Death Cab For Cutie: Narrow Stairs

Label: Atlantic

At this point Death Cab is more an institution than a band, and one of the lasting success stories in the indie-goes-major label game. With Narrow Stairs, the group’s sixth LP and second with Atlantic, the nature of their sound hasn’t changed drastically from Plans, but the subtle shifting of a band that’s been churning out solid music for more than a decade is evident. The stretched-out wandering melancholy of “I Will Possess Your Heart” starts to really make it’s case around the six minute mark and goes upward from there. Super-polished pop gems like “No Sunlight” and the 60’s-tinged “You Can Do Better Than Me” remind us why their last album went platinum while still maintaining some semblance of indie integrity (indietegrity?). Maybe not the place to find the humble little Northwestern band flipping the script and making something unlike anything they’ve ever done before, but certainly more reasons to love this good thing we’ve got going. (Fred)