The Top 31 Albums of 2008 (Pt. 3)

Albums 31-21

Albums 20-11

#10: Conor Oberst: Conor Oberst – Another year passes and another Conor Oberst album makes it into my Top 10. The whole idea is getting quite old, yet Oberst’s music remains just as fresh today as it was back in August. On his self-titled solo album, the Bright Eyes frontman ditched a lot of the self-loathing, depressing songwriting for a more upbeat, exciting record. Even depressing songs like “Danny Callahan” have an uplifting feel to them. Oberst also takes the time to clean up that death rattle of a voice to something much more accessible (or acceptable). In the end, it’s just a great album that you absolutely need to hear.

#9: CSS: Donkey – I, like many, found CSS’s debut to be a bit on the annoying side. Their follow-up has its fair share of annoyances as well. However, for every minor annoyance, there are a handful of cool harmonies, infectious grooves, and inescapable hooks! Donkey is one of the most solid pop albums in recent memory. It will make you feel dirty, it will make you want to dance; but I promise it will not make you want to watch Dirty Dancing.

#8: Jaymay: Autumn Fallin’ – When I first received an email about Jamie Seerman in early 2008, I had no idea how much her music would affect me throughout the year. An mp3 sample of single “Blue Skies” hooked me, and I politely requested a copy of the album for review. Two months later, I gave the album an 8 out of 10 rating, and it remains just as poignant, beautiful, and poetic today! Seerman is an undeniable talent in songwriting, and you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this album today!

#7: Plants and Animals: Parc Avenue – P&A managed to take the best from 60s psychedelia and indie rock and turn it into one masterful work. I’ve already had the opportunity to introduce this band to 40 and 50-year-olds who have enjoyed every second of Parc Avenue. While the last few songs on the record do wear a bit thin, it is more than bolstered by its miraculous first half. If you haven’t done so already….listen to it.

#6: Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend – And the award for best new artist goes too….(sorry, Fleet Foxes). Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut was one of the most focused, enjoyable, and universally acclaimed albums of 2008, and all of that praise was deserved. It’s not every day that an album comes around that will make seasoned music journalists fein knowledge of genres of which they have no background (in this case African music). I guess that’s just another reason why we “lesser people” should look down upon the snooty students at Columbia University. You’re not that much better than us!!

#5: Pop Levi: Never Never Love – I’ll go ahead and stop ranting and raving about the greatness of Pop Levi’s second album as soon as I know that some of you have taken my advice and checked it out. However, judging by the album’s ranking on Amazon.com (one of the few places you can actually find it), few of you have taken the leap yet. Don’t be an idiot. Go get a hold of hit soon! An album this good doesn’t come around often, and you don’t want to be that person who hears it 2 years later than everyone else.

#4: Death Cab for Cutie: Narrow Stairs – For such a shitey album title, Death Cab’s latest surprised most of us. True, the band doesn’t take any huge leaps in any direction, but they stayed true to their classic sound and in the process created what many might call their crowning achievement (though Ben Gibbard getting engaged to Zooey Deschanel is giving it a run for its money). I know it’s my favorite Death Cab album, and with such instant classics as “Cath…” and “Grapevine Fires,” it’s bound to be rocking my iPod for many more months to come.

#3: My Brightest Diamond: A Thousand Shark’s Teeth – I’ll be the first to admit that Shara Worden doesn’t have the sort of universal appeal as, say, Vampire Weekend. What she does have, however, is a depth of talent that rivals any of her peers and an album in A Thousand Shark’s Teeth that put most competitors to shame in 2008. For all the grandeur and theatricalities of her 2006 debut, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth far exceeded any expectations and benchmarks that she may have set. It is a wonderful album and an absolute joy to listen to. I recommend you do it at least once.

#2: Of Montreal: Skeletal Lamping – Poor Of Montreal. For as many years as I’ve been making year-end lists, my favorite band on the planet has only gotten to the #1 spot once (for 2004’s Satanic Panic in the Attic). Every other year that they’ve been eligible have resulted with a fantastic, though still disappointing #2 placement. The sad truth is that were it not for last year’s “The Past is a Grotesque Animal” or this year’s “Gallery Piece” they may have nudged their way into first place every time. But for all the excessiveness that Kevin Barnes has nailed perfectly, there’s always one or two tracks that just seem like a bit much. Skeletal Lamping is the picture of excess, and with the exception of that one track, it was the best album of 2008.

#1: M83: Saturdays=Youth – If you were to tell me in January that my #1 album of the year would be an M83 record, I would’ve probably laughed in your face. M83 has been off my radar since 2005, and for good reason. For as brilliant as Anthony Gonzalez’s past works have been, they were never as enthralling a few weeks after their initial play. Saturdays=Youth, a 1980s, John Hughes tribute album in more ways than one, has been my favorite album of 2008 since it was released way back when. It is easily the most impressive album of the year with its ability to uncannily recreate the sounds, harmonies, feelings, and imagery of what all of us envision a teenage life in the 1980s would have been like. From start to finish, it is a layered vision, a masterpiece of production and performance. In fact, the only thing holding it back from a perfect 10 out of 10 rating (a rarity on Audio Overflow) is the fact that it’s lyrics are full of the cheesy poignancy that one would expect of an 80s teen drama. As such, the listener is taken on a ride, but it’s not an emotional one that they themselves can experience. Besides this minor and oft-overlooked blunder, Saturdays=Youth is a marvel of electronic pop music that will be remembered for years and years to come. Giving the #1 spot on my list to anyone else would not have seemed appropriate, and there’s no one who deserves it more.

The 5th Annual Cale Awards: Winners!!

After a month of voting, the results are in!  This year’s Cale Awards were trimmed down, and as a result, we ended up getting more votes than we had last year.  Of course, that could also have more to do with the increased readership over 2008.  I’ll let you, dear reader, decide that one.  For now, enjoy the results of the awards that don’t really matter, but make us feel important anyhow.

Best Myspace Artist:

The Cyanide Valentine

50% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Hanne Kolsto – In a way, I’m very pleased to see The Cyanide Valentine pull this one out.  Though they weren’t my personal choice, they are a very talented band with a very unique sound.  Don’t forget to visit their website to download their 2008 album for FREE!!

The Staying Power Award

Of Montreal:  Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

40% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Spoon:  Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga – Last year, Spoon’s album barely even made it to my year-end list.  It wasn’t until 2008 that I really started to appreciate this album in its entirety.  “Finer Feelings” has made it on my iTunes “Top Played” list and I can’t say I even placed it in my Key Tracks in my review of the album last year.  

Best Submitted Album

The Eastern Sea:  The Eastern Sea EP

83.3% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  The Eastern Sea:  The Eastern Sea EP – At the height of Audio Overflow’s popularity (I do believe we’ve peaked at this point), I was receiving 2-3 CDs a week.  Unless I had spoken with the artist or label personally, most of them got brushed aside.  The Eastern Sea’s debut as a full band was one that I could not ignore, and I’m pleased to see that the rest of you think so as well.

Best Album Artwork/Packaging

Radiohead:  In Rainbows

62.5% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Sia:  Some People Have Real Problems – In general, I thought that this year was a step backward in album design.  Radiohead had a cool idea; give people stickers to make their own jewel case.  But how many of you have actually done that?  Exactly.  To me, Sia’s packaging contained all the charm and playfulness of her best album yet!  Album art needs to convey the experience of the album in a tangible form, and this one did just that. 

Best EP

The Decemberists:  Always the Bridesmaid

50% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Wallpaper: T-Rex – This is an experience that I probably could’ve only enjoyed in an EP form.  I’m not entirely sold on the idea that Wallpaper’s pitch-corrected/vocoderized pop music wouldn’t wear thin on me after more than 20 minutes.  But here, it’s just enough to keep me smiling, singing, and trying to dance all cool-like. 

Best New Artist

Fleet Foxes

45% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Jaymay – You’d think a label like Blue Note would put more money behind an artist’s of Jaymay’s calendar.  Still, nearly a year after her debut album released, find someone who know who Jaymay is and I’ll give you a dollar.  For me, her debut was close to perfect and full of songs that still haven’t gotten old.  Check it out if you haven’t done so yet.

Band of the Year

Vampire Weekend

25% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Vampire Weekend – There wasn’t a band nominated that didn’t deserve this one, but I think most of us can agree that Vampire Weekend has had the biggest impact on the music world this year.  Making indie kids smile and the MTVers curious, the band has taken their unique sound to the heights of music in a short amount of time.  That’s good enough for me.

Female Artist of the Year

Jenny Lewis

40% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Shara Worden – I’m now completely annoyed with Jenny Lewis.  She used to be one of my favorite artists, but her past 3 outings (two solos and a Rilo Kiley album) have all been relatively shitey.  Acid Tongue was a step in the right direction but still short of her earlier years.  No, for me, Shara Worden is the most-deserving of this award.  Her second MBD album was a wonder of dark, orchestral pop, and was a shoe-in for my Top 10 Albums of 2008.

Male Artist of the Year

Kevin Barnes

50% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Pop Levi – Let’s be honest, Kevin Barnes’ transformation into Georgie Fruit has been one hell of a ride.  Any other year, and he would’ve gotten my vote easily.  But I’ve come to expect greatness from Barnes.  Pop Levi, on the other hand, was an artist I completely wrote off in 2007, only to fall in love with in 2008.  His second LP is an absolutely brilliant piece of pop rock and you owe it to yourself to check it out!  For coming out of nowhere to bring us something so awesome, this one’s just easy.

Song of the Year

“Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” by Fleet Foxes

28.6% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Coming Soon!

Album of the Year

Narrow Stairs by Death Cab for Cutie

41.2% of the vote

Cale’s Pick:  Coming Soon!

Perfect Summer Soundtrack – Week 4

Well, I’m back from vacation and things are getting back to normal around here. That means that it’s time for another post for our Perfect Summer Soundtrack series. This week’s post is monsterous!

The 4th of July Party Playlist

America celebrates its independence this Friday, and there will be plenty of festivities to celebrate this occasion. Personally, I’ll probably be laying low. But for those of you out there who are throwing – or attending – a bitchin’ house party, I’ve assembled my largest playlist to date!

88 songs. That’s how long this one is. How that translates into minutes, I have no idea. Though considering how imeem is prone to shorten some songs down to 30-second clips, I’d have to imagine that it would be a bit shorter than some would like. Like any good party mix, it’s filled with upbeat songs (though nothing too overwhelming), conversation-starters (oh, who is this?), and even a few quiet songs that stay out of the way to let you actually have that conversation.

If you happen to be throwing a party this Friday with a bunch of hipsters, plug this one into the stereo system and let me know how it goes. I’m interested in finding out just how amazing this playlist is. Oh, and set it to “shuffle.”

Week 1 – Rooney’s Self-Titled Debut (Beach Trip, Road Trip, Skateboarding)
Week 2 – The Picnic Playlist

Week 3 – Of Montreal: The Sunlandic Twins (Road Trip Sing-a-longs, House Parties, Frisbee Tossing)

Perfect Summer Soundtrack – Week 2

In our continued mission to give you, the reader, something good to listen to in almost any situation or mood, we have been kind enough to begin our Perfect Summer Soundtrack feature.  Every week, we’ll give you music to get you through all of your summer activities, be they tame, exciting, or somewhere in between.  We always have you covered!  You should know that by now.

The Picnic Playlist

Quite the conundrum we have here, ladies and gentlemen.  For as great as picnics are, there’s almost so way to take your computer to the park with you to jam on this playlist; unless, of course, you live in one of the handful of cities with municipal wi-fi.  In which case, lucky you.  But assuming you don’t, you’ll have to either resort to downloading (be it illegal or iTunes…I won’t judge) or spending a ridiculous wad of cash getting all these songs together.  Personally, I’d opt for the downloading route.

So without any further ado, I give you the picnic playlist; a collection of 20 songs that will make even the most mundane, bologna sandwich taste like a bitching Quizno’s Black Angus sub!*  And if you’re lucky, and happen to be going on a picnic with a member of the opposite sex, you might as well go ahead and pack some rubs.  This playlist will totally get you laid.**  Enjoy!

*Results not typical.
**Results extremely typical.

Week 1 – Rooney’s Self-Titled Debut (Beach Trip, Road Trip, Skateboarding)

The Top 5 Songs of 2005

I was blogging about music as far back as 2003.  But they were on different blogs, sites, and pages that are now either completely forgotten about, or just plain dead.  On January 24, 2006, a few months before I started Audio Overflow, I posted The Top 20 Songs of 2005 to my myspace blog.  But I just listed the songs, without explanations.  I’m surprised how well this list held up too.  I pretty much agree with the Top 5 still, so that’s why I’ve decided to post it here.  Of course, this time, there are explanations.  Not like it matters.  You won’t read them.

#5:  Death Cab for Cutie – “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” – The shining star on Death Cab’s 2005 album and major label debut, Plans, was undoubtedly this song.  About love that transcends the boundaries of this life, “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” is arguably the most beautiful Death Cab song of all time.  Simple, poetic, and gorgeous, you can’t help but love every bit of this song.  Its place on this list is well-deserved. 

#4:  Sufjan Stevens – “The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us” – A song with such a silly name should never be this serious, but leave it to Sufjan Stevens to do the exact opposite of what we’d expect.  This timeless story of childhood friendships, loss, and regret is incredibly poignant, and one of the best songs on the Illinois album.  To many, it went unnoticed as “John Wayne Gacy Jr.” and “Chicago” stole the show.  But for me, it remains one of his greatest achievements as a songwriter, and easily one of the best songs of 2005.

#3: Bright Eyes – “Land Locked Blues” – Conor Oberst released two albums in 2005, and this was the best song on either one of them.  I’d be willing to say that it’s probably his best song, which for a guy with such an extensive catalog is saying quite a lot.  With stunning lyrics, somber guitars, and convincing vocal performances, there’s nothing to not love about this one!  Take this line, for example:  “Greed is a bottomless pit/ and our freedom’s a joke, we’re just takin’ a piss/ and the whole world much watch the sad comic display/ if you’re still free start runnin’ away/ cause we’re coming for you!”  It’s followed by a triumphant trumpet solo, which only heightens the impact of it all.  This is truly a perfect song.

#2: Stars – “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” – This story of two one-time lovers meeting again through chance and reliving old memories in a single night is quite the tale to tackle.  But Stars has never been one to let a difficult subject stop them from making beautiful music.  The lead-off track to Set Yourself on Fire, this is easily their strongest song to date.  Torquil and Amy harmonize beautifully as they sing, “Live through this and you won’t look back,” oh…and the rest of the song too.  If you’ve never heard it, shame on you.  I’ve provided a streaming version below to get you up to speed.

#1:  Sufjan Stevens – “John Wayne Gacy Jr.” – In 2007, I made sure that each artist only had one song on the year-end list.  However, prior to all of that, it was never an issue.  That’s why Sufjan has two songs on this list.  And can you blame me.  With an album as perfect as Illinois, you can’t help but fill the list up with his songs.  Sufjan’s song about serial killer, John Wayne Gacy, is a chilling tale, accentuated by the fact that Sufjan draws comparisons between himself and the killer (“In my best behavior/ I am really just like him/ look beneath the floorboards/ for the secrets I have hid”).  His vocal performance is unfathomably strong.  They grab you and take you for a ride.  Will you be sympathizing with the killer by the song’s end?  Will you be thinking Sufjan is a weirdo?  Either way, you simply can’t deny the beauty of this song.  It is easily the best song of 2005, and by far the strongest on Illinois.

Top 5 Songs of 2005

The Top 5 Albums Under the Influence of Death Cab for Cutie Members

Confusing title, no? Let me explain.

You see, one of my favorite things about the indie music scene is that everybody seems to know and interact with everybody else. The guys from Death Cab for Cutie are no exception, appearing on other albums and collaborations that have absolutely nothing to do with their duties for their “main” band. Ben Gibbard is almost everywhere nowadays, and the only person who’s threatening to take his “I’m Everywhere!” throne is bandmate, Chris Walla. Knowing this, I’ve decided to list the top 5 albums that these guys had something to do with.

#5: The Decemberists: Picarasque (Chris Walla: Producer, Mixer, Electric Guitar) – Picaresque is probably the worst album that The Decemberists have ever made. It’s not that it was bad, but it pales in comparison to their other efforts. Chris Walla’s influence is really felt when listening to the album. The songs have a lot of polish, more energy, and more focus than their previous two records. “16 Military Wives” is the song that immediately pops out at me as something that probably could’ve only happened under Walla’s wing. Not in the songwriting, of course, but in the quality of the song, the depth of the instrumentation, and the overall zing, Chris Walla left his mark.

#4: Tegan and Sara: The Con (Chris Walla: Producer, Guitars, Keyboards, Organ, Shakers, Cymbals, Tiny Guitars, Bass – Jason McGerr: Drums) – For what it’s worth, I’ve pretty much liked Tegan and Sara since the first time I heard them at a Virgin Megastore in Dallas (R.I.P.). So Jealous was an amazing album that featured enough great songs to get it regular plays for years. But as strong as that album was, it was swept aside as soon as Chris Walla took over the production reigns on The Con. The immediate result is obvious; it’s a more solid album without a single dud. But as is usually the case with a Walla-produced record, it has this inhuman quality about it – like everything about it is perfect and without fault. That puts it far ahead of its sometimes-flawed predecessor, and most of the other music that released in 2007.

#3: Dntel: Life Is Full of Possibilities (Ben Gibbard: Vocals on “(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan”) – Jimmy Tamborello’s first notable solo-release as Dntel still is one of my favorite electronic albums of all time. Perfecting glitch, downtemp electro, the record was the first time that I ever heard electronic music that was able to affect my mood without an abundance of vocals. Undoubtedly, the most notable track on this album would be Tamborello’s collaboration with Death Cab for Cutie vocalist, Ben Gibbard. Their work on “(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan” was the catalyst that led to the creation of one of my favorite albums of all time: The Postal Service’s Give Up.

#2: The Decemberists: The Crane Wife (Chris Walla: Keyboards, Background Vocals, Producer, Mixer) – What Chris Walla started on Picaresque, he undoubtedly perfected by the time he re-joined with the band to create what is easily their best record to date. The Crane Wife was the band’s major-label debut, and Walla was able to smooth out some of the band’s less-accessible quirks without sacrificing their signature sound or style. Track for track, The Crane Wife is an amazing album, and Chris Walla should definitely share some of the credit for that.

#1: The Postal Service: Give Up (Ben Gibbard: Vocals – Chris Walla: Co-Producer) – I suppose that if you’ve been reading this blog for any significant amount of time that this decision is no big surprise. Plus, I totally gave it away on #3! The simple truth is that Give Up is one of the finest albums I will probably ever hear in my life, and probably the single, most influential album in my lifetime so far. Why is that? Well, it single-handedly introduced me to this thing called “indie music. Until I heard The Postal Service, I literally thought that the only music that was out there was the stuff I saw on MTV and heard on the radio. Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello’s epic collaboration really opened my eyes (or ears, I suppose) to a whole other world of music. For that, I can’t help but place this album as number one. Can you really blame me?

Death Cab for Cutie: Plans

So like many other great bands, Death Cab for Cutie was unbeknownst to me until an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” when I heard the song “Soul Meets Body” during a very climactic scene. I didn’t know the song, yet I knew that whatever melody I’d just heard had completely taken me. I remember asking my brother, “Who sings that song?” Luckily, he not only knew, but had a copy of the album Plans which includes the aforementioned track. It’s a truly fascinating and abundantly lyrical album with several great songs. It is my pleasure to share it with you.

So right down to it, “Soul Meets Body” and “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” are two completely captivating songs. “Soul Meets Body” has so many hypnotic melodies and rhythms that come together to make a totally memorable song. There are technically great mixes in this song as well, particularly the depth given to the vocals by the layered octaves. It gives the song a much heftier, deeper sound that is very warm at the same time. However the part of the song I like the best is the memorable melody that accompanies phrases like, “And I do believe it’s true that there are roads left in both of our shoes”. It’s the part of this song that leaves me humming all day. On the other hand, “I Will Follow You into the Dark” could not be a more different song, similar only in the fact that I love it equally. It’s an acoustic track that is literally about dying and undying love. The slow guitar melody gives you a feeling of sincerity in the music while the vocals wrap you in their warmth and devotion. The lyrics in this song are some of my favorites ever, hands down. “If there’s no one beside you when your soul embarks, then I’ll follow you into the dark” is enough to make me want to pull over on the side of the road, turn off the engine, and have a good cry. Now, I’m not really going to do that, but you can see the emotion that is conjured by this melodically simplistic track. It’s simply beautiful…

“Marching Bands of Manhattan” kind of reminds me of the band Semi-sonic. That’s not a bad thing as I like the sound of Semi-Sonic, but it’s merely an observation given to help you better picture the sound. It’s a slower track, but does not lack in energy. Especially during what I would consider to be the undefined chorus, when the momentum begins to pick up with the repeating of lyrics and the building of the instruments. It’s a great song to begin their album. “Different Names for the Same Thing” is not a lyrically heavy song as there are only two verses, but it has tremendous depth to it nonetheless. The music is a little unconventional in places with chord choices that may sound strange for a second and then pull you in with their originality and perfect placement in the song. It’s incredibly slow until midway through when it finally adds percussion, but this only adds to the uniqueness of the track. The end of the track definitely sounds like it could also be featured in a “Grey’s Anatomy” episode with its sudden intensity build.

“Someday You Will Be Loved” is a song which is not likely to be forgotten. The first thing to know about this song is that this chorus will get stuck in your head. Not only is the melody listener-friendly, the lyrics are simple and down to earth. They don’t try to attain the status of “super intellectual dialect” which is a characteristic I find truly endearing. While the story is somewhat sad, with it’s tale of break-up and the typical “you’ll eventually find the right person” spiel, it’s also sincerely hopeful. With the pace of this track, you have the ability to take in every word, as not to quickly forget it. This song will likely stay with you… “Crooked Teeth” is very likable with its playful melody and catchy chorus of “‘Cause you can’t find nothin’ at all if there was nothin’ there all along”. I also really like the way that they phrase that line to fit with the rhythm of the song. They achieve an interesting sound with this technique. The big factors of “Crooked Teeth” are the playful lyrics and enjoyable musicality that you get when listening. It’s definitely a fun song to sing along with.

“Brothers on a Hotel Bed” begins in a very ethereal manner with its light, soft piano melodies and soon turns very poetic. This is a song that I like to listen to more than sing along with. The title is a bit strange, but one of the last lines of the song is “‘Cause now we say goodnight from our own separate sides like brothers on a hotel bed”. The lyrics leading up to that ending are extremely poetic and well written. The soft percussion is reminiscent of that in a soft rock song, but unlike Michael Bolton’s best, you’ll want to listen to this one several more times. Other tracks on Plans include “Summer Skin”, “Your Heart is an Empty Room”, “What Sarah Said” and “Stable Song”. These songs are lumped into similar categories for me. While I like them all and think that they are individually noteworthy songs, I feel that they can all be mentioned together due to their similarities. They are each relatively slow, but percussive songs. Each one is lyrically great, however musically, I get lost among these. In my opinion, they have the same level of memorability.

There are no bad songs on Plans; not one. In fact, most of them are flat out great! Some will leaving you singing, most will leave you pondering and in fact, one might leave you crying. They are all fascinating and definitely worth checking out. I recommend Plans for anyone looking for a great album or just a fan of “Grey’s Anatomy”! Happy listening!

Key Tracks
1. Soul Meets Body
2. Different Names for the Same Thing
3. I Will Follow You into the Dark
4. Someday You Will Be Loved
5. Crooked Teeth

8 out of 10 stars

Moods – Poetic

So Death Cab for Cutie Week marches on here at Audio Overflow. Today’s Moods playlist is less a mood and more of an adjective, though I suppose they’re both the same thing. As many of you are well aware of, Ben Gibbard is one of my favorite lyricists of all time. His words can be clever, touching, depressing, and vivid; and they almost never disappoint. So in honor of this man’s pen, I’ve decided to make today’s playlist a collection of what I feel are some of Death Cab for Cutie’s most poetic lyrics. They’re not always the best songs, but these words are beautiful. Hopefully that will be enough for you.

Video of the Week – Week 71

Time for a history lesson, folks, courtesy of Wikipedia. Now, as you know, all of this week’s posts are to be Death Cab for Cutie-related. So while I could just get on here, post a Death Cab video and call it a day, I’ve decided to take it a step further. If you want a Death Cab video, click HERE. I posted one two weeks ago. Today’s video is more about the band’s name’s origin. So to help explain, I’ll quote Wikipedia:

“Death Cab for Cutie” is a song composed by Vivian Stanshall and Neil Innes and performed by Stanshall and the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band. It was included on their 1967 album Gorilla.

Unlike most comedy/satirical performers, who write songs that parody other well-known songs, the Bonzo band wrote original material that parodied musical styles.

Stanshall intended “Death Cab For Cutie” as a send-up of Elvis Presley, and he performed it as such. Like many early rock songs, most notably “Teen Angel”, it tells a story of youthful angst: “Cutie” who goes out on the town against her lover’s wishes. “Last night Cutie caught a cab, uhuh-huh…” She is killed when the taxicab she is in runs a red light and crashes. Stanshall, as lead singer, details Cutie’s doomed journey to the sound of a honky-tonk piano, while the Bonzo chorus warns: “Baby, don’t do it…” Stanshall repeats the refrain in true Presley hip-wriggling style: “Someone’s going to make you pay your fare.”

The song was later featured in a one-hour TV film starring The Beatles, titles “Magical Mystery Tour,” performed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band themselves. It’s a pretty amusing scene, one one that you should probably watch. So do it, I’ve provided it below. It’s this week’s Video of the Week.

Death Cab for Cutie: "Narrow Stairs"

When Death Cab for Cutie signed to Atlantic Records a few years back, many people expected the worse. In the indie music world, where signing to a major record label is often met with cries of “selling out” and steadfast declarations of “their old stuff was better,” Death Cab’s transition was proof that a major record deal doesn’t alway signal the end of a band’s better days. Plans wound up being a beautiful album; not near as exciting or breathtaking as its predecessor, but still drenched in Ben Gibbard’s unparalleled lyricism and Chris Walla’s flawless production. It was an album that found the band’s rough edges smoothed out – their more hopeful moments set aside to make way for those of self-doubt and longing.

Narrow Stairs takes the opposite approach. Walla is once again behind the production, but the album has a much more natural quality to it (a feature that not only contrasts Plans, but Walla’s own solo album and his work with The Decemberists and Tegan and Sara). As such, it feels more like the band’s earlier work: unrestrained and unrefined, free of nit-picking and studio perfectionism. The raw, guitar distortion of album-opener, “Bixby Canyon Bridge,” would never exist on an album like Plans, and it’s refreshing to hear the band breaking free from the self-imposed restrictions of their previous record.

Likewise, the album’s first single “I Will Possess Your Heart” is well over 8 minutes long, something that I can’t imagine Atlantic Records smiling on, especially being a single. The song seems hand-crafted to be the opening number to a live performance, with instrumentation slowly building over Nick Harmer’s infecting bass line until finally, after 4 1/2 minutes, it’s just Gibbard spouting his equally intoxicating, “You gotta spend some time love/ you gotta spend some time with me.” Like most, I wasn’t sold on the song on the first listen, but after spending some time with it (get it?) it grew on me. It still may not have been the wisest choice for a first single, but doing so seems to be more about making a statement than a marketing decision.

“No Sunlight” is, oddly enough, a very sunny pop/rock song with an indisputably rockin’ chorus. Like a good Of Montreal song, its easy-going composition masks its darker lyrics. During the chorus, Gibbard sings, “It disappeared at the same speed/ the idealistic things I believe/ the optimist died inside of me.” “Cath…” is equally as depressing, telling the story of a woman who always falls in love with the wrong man. Ben’s lyrics are as impressive as they always are, lamenting, “Cath/ it seems that you live in someone else’s dream/ in a hand-me-down wedding dress,” later noting that, “the whispers that it won’t last/ run up and down the pews.” The song’s forward guitars and bouncy instrumentation make it an easy favorite on the album, and one that I simply can’t find fault with.

“Talking Bird” is a strange ballad about a parrot, or other bird that can talk. Gibbard trudges through the song with his typically melancholic musings, but knowing the subject matter really makes the song lose any effect that it may have had otherwise. “You Can Do Better Than Be” bursts out of the gate with such fanfare, that it seems more appropriate for a parade than a Death Cab album. Ben begins the song by singing, “I’m starting to feel we stayed together out of fear,” over heavily-structured, syncopated snares and bass drums. It’s a very cool sounding song and one of the few times on Narrow Stairs in which the band feels like they’re trying to branch out.

By far, the album’s standout track is “Grapevine Fires,” in which Gibbard tells the story of a peaceful moment in the midst of a wildfire. The song is absolutely gorgeous from the start, with soft instrumentation, lush harmonies, and vivid imagery carrying it to its stunning conclusion (“The firemen worked in double shifts/ with prayers for rain on their lips”). “Your New Twin Sized Bed” is more standard Death Cab fare. As such, one could probably figure out the story of the song based on the title alone. It’s a pretty track, but nothing that requires any real discussion or dissection. “Long Division” winds up being a much more pleasing song. With an irresistible, upbeat, guitar-heavy arrangement, you’re almost guaranteed to sing along to the chorus (“To be the remain, remain, remain, remainder!”) and maybe even bust out with a little air drumming. I know I have.

“Pity and Fear” is a song that never really goes anywhere. It doesn’t build, change, or affect in any notable manner, and may be doomed to skip button of many CD players. Unfortunately, not even some admittedly cool guitaring in the track’s final minute can redeem it. “The Ice Is Getting Thinner” ends the album on a high, if not sorrowful, note. Gibbard describes two lovers drifting apart with such beauty, that it’s difficult to even think of a song that could do it better. He croons, “We buried our love/ in a wintery grave/ a lump in the snow/ was all that remained.” It is a typical, soft, reflective comedown track to be sure, but you simply can’t deny the brilliance of it.

In many ways, Narrow Stairs is a return to form for Death Cab for Cutie. That being said, it doesn’t necessarily show them retreading the same path again, either. What Narrow Stairs accomplishes is much more subtle and graceful. It portrays a band embracing their roots while moving towards the future. With their success and notoriety already achieved, the band challenged themselves to make an album that doesn’t rely on perfection in the studio, songwriting, or performances; but one that is honest, exciting and natural. It’s not exactly reinventing the wheel, but Narrow Stairs is far from a sell out or a disappointment. It is simply another solid album from a band who continues to prove themselves worthy of our admiration. And really, what more could anyone want?

Key Tracks:
1. “Bixby Canyon Bridge”
2. “ I WIll Possess Your Heart”
3. “Cath…”
4. “You Can Do Better Than Me”
5. “Grapevine Fires”

8 out of 10 Stars

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