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Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
-
Not "dark" or "experimental," but better than "Plans"
I don't understand why all of the critics and reviewers have been referring to "Narrow Stairs" as Death Cab's "darkest album yet." Personally, I think it sounds a lot brighter and more energetic than a lot of their other releases, especially with tracks like "No Sunlight" and "Long Division." The subject matter isn't any darker, either; Death Cab have been known for having depressing lyrics all the way back to "Something About Airplanes."
That being said, this is still a very good album. A lot of the new songs resemble songs from the "Photo Album" era, which is a good thing. It certainly isn't their best, as that title currently belongs to "Transatlanticism," but in my opinion it definitely surpasses "Plans" and takes a fairly high place in their discography. Like "Plans," though, not all of the tracks are Death Cab at their finest, and songs like "You Can Do Better Than Me" and "Pity and Fear" sound dull and uninspired. However, the majority of the tracks, such as "Bixby Canyon Bridge" and "Your Brand New Twin-Sized Bed," are very fresh and exciting to listen to.
Overall, it's not perfect, but it's still pretty good. And unlike what everybody is raving about, it's not "dark" or "experimental." It's the same old Death Cab releasing a new album of pretty good songs.
Rating: 
-
Great CD
It's a great cd. The songs all have a different feeling from one another, and it definately isn't repetative. The transitions between the songs have a nice feeling to them where at times the songs sound almost as if they are an extention of one another. I have no complaints about anything The vocals are well done, and the lyrics themselves go well with the music. I say it's more than worth the money to buy the cd.
Rating: -
You can never go wrong with Death Cab
The usual fine effort by Death Cab. And, as usual, the songs are not full of joy and happiness. But the insight and lyrics are most excellent.
Rating: 
-
No Plans- Death Cab on Downers
stated purpose of reviewing Narrow Stairs - to let YOU know what I would have liked to before downloading. so;
1. The best phrase to describe the mood of this piece (not the music, though) is morose, macabre, death obsessed, melancholy, take your pick. evidence; I will possess your heart , the first single is a stalker anthem and difficult in being too long (8.5 min for the uninitiated) for no good reason and certainly not to its benefit. graveyard fires has a nice melody to it and a neat little story, but the first catchy chorus you're going to hear is "they knew it was just a matter of time/ before we all burn " strange as it sounds, this will be one of the most likely snippets to get caught in your head, album wideNo sunlight is catchy also, but as the title indicates, is not a happy tune lyrically, and again the refrain here is "the optimist inside me died" I'm not saying they should have made (an)other "Plans", but clearly they have deliberately reacted against making anything that could remotely be considered a Plans-like song. Interesting results, but when you shy away from fantastic, positive, classic, melodies great lyrics and ultimately and at least a half dozen of the best songs you've ever done, I'm not so sure that's a great direction to head in. What I am saying is, I don't love Narrow Stairs and I can't see myself having it in my rotation 2-3 years from now, unlike Plans.
The first song, Bixby Canyon Bridge really does grow on you though, and is lyrically and sonically varied well, it is not predictable , and does not sound like DCFC in a good way. The same cannot be said for The ice is getting thinner, Cath..., pity and fear, and talking bird, just kind of downers
just good are , long division (catchy chorus about being the "remainder", but the metaphor is kind of forced) you can do better than me (needs no further explanation)
I won't say great, but interesting and challenging are Bixby canyon bridge, I will possess yr heart,no sunlight, grapevine fires, + i like yr new twin sized bed ymmv solid tune, nothing sonictacular.
in short not much fodder for a future greatest hits album here, experiments with a lot of regret to forget about later, and wait for the next one when they come up with another entirely new direction, I will still be there, listening.
Rating: -
I suppose you can only write so many songs about weddings
Ah...well, unfortunately this isn't what I was hoping for. The soul of the band seems to be on holiday. Gone are the atmospheres that absorb the listener. But that's ok, cause Death Cab will continue to sell albums.
I don't know...this just sounds listless to me. A couple of good tunes here and there, but the band is capable of so much more than this, and at this point, I've come to expect it. This is a great dissapointment.
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Happy Independance Day
