrow Stairs is a firm step in the other direction. It starts off unabashedly experimental and continues, for the most part, in that direction for the remainder of the album. But is Death Cab being experimental just for the sake of trying to do something new? With their newest, it's a little bit hard to tell.

"Bixby Canyon Bridge" starts off with a wash of ambient noise and Gibbard's distinctive, eternally boyish voice talking about arriving "at the place where your soul had died." The song is a striking departure from their earlier work, all pounding instrumental crescendos and a ridiculous noise freakout at the climactic finish. Hey, I can still dig it, as Gibbard's lyrics remain as strong as ever and the song has a powerful cathartic feel to it.

Things get a little out of hand, however, with the following song, first single "I Will Possess Your Heart." The first four and a half minutes are a slow build-up of an instrumental jam until Gibbard's desperate vocals kick in. To be sure, Death Cab was never meant to mimic Explosions in the Sky, and the rest of the song is neither interesting nor catchy enough to regain the interest lost in the musical wankery earlier.

The band picks it up with "No Sunlight" and the following "Cath...," two songs that call to mind the Death Cab of old. The melodies are solid, Gibbard hits the perfect dichotomy between his bright singing and the dark lyrics, and the band throws away any attempts at experimenting. The resulting focus on pure grade-A songwriting lifts the album back up.

And then the momentum is again killed with the meandering "Talking Birds," which stumbles around a simple drumbeat and a droning guitar moaning in the background. It's almost as if Death Cab is trying too hard to do something new, and in the process forgo any semblance of hook or melody to capture the listener.

Lyrically, the album is more somber in tone than Plans, and Gibbard is in top form talking about everything from the California wildfires to bedroom furniture. While the music follows suit and the instrumental choices are often more varied than in previous releases (kudos to producer/guitarist Chris Walla), too much of many of the songs sounds like just rocking out for the sake of pleasing themselves rather than advancing the individual songs or the record as a whole.

The best songs are those that play to Death Cab's strengths rather than trying to create new ones. "Long Division" keeps the focus on song structure instead of deviating into a mess of sounds and sounds fresh and urgent. "The Ice Is Getting Thinner" is a closing slow song in the best tradition of Death Cab gems like "A Lack of Color" and "Stable Song," sounding wistful without dipping into sappy nostalgia.

Narrow Stairs is a hit-or-miss record. Whereas some of their more adventurous stretches succeed, most notably "Bixby Canyon Bridge," others fall flat and turn the band's attention away from what they do best. But Death Cab's knack for churning out poppy yet thoughtful numbers like "Cath..." should keep their fans reassured that the foursome haven't lost their gift.

Come on. Anyone who can whine about this album after the last several more and more BORING ones is nuts. Narrow Stairs does manage to give a nod back to We Have the Facts..., still one of the finest albums since The Queen is Dead and still sound fresh. I started with Death Cab upon the first release and unlike REM they didn't have to wait 20 years to put out something great once again.

Death Cab for Cutie has always been an all-time favorite of mine. They were my very first concert.

I was ecstatic when I heard that they were finally coming out with a new album.

I couldn't have been more disappointed. Not even one song stood out on the ENTIRE CD.

Oh, Death Cab. Please, give us something decent next time. Please.

This is the complete opposite of the Death Cab I know and love. What happened to melody? What happened to diversity? Each song seems blandly the same, monotonous, and (gasp!) downright BORRRINGGGG!

I saw them live in L.A. a while back, and their energy and effort blew me away. I even chatted with Ben backstage, and his charisma and joy was impressive. Too bad they didn't translate that into this album....

Trash.
Unremarkable, forgettable garbage.
Never has going through the motions been so adeptly portrayed in song.
There is not a single worthwhile composition, suggesting that, like many who get doused with popularity, the band doesn't have the artistic wherewithal to keep a record label from dictating every melodic sweep and gesture with the twitch of a wrist.
I tried valiantly to stick with Death Cab through the stilted, meta-production of Plans and the meadering dissonance of Transatlanticism.
But it is now official that the band has been permanently led astray from the mystical, albeit morose, ingenuity that engendered "Something About Airplanes."
Though it saddens me, I cannot follow Gibbard into the dark.
If anyone has an address for the band, let me know. I'd like to return my copy to sender.

This record is definitely a departure from their previous works. Rockier and with more jam sessions but still very good.

This CD is pretty typical of Death Cab. It's not really anything out of the ordinary, but every song is great. It's one of those CDs you just keep in the car and listen to forever and always find a song that was a hidden favorite.

I'll start by explaining that I'm not a huge fan of Death Cab for Cutie and that this was the first CD I've purchased from them. So take that into account when you read this. Judging by the fairly positive response this CD's gotten here so far I'll assume this CD's par for the course for this band, but I found it incredibly boring. One low to mid-tempo track follows another for the entire CD...they all sound the same, they all lack any sort of hook, and all lack any excitement whatsoever. It's the type of CD where after listening for a while you'll forget you even had it on.

Soul Meets Body was easily one of the best songs I'd ever heard, and yet still I didn't buy Plans, the CD that was on. Determined not to make that mistake again, I checked out this CD, Narrow Stairs, after LIKING (but not loving) the single I Will Possess Your Heart (the long intro's really the only thing that makes the song stand out)...unfortunately, even that "good" song isn't matched by anything else on this CD.

The only tolerable songs on it were, of course, the 1st single I Will Possess Your Heart (what a surprise that it's much faster and more melodic than...anything else on the CD) Bixby Canyon Bridge (incredibly annoying outro aside,) and Your New Twin Sized Bed. That's it. After several listens those are the only songs that stood out in any way for me, those are the only ones that seem to do anything but drone on and on.

Obviously if you're a fan of this band you should know what to expect. New listeners who haven't owned one of Death Cab's CD's before should be warned, however. Personally, I'm getting tired of bands creating very misleading 1st singles that sound nothing like the rest of the CD...it's CD's like Narrow Stairs that explain why so many people today illegally download music.

This is by far the best album Death Cab has ever released. Going back to their roots and sounding more like We Have the Facts... than Plans, it opens up with the beautifully paced Bixby Canyon Bridge and proceeds into the eerily creepy single I Will Possess Your Heart; a song I didn't like at first listen, but grew on me very soon after. I agree with another reviewer that these 2 songs alone are worth the purchase, but the brilliantness continues. The album proceeds with more upbeat, poppy stuff (not a bad thing) like No Sunlight and Your New Twin Sized Bed, but I think it really shines the most with the slower-paced stuff like Talking Bird, Grapevine Fires, and Cath. It basically has something for everyone, the new fans who think this is the 2nd album Death Cab's put out, and us old folks who have been listening since the dawn of the millennium. This is a fantastic thing, as it helps keep the fanbase diverse, growing, learning and opening them up to different sounds. I really believe it's the best album they've released.

"Narrow Stairs" doesn't exactly sound like an album that would proceed DCFC's last album "Plans", but strangely it does, and after a few close listens you'll know why it does. The sound is experimental for sure, but at the same time it does not stray as far from the DCFC signature style of music heard in previous albums as some critics here would make it seem... I would however agree with those critics who say this album is alot darker and depressing than DCFC's other records, which may (understandably) turn some people off. But! if you like their sad dreamy sounding stuff, then "Narrow Stairs" will probably be your fix, and will definitely become one of your favorite DCFC albums... It's certainly become one of mine!

Let me start out by saying that I am not a huge death cab fan. I do, however, like some of their earlier work including several songs on Plans. This CD definitely seems like a step back for the band with most songs sounding like filler and the hit track "I Will Possess Your Heart" diminished by a never-ending intro. Narrow Stairs all-in-all turned out to be a forgettable effort.

Death Cab for Cutie comes charging back with another outstanding album! Every song on this album catches you everytime you listen! DCFC really knows how to capture their audience with several moving pieces to this great puzzle they are putting together! There is something for everyone here and it doesn't disapoint! Don't hesitate to buy this album. You'll only be disappointed if you don't!

Awesome album. Better than Plans. "Long Division" needs to be a single. Best album I've heard this year so far. The end.

This album is different from any other DCFC album, but it still deserves five stars. I agree with another reviewer that the songs on the album do not sound repetative. Each song has a unique sound, but somehow the album works as complete work of art. The songs are different from each other, but they also compliment each other, which results in a nice transition between tracks. I really respect the band for releasing I Will Possess Your Heart as the first single. That was a bold move. I love this band.

I'm pretty sure I own every DCFC recording. In this album I can hear pieces of all the others, even "Chords", arranged in the perfect package. Ben's lovelorn lament turned out to be the perfect catalyst for the culination of a lot of ideas they have shared with us over the past several years. This album is heartbreaking, reflective, inspiring, brilliant.

Mark Kozelek's recent release is a breathtaking composition where lyrics and melody are seamless. A true gift reflective of his talent. For me this album is right there if not better on that score. The best part is that one can tell this is not just a Ben and Chris joint. Jason and Nick clearly influenced this album more than any others - you can just hear it.

This is probably my album of the year so far, and far better than releases from some other indie stalwarts (don't buy this packaged with MMJ before you read the reviews - and do yourself a favor and read Pitchfork's). Thank you, baby Jesus, for DCFC.

This album was designed with the intention of discovery and novelty. Like any good band, DCFC has proven their flexibility and fearlessness to express themselves, even if the tunes aren't as catchy. The unconventional song lengths and structures, as well as less predictable vocal melodies from Gibbard create a new story, a new direction, and a new album. This isn't another Plans, and DCFC is fine with that. It seems that they made this album to see what fans would go the distance, who could handle a song that the radio couldn't. ('I Will Possess Your Heart' was edited to make it more radio-friendly.) The band has had fame, they've had fortune, and now, it appears, they want freedom. They certainly got it here. (I secretly would like to think that they were more subtle with their music in hopes that they would create fans with better ears, hearing the nuances of 'Narrow Stairs' tracks and appreciating it, rather than knowing only the candy that is 'Plans'. (Not, of course, to say that 'Plans' is a bad album, quite the contrary, but merely to say that it is much more instantly gratifying.)

The melodies, lyrics, rhythms, and underlying dark theme on 'Narrow Stairs' are nothing short of brilliant. What a great record!

Good album, just received it a few days ago. Would recommend it to any "indie whatever genre you want to call it" likers. I am sure it will grow on me. It has some very soothing tracks which will calm the soul.

I think that is the best way to describe this album. I've been a fan of DCFC since they thought of forming. I've got all of their Cds and have designed workouts to each of them. Plans is my favorite one to work out to. I do a lot of cardio and feel good. They are an interesting band in that they play music using instruments. The keyboards riffs are pretty cool and the singer sings a lot of things about the world. I front a band that does a lot of the same things, but we refuse to put out albums because that's where the lines get blurry. We perform live and make people smile, but we won't put out an album until the issue gets resolved. We do some Death Cab covers like "What Sarah Said" and people tend to like us a lot. We are called asschowder and are very attractive. That opens doors for us.

Burns almost tried out for this band but couldn't get a ride. He's now our keyboard player and we couldn't be happier. If pudding is average, we are not pudding.

Okay, okay, I admit it. I am a musical purist of sorts. I have always respected DCFC as a band since I first heard of them a few years past, and still feel the same now. But the nostalgia I feel when I listen to their earlier works, especially The Photo Album, makes me realise that I do feel slightly alienated by the band's later collections. Plans was a change, but it grew on me. This album felt like too much at first, but now I'm a bit closer to actually considering buying it. People go through changes, and many a fan forget that this goes for artists, as well. Ben Gibbard, through virtue of age, is surely not the same man he was in '98. So why should we expect his lyricism to be so? The sobbing fans of the old DCFC will very well feel put off by this album, but I invite you to see the band as a collection of individuals whose life influences change just as ours do, and at least give their new sound a chance to grow on you. I give them five because they are truly awesome, but will still pull out their old material when I wish to ruminate upon my younger and blissfully naive days.

Great follow up off Plans. Love the jam session for I will possess your heart. Very 80's feel with Bixby Canyon Bridge, No Sunlight, and Long Division. Love it.

I didn't become a fan until about a year ago, when I bought Atlanticism - the only other Death Cab For Cutie album / cd I own. But now that I have also bought Narrow Stairs and listened to it approximately 20 times, I am going to order all of their other releases, too. Yes, these guys are that good. The songwriting, lyrics, arrangements, creativity, it's all there, and most of it is topnotch. Give these guys (another) chance!

Another band I highly recommend is The Church - they're unbelievable.
First check out their album entitled After Everything Now This.

Be fore warned, if you love the old Death Cab For Cutie and don't do well with change, then you might not like this album. filled with slow songs with a few pop jams thrown into the mix, Narrow Stairs widens the gap between Death Cab and all other "indie" bands in the areas of creativity and emotion put into their music. So while this album may never produce a big hit, Narrow Stairs is one of Death Cab For Cutie's strongest efforts yet.

Transatlanticism and Plans were definitely both more focused albums and had better continuity throughout than Narrow Stairs does.

This album seems to jump around more than the others, going from distorted guitars to happy uppity dance beats to m-e-l-l-o-w all within the span of a few songs.

It's not necessarily bad but the previous 2 DCFC albums were ones you could pop in the CD player and let it play all the way through without ever lowering or raising the volume.

But, Narrow Stairs is a perfect collection of songs for the iPod generation. Split up the album into playlists of psuedo-grunge, 80's retro beats, and quiet jams. It works!!

I'm not sure what some people expect from this band,but this is not that bad of a cd.Actually by todays musical standards where so many groups part out the same formulated crap album after album,it's quite good.By Death Cab For Cutie standards it's still a pretty solid effort.The sound doesn't stray so much that you can't tell it's DCFC.For anyone to compare this to Coldplay is just silly in my mind.If any DCFC sounded more like Coldplay,I would say PLANS did.What automatically makes me like this cd is it's not too slow or too heavy.The music and lyrics are fine for the most part,so I'm not sure what all these fans are hearing differently than I am.I have the bands last three cd's and while there are moments that lack and moments of genius,that could be said for all music.No band it going to get it perfect all the time.

Bottom line,stop wanting the band to be what you want them to be and let them be the artists they are.Each cd is a different expression.Has different inspirations and isn't meant,nor should it be like previous work.If you want that listen to Nickelback.Best songs on Narrow Stairs is Brixby Canyon Bridge,I Will Possess Your Heart,Cath,and Long Division.Honorable Mention for Grapevine Fires,No Sunshine,and Your New Twin Beds.Overall a fine effort.

To give a little perspective; if I had to pick a favourite death Cab album right now I would choose Something about Airplanes or We Have The Facts. I think the Photo Album is great. Transatlaticism is my least favourite as I do not think it is nearly as realized as their other albums, but it is still very good. I think Plans is an excellent album and was a very natural progression in the band's evolution. As for Narrow Stairs it seems to be a serious regression for the band. With the opening of Bixby Bridge I was hooked...and then the 'heavy' part kicked in and it turned to generic rock that any band could do. Death Cab has ALWAYS had great album openers, and Bixby does not live up to expectations. The album is loaded with cutesy (tweeish) melodies and the songs have little progression. The monotony is not helped by Gibbard's lyrics which are easily his weakest ever.

As for the 9 min. debut single ' I Will Possess...'; well, I think therein lies the problem. Death Cab is an indie band who became mainstream. But to their credit they earned their way in with great songs and by just slowly building a fan base. It's as though by making the first single 9 mins. they were sticking their middle fingers in the air so as to let everyone know they are still true to their indie roots. But is this the song worthy of 9 mins? No. Other longer songs such as 'Transatlanticism' and 'Stability' are much stronger and sustain the listeners interest with hooks and progressions, But ' I will..' is just monotonous and Gibbard's vocals do not add much when they do come in at the 5 or 6 min mark. The lyrics have a few hooks but lack the substance Gibbard usually builds in.

I've been a huge fan of this band for years and am still a huge fan. The great thing about Death Cab is that every album is different and they constantly push themselves in new directions. Bands that have the guts to challenge themselves and their listeners inevitably make moves fans do not like, and it's going to be different from fan to fan. For me, that's this album. All that being said I can't wait to see what they do next, and I wouldn't be able to say that if it weren't for Death Cab's courage to push themselves in new and different directions.

I am a MASSIVE fan of Death Cab for Cutie so I waited till it hurt for this to come out and was thus plunged into a deep, swirling depression when I bought Narrow Stairs and listened to it. "I Will Possess Your Heart" was my first big disappointment. The song took forever to warm up and in the end it never did. I am so shocked that this album turned out the way it did because Death Cab seems to be a band that only gets better. So if this is the first Death cab album you've ever bought or listened to, it doesn't do them an ounce of justice. I would recommend the awesomely awesome Transatlanticism or Plans....you won't be disappointed! So for me I really hope that their next one heals the hole I feel :'(

This album has a different feel from Death Cab's past work. It seems that over time they have added more instrumentation. This album is the next step in that evolution. As usual the lyrical content is top-notch. If you are hardcore into Death Cab's older stuff, be prepared to adjust your view of them.

I have listened to this album over and over and can't give it past four stars. There is something about the music that I love and can't get away from, but its also missing something. I just listened to Rikki Rockett's new album called "Glitter 4 Your Soul" and I think it has all the elements that this CD has plus a little more which is way it is the first album I have rated a 5 in over a year. It is definately a must hear for anyone who is wanting perfection.

Death cab for cutie is a breath of fresh air. An indie rock band that has continued to produce innovative, quality music even after signing with a major label. With an up beat tempo on most songs, Gibbard details dark imagery throughout. Turn down the lights, burn some incense, grab the lyric book and spend sometime following Gibbard through;

The burning of California's wild fires, where "the northtern sky looked like the end of days" and there "is only a matter of time before we all burn..." in Grapevine Fires,

The weight of life and the loss of ignorance and optimism through the metaphorical No Sunlight,

Other tops songs and stories include, Bixby Canyon Bridge, I will Possess your heart, Cath, Pity and Fear, The ice is getting thinner, You can do better than me, Your new twin sized bed... basically all of them.

This album deserves the time and attention all good albums do. The magic of death cab is their originality and knock ya down, drag you out poetry. Like all other Death Cab albums you must give the stories some time, but your time will be rewarded.

Top rate, a defining album of 2008.


If you are new to Death Cab, check out this album (pretty cheap on Amazon, but also check out your local music store)...
Transatlanticism