Death Cab for Cutie's Narrow Stairs: Gigwise's Early Verdict

Death Cab for Cutie’s new album is not released until May 5 but Gigwise were invited down to Atlantic Records for an exclusive playback of their upcoming long player.  Here’s our track-by-track guide to the album and our thoughts on it:

1. Bixby Canyon Bridge
A whirling, howling intro gives way to a highly descriptive track.  The chugging guitar mid way through is as heavy as the album gets while the simmering drums and repetition to close the track give it an epic feel.  It also gives notice to the strength of the lyrics on ‘Narrow Stairs’.

2. I Will Possess Your Heart
Despite only being the second track, ‘I Will Possess Your Heart’ acts as a centrepiece in many ways due to the epic eight minute length of the track.  Four and a half minutes of bass heavy grooves and pianos leave you wondering whether they’ve lost it until Ben Gibbard comes in with smooth vocals.  With the base laid ,the repetition of “you’ve got to spend some time love, I will possess your heart” gives notice of the themes of unrequited love.  Although eight minutes long it is as simple as any track on the album.  The repetition and sheer build up to the vocals make for a satisfying listen.

3. No Sunlight
A Strokes-esque ‘Juicebox’ bass lead off makes this track a funky and extremely upbeat one.  Eventually the song ends with harder heavier chords but with a sunny exterior contrary to the song title.

4. Cath…
Cath is a return to the unrequited love themes of earlier and a straight up rock song.  The looping chorus is the strength of the song.  Jason McGerr’s drumming is more apparent in this track before echoing vocals closes it.

5. Talking Bird
A slow emotive beginning builds in harmison with outstanding lyrics.  The talking bird is used metaphorically with Gibbard repeating “Your windows were open all the time”.  It again feels like Gibbard is using love and possession as themes, the closing lyric “as long as you don’t fly away” is extra poignant on one of the better slow tracks.

6. You Can Do Better Than Me
Easily the shortest song on the album.  Big booming heavy drums and Weezer-like vocals layer over keyboards in the background.  The themes are similar with Gibbard repeating “You can do better than me, but I can’t do better than you.” Overall a sad track with negative themes.

7. Grapevine Fires
The lyrical highlight in an album literally jammed full of them.  Gentle strumming guitar aid a beautifully atmospheric track.  The humming and instrumental section late on continues for a few minutes allowing you to absorb the track.  The lyrics are brilliant with the final couplet “firemen work in double shifts, with prayers for rain on their lips,” being a standout.

8. Your New Twin Sized Bed
Upbeat tones and several build ups make it feel like the track will explode but it never quite does.  It exudes a summery feel.  The intensity raises and drops which allows the song to grow but it doesn’t quite seal the deal in terms of chorus.

9. Long Division
Gibbard again deals in symbolism repeating the lyric “To be a remainder” which acts as a clever play on the title.  The track becomes faster and faster leading into screeching guitar and more superlative lyrics.  It is essentially a pop rock track which finishes on the drone of more keyboards.

10. Pity and Fear
Unquestionably the weak link of the album because the band attempt to change it too much.  It begins with tribal drumming, then guitar strokes and finally the vocals lead the way.  The introduction of the traditional drumming as well makes it feel messy and un-patterned.  The most distinguishing feature about the song is the way it closes.  A loud twang out of nowhere cuts the track off suddenly and gives way to the gentle strumming of the album closer next.

11. The Ice Is Getting Thinner
A truly magnificent closing track which uses cracking ice as a metaphor of a relationship.  The slow, strumming guitar accompanies Gibbard’s repetition of “when spring arrived we were taken by surprise, nothing was left for you and me,” symbolising the ice melting and the basis for a relationship disappearing.  It is a perfect choice of closing track and is the most powerful song on the album.

On first listen Narrow Stairs is a well polished, lyrically superlative album with a couple of poor tracks.  The heights of ‘The Ice is Getting Thinner’ and ‘Grapevine Fires’ far outweigh the negatives however.  It may not be a return to rougher roots, but the elements of heavy guitars and pounding drums ensure ‘Narrow Stairs’ is an album with an edge and plenty of highlights.