Death Cab for Cutie - Photo Album
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Free Music Notes for Photo Album
Free Music Review: My third Death Cab outing
Hit: 4 Stars
If you'll read my past reviews, you would know that as of a few months ago, I decided to go on an adventure. A daring one. I decided to buy a DCFC CD and see what all the hype was about. To truly figure out what this band had to offer, and what so many cult fans were raving about. I purchased "the forbidden love EP" which landed a four star and later I got "We have the facts" which further impressed me, getting another 4 star. I was then told to go for: "The Photo Album". So it is then, I got it and now your going to hear it, my third Death Cab experience and the objective review that comes with it.
For a 10 track CD, "The Photo Album" is no different than any other DCFC CD with the same number of songs. One thing for certain about their sound, is that only if you like one song, will you like the rest of them, because they all follow the same format. Many reviewers hate them for it too, passing it off as an unforgivable crime of lack of innovation. From what I see though, DCFC is opposite. Maybe mechanics are right when they say: "It's what's under the hood that counts!" Because Inside Death Cab's hood lies a plethora of varying sounds. Sure, many songs will sound similiar but when done so well, who can complain?
The first thing I noticed about "The Photo Album" is the change in upbeatness. My past two DCFC experiences were mainly consisting of atmospheric mellow pop. That's not to say TPA is much different, but a little still. Almost all the songs here are more "rocker" that past releases. Now don't get me wrong, there's no guitar solos or rock n' roll mentalities here. It's still quite clear who were dealing with. It's just that the songs are a bit more dancable that past DCFC stuff. This is either a good or bad thing depending on what kind of Death Cab fan you are. If you favor the older, softer stuff like me you will definately resent this more than most. But, if you are more in the "transatlanticism" side od Death Cab that has become more frequent today, this CD should make you very happy.
Even though I prefer older DCFC, that's no reason for others to dislike this release. In fact, it's a big step forward for DCFC. There's a lot of stuff here that shows off their talent like never before. The hop along drum beats are more prominent that ever. The melodies are well executed, as always. To top it all, Gibbard's voice is top notch here. I really can't point out any problems here that aren't personal beefs. There's too much likeable about TPA.
This CD is obviously one of the catchier DCFC releases. Even though some of the melodies will get repetitive, the band is only leading you on, making yourself find only minutes later that you are humming the tune you just turned off. Yes, even if you dislike this sort of music, there's no denying the fact the DCFC has molded a very infectious song list here. In effect, a large portion of them sound like pop radio friendly tracks. This would explain why plans has enjoyed such commercial success. (it was only a matter of time)
Gibbard's voice really is top notch on this CD. He sounds very experimental but in a good way. He's still Gibbard, but he's also open to new tones and melodies that might not sound 100% normal for him.
Production wise this CD is average. I thought the previous releases were much cleaner sounding. TPA sounds much more rough and restrained. That's not a good thing IMO but whatever.
Free Music Review: Music like a beautiful but distant woman
Hit: 4 Stars
My first introduction to DCFC was a live show, perhaps the best showcase for their pretty-but-angry sound. In the recording studio, the spare instrumentation sounds like more than the sum of its parts, and Ben Gibbard's arpeggiated vocal lines are almost soothing. DCFC makes beautiful, heartbreaking music, but the current of anger and bitterness runs close beneath the surface."Styrofoam Plates" finds company with rage-against-the-father anthems like the Cherry Poppin' Daddies "Drunk Daddy" and Tool's "Prisonsex", unflinching in its portrayal of a betrayed child's emotions, while managing to avoid self-indulgence.
If DCFC are destined to have a breakthrough hit, I believe it will be "A Movie Script Ending" - a haunting, relentless anthem about long distance relationships and hours on the road. But there are other, more imaginative tracks on the album that deserve attention. "Information Travels Faster" is smart and catchy, and "Why You'd Want to Live Here" features some of the best drumming and risky syncopation I've heard in recent popular music. "Blacking Out the Friction" isn't afraid to change-up the rhythm in support of the message in the lyrics, showing off the natural rhythm of frontman Ben Gibbard's poetry - and it is poetry, much more so than just rhyming lyrics squashed within the time signature.
In fact, the drums are one of the biggest reasons to check out DCFC. Rather than being relegated to timekeeping, they take center stage as an instrument on this album, which might be confusing at first. A repetitive guitar line undulates during the instrumental interlude in "Styrofoam Plates," but the drums are playing their own melody line. Michael Schorr, new to DCFC on this album, proves that he has the chops to pick up where Nathan Good left off.
The audible influences (if not influences, certainly close cousins, anyway) are diverse: from the Beach Boys to the Pet Shop Boys, Suzanne Vega and the Flaming Lips; echoes of guitar bands from the 80s and a good helping of Northwest punk keep the music from being just pretty pop.
Free Music Review: It's my secret love.
Hit: 4 Stars
I'm turned off by their fanbase, I have to give credit where it's due: Death Cab For Cutie is a good band of musicians, and Chris Walla/Ben Gibbard write some very smart lyrics and Michael Schorr shows some exceptional talent on this LP. This was my introduction, and I loved it. This album, lyrically, gets a little whiney in places, but it's always clever and only one piece of this record I felt a tad emotionally indulgent. [We Laugh Indoors' repitiion of "I Loved You, Gwenivere, I Loved You, Gwenivere, I Loved You." Great song, though.] It has some pretty good milemarkers in the DCFC songbook, and "Steadier Footing" just sets the perfect tone for what will become a very active album. Unlike We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes, The Photo Album is energetic (with the exception of "Information Travels Faster" and "Coney Island" - both really good songs), and if you had the privledge of getting the Reissue or Extended Version, you've heard that kickass cover of "All Is Full Of Love" which, to my surprise, I find myself liking more than Bjork's. It absolutely does not fit the album, but it's a good recording and one of the best Bjork covers I've ever experienced. "Why'd You Want to Live Here" is a great stab at Los Angeles with a really catchy rhythm and interesting views of the city of angels .. or demons. I would say that it's my favorite DCFC album, but they all have really good points about them, from You Can Play These Songs With Chrods to Transatlanticism. Well-played, Death Cab For Cutie, you're not near as talentless as I once thought, and I'll never doubt your abilities again, even if I didn't like Plans or Narrow Stairs.Free Music Review: support a great band
Hit: 4 Stars
DCFC have definately won me over as a fan. The melodic pop mixed with deeply honest lyrics are just what the world need more of. This album is probably the cleanest of their albums which shows progression and any band that does that desevers some accolaids. Intamate from the opeaner "Steadier Footing" to "Debate Exposes Doubt" The Photo Album will make you feel all the feelings you have tried to hide deep inside your soul. The song writeing is still great. Ben Gibbard's writing genius is espically evident in the fictional yet seemingly autobiographical "Styrofoam Plates" How some one who hasn't exprienced what that song intails and still so perfectly conveys they way one feels who has is just amazing. He writes just as well as Neil Young and mabey even Tom Waits who are two of the best in the business. Feeling sceptical start playing from track one and by the time "Steadier Footing" is over you will see what im saying. Great songs on this album: "A Movie Script Ending", "We Laugh Indoors", "Information Travels Faster", "Coney Island" as well as the two i previously mentioned. The rest of the album is full of song that with out these great ones would still make this album worth buying. Buy it and support this great band. Buying indy cd's makes you look cool in front of your friends and isnt that what its all about.Free Music Review: Indie Grows It
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a great cd. I first heard of them from my firend mark who suggested them to me. If you ever thought about regretted moments when you wanted to end the friendship and be more intimate with that person listen closely to the intro "Steadier Footing". Where it talks about opportunity was about to knock but lost the nerve. I was blown away through the cd from the personal enduring remarks regarding neglected kids in "Styrofoam Plates" to the gorgeous melodies found in "All Is Full Of Love" to the reminiscinet lush soundscape of "Coney Island" this is a great cd who is a fan of any of their previous two albums or indie music in general. "I attentionaly wrote it out/ to be an illegible mess/ You wanted me to write you letters/ but I'd rather lose your address" The lead singer ponders over a lost love. The rest of the song is equally as gorgeous as the intro backed by a haunting piano melody on "Information Follows Faster". "I Was A Kaleidoscope" was a more upbeat number with stingy riffs and skins being hit background in an manner that will have you tapping your feet to the beat and singing to the introspective lyrics. Overall a great album from a great group and if you see their first album on sale with the white cover it has eight extra tracks added definitly pick it up.