Stay Positive (Part 2)

I've got more top ten lists in mind, but in the interest of time I am going to skip right ahead to the grandaddy of all top tens: the best albums of 2008. Please bear in mind that I am well aware that my initial ratings of these records might differ from their final year-end positions. Albums, you know, naturally grow on people as the year moves along. I am no exception. But if you've been following this blog for the past 11 months, none of these will really come as a shocker:

Top 10 Albums of 2008

Honorable Mention: Santogold (Self-titled)

Well, I was wrong about "rarely hearing" "LES Artistes." We couldn't get this song out of our collective minds this summer.

From June 3rd, 2008: "With great opportunity comes great expectation. And considering Santogold's former day job as an A&R rep for Epic, her collaborations with GZA and Lily Allen, and her connections to M.I.A., this Brooklyn-based songstress has a lot of people expecting big things. Does she pull this one off? Well, her first single "L.E.S. Artistes" may very well be the catchiest single you'll rarely hear. Because quite frankly, I don't know to classify it. Her penchant for freely experimenting with dub, new wave, punk, hip-hop, ska, and grime (sometimes all at once) is admirable, but this unfortunately may spread this NYC socialite too thin on her self-titled debut. And despite already having a slew of supporters south of Houston Street, Santogold bites the very hand that feeds on "Artistes" -- serving up a can of whoopass to the Lower East Side too-cool-for-school hipster class."

Honorable Mention: Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

And for the mother of all miscalls, I give you the fine words I said about Narrow Stairs. Please review and discard:

"There are some highlights on this album, but unfortunately they are few and far between. The upbeat "No Sunlight" shakes things up a little bit despite its repetitiveness. The unquestionable standout track on Narrow Stairs is "Long Division" -- Gibbard's most ambitious attempt to develop as a musician. And don't get me wrong. Musically this album is not bad, but it really doesn't show the progress that many could have otherwise hoped for after disappointing on Plans. There is no doubt that Gibbard is as a talented singer/songwriter as it gets. But in order to make the next great (and I mean GREAT) Death Cab album, he needs to get over his obsession with looking at the past for inspiration."

10) Coldplay - Viva La Vida

From June 5th, 2008: "The thing that I find most admirable about Coldplay is their willingness to not get comfortable in making this album. After what was considered to be a lackluster follow-up to the acclaimed Rush of Blood, the band still managed to sell millions of copies of 2005's X&Y. Rather than settling in with their bankable mediocrity as so many one trick ponies have done, Coldplay took the high road to meticulously create one of the year's surprises. For me, this band is back on the radar, and who knows, if they maintain this consistency on future albums, maybe I'll actually root for them."

9) Blitzen Trapper - Furr

This might be the only album sneaking into the top ten that I have yet to gush over/discuss in length. That's because I've only recently started falling in love with these guys. Blitzen Trapper is yet another band signed to Sub Pop that just happens to be from the Pacific Northwest. Story sound familiar? Unlike comrades Fleet Foxes, these guys have been around for years and have only recently been hitting it big -- Furr happens to be their fourth release. Evoking everything from early Dylan, Neil Young, Tom Petty, The Shins, and Modest Mouse, this band is well-versed in the art of genre-straddling. They're embarking on an early 2009 club tour and will be playing a couple of great shows in the NYC area. I'll be there.

8) Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago

Technically released in 2007, this brilliant record hit wider distribution this year and is thus considered a 2008 release by many critics. Being the lemming I am, I'm following suit. If you are fan of indie rock and still don't know the story behind this album, you have obviously been living under a rock. Just to summarize, Justin Vernon's life hit the shitter (band breakup, girlfriend breakup, and pneumonia) so he retreated to a cabin in the Wisconsin woods and wrote and wrote and wrote. The finished product is For Emma, Forever Ago -- a heartwrenching collection of songs that kicks the ass of any Iron & Wine album that's ever come out. If you suffer from album ADD you only need one song to become hooked -- "Re: Stacks."

7) Sigur Rós - Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust

From June 24th, 2008: "Don't be fooled by the intricacy of Sigur Rós' obscenely long new album title, Með suð í eyrum við spilum endalaust. Compared to the aural complexity of some of the band's prior albums, this one is all about simplicity. Audiophiles who rejoiced the post-rock production knick-nacks scattered throught Ágætis byrjun and ( ) might be a little disappointed with how much the band really pulled back on this effort. However, despite the countless mispronunciation botches this one will invariably suffer, Með suð... will be on the minds of fans and critics alike for quite some time."

"And whether or not you've become accustomed to sudden foray into unexpected normalcy, this can either be considered good or bad. Taking a page from every other critic who has compared Sigur Rós to Radiohead, Með suð... is this band's The Bends -- except they've already made their own Kid A and OK Computer. I guess they do things differently in Iceland, which is perfectly fine in my book."

6) The Gaslight Anthem - The '59 Sound

From August 26th, 2008: "As awfully emo-suggestive as their name is, New Jersey's Gaslight Anthem is a rock band that's as pure at heart as it gets. Forget the label they're signed to, their meticulously coiffed punk hair, their age, and their sleeve tattoos. This band is living proof that, thankfully, you only need to leave it up to the music to do the talking. If their appearance screams Fall Out Boy, then you will pleased to know that their music evokes Bruce Springsteen more so than anything else. And yes, this is a very good thing. Growing up in New Brunswick-- not too many turnpike exits away from The Boss' stomping ground -- it's pretty apparent that these guys have been down Thunder Road, lived not too far away Jungleland, and have witnessed the darkness on the edge of town."

"Although I am well-aware that naysayers will knock this record for being contrived and unauthentic, I'm willing to overlook these inevitable criticisms. While most young pop-punks bands would opt to replicate the now tired verse-chorus-verse formula of cohorts Panic At The Disco, Boys Like Girls, and Plain White Tee's, these guys are digging a little deeper. I may be wrong here, but I'm willing to bet that Springsteen and Tom Petty tunes will outlast the latest Fall Out Boy offerings. Mix in the Gaslight Anthem's penchant for precocious songwriting, and you get a band that's on a whole different level."

5) TV On The Radio - Dear Science

From September 16th, 2008: "If I had any complaints about the last TV On The Radio record, I'd say there was bit of a consistency problem. And yeah, I know I might be alone here. The high points, which obviously outweighed the low, made Return To Cookie Mountain hands down one of the best records of the decade. However, the album wasn't without its faults -- the less-than-stellar spastic moments were nothing to write home about. Well, it appears that Tunde Adebimpe and crew have learned a thing or two in two years that have passed since Mountain's release. Tweaks have been made here for the better which will only accelerate this band's already rising stock. I'm happy to report that you'll be hard pressed to find a flaw on the new record, Dear Science. And as always, you'll be even harder pressed to put your finger on a specific genre here. This new oeuvre spans everything from hip-hop, trip-hop, shoegaze, funk, electronica, punk, and everything in between. If you thought these art rockers were out there before (in a good way), you really ain't seen nothing yet until you've experienced Science. Bottom line, this is the record Bloc Party tried to make if they had this Brooklyn quintet's talent."

4) My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges

From April 30th, 2008: "The thing that is so admirable about Evil Urges is how it manages to perfectly combine the experimentation so prevalent on their last effort, Z, with the avant-garde, yet classic Southern guitar sound most associated with earlier albums It Still Moves and At Dawn. Jim James and gang take us for a ride during the first several tracks, which seem as if they could have easily been remnants from Z based on their respective falsetto vocals, schizophrenic tempos, and genre-straddling guitar riffs. "Highly Suspicious" is just that, and is hands down the band's weirdest track to date, sounding somewhere in between Prince and Gwar. The change is like night and day when we reach "I'm Amazed" -- a classic rock tune that couldn't have been done better by Skynyrd if they tried. This is when things start to sound a little more familiar to longtime MMJ fans. James' voice soars on the gorgeously sincere 1-2 punch that is "Thank You Too"/ "Sec Walkin'". We are then treated to the band's closest encounter to the radio-friendly world with the poppy "Two Halves" -- a apparent nod to early rock influences along the likes of Buddy Holly and The Everly Brothers."

3) Sun Kil Moon - April

From August 15th, 2008: "The current band from Mark Kozelek of Red House Painters fame, this is Sun Kil Moon's second body of completely original material. And much like Ghosts of The Great Highway, this one is a masterpiece. Admittedly, though, this is an acquired taste. Fans of upbeat, fast-tempo indie-rock need not apply. This one's a downer -- inspired by failed relationships, the passing of loved ones, and imagery of American landscapes. Kozelek's brilliant lyrical sense gets a little lost through his hypnotically mumbling singing style, but take my word for it -- this is one of the most talented singer-writers at his best."

2) The Hold Steady - Stay Positive

From May 28th, 2008: "It's hard to have negative feelings for an album as optimistically titled as Stay Positive. Throw in The Hold Steady's track record of releasing some of the more exceptional studio albums of the past few years and this becomes an even more daunting task. Even so, considering the sheer genius that was 2006's Boys And Girls In America, The Hold Steady are surely destined to disappoint on their follow-up, right? I can safely answer this with a resounding WRONG! It's almost fitting that I happened to get my hands on Stay Positive the day after Memorial Day. Because more so than anything else, this is absolutely a summer record."

"All I have to say is there is a reason why The Hold Steady was the the first band in 15 years to grace the cover of The Village Voice. This bands brings an excitement to music that is unparalleled (just check them out live). And although the guys kind of reinvent the wheel on Positive (lyrically, this disc is very similar to B&IA), they prove that they can consistently make a musically complex record all the while incorporating themes that don't seem to get tired. Hey, if the Boss can make a career out of this, why can't these guys? For me, this is a stellar effort and shows progression of a band that you can bank on."

1) Fleet Foxes (Self-titled)

Here you have it folks. The Fleet Foxes were able to dethrone mighty favorite The Hold Steady. I think the tipping point for me was, of course, the live show. I cannot wait to hear what these guys have in store for a follow-up. This is arguably the best debut album of the decade. Pretty huge accomplishment for a group of shaggy early twenty somethings.

From August 21st, 2008: "Seattle's Fleet Foxes are perhaps the most exciting new band of the year (yes, more so than Vampire Weekend). And sure, it might be a little bold to throw these guys in the top 20, but I have this much faith that we are going to be hearing great things from this band for years to come. If you take a listen to their self-titled debut, you'll discover that this band is mature beyond their years. They've definitely done all their homework in Neil Young 101, and have already learned to perfect a country/folk sound that rivals even the mighty My Morning Jacket. Combine this with the songwriting sincerity of Mark Kozelek, and you get a band that's pretty difficult to criticize."

The Best of Times, The Worst of Times (Part 2)

Best Album Title of 2008:
Atmosphere - When Life Gives You Lemons...You Paint That Shit Gold!

While admittedly I have yet to hear a note (much less song) off the long-awaited album from this Minneapolis hip-hop duo, I am now more inclined to based on the record's title alone. Someone was handing out promotional stickers of this album's potty-mouth phrase, and I gladly swooped up as many as I could. Words to live life by.

Worst Album Title of 2008:
Ryan Adams & The Cardinals - Cardinology

If you were to judge Ryan Adams' latest offering solely based on the cover/title combo, this one would end up in the stinker. The artwork looks like it was designed for an 8th grade science project on Miscrosoft Paint circa 1993. Fortunately, the music does the talking here. Great album; terrible artwork and title choice. On a good day, Prince can get away with naming an album Musicology. Not so sure if Ryan's got the credentials just yet to add the "-ology" suffix to any of his.

Most Improved Player of 2008:
Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs

While this one was in the running for Worst Album Cover of the Year, I couldn't resist giving the award to MMJ (even though this one gives me a headache when staring too long). Ok, so let me explain this award. While the sports metaphor doesn't quite fit here (I understand that album cannot physically change/improve once released), this is the record that just got better and better the more I listened throughout the year. I was completely wrong when I gave this one the measly 6.5 in April. Although I still stand by the fact that "I Will Possess Your Heart" was a terrble first single selection (to go along with it 8+ minute length), the follow-up singles (and videos) were brilliant. Way to pick it up boys.

Worst Dropoff of 2008:
N*E*R*D - Seeing Sounds

Like Death Cab's rating, this one clocked in at a respectable 6.5/10. However, if I got a re-do, this album's score would be much lower. I can't think of a record that plummeted so fast off my radar (and consequently iPod) than N*E*R*D's third release. In fact, this one was so forgettable that I have to think twice to remember that Pharell and crew even released an album this year.

Best Surprise of 2008:
Nine Inch Nails - The Slip

Ok, so I'm talking about actual surprises here. Like having no idea about an album until it actually came out. This seemed to be a trend that got kicked-off last year with the now legendary In Rainbows experiement. Earlier this year, Trent Reznor gave us a freebie with the excellent single "Discipline." But little did we know that this was just the beginning. A couple of weeks later, he posted an entire album on his website as a gift to his fans with the simple message, "thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me." The most shocking part of all? This just happened to be his most focused effort since 1994's The Downward Spiral.

Worst Surprise of 2008:
Bloc Party - Intimacy

This one just goes to show that sometimes experiments don't always work out as planned. Bloc Party announced that they had entered the studio this summer with an expected 2009 release date for their third album. Then one day in August they surprised us all by announcing that the album would be ready for download by the end of that week. But unlike the Nine Inch Nails record, there were no freebies and apparently not much time thinking this through. Instead, we got a choppy record chock full of the experimental electronica bullshit that made A Weekend In The City so utterly dismissible. Sadly, this uber-talented band is now 1-2 in my book.

Best Album Hype of 2008:
Coldplay - Viva La Vida


I think I've made it abundantly clear that I didn't want to like the new Coldplay record. Considering how overrated and decadent this band has become, it makes it very easy to want to throw rocks at Chris Martin's head whenever he flamboyantly gallivants around the stage. But unfortunately, I gotta call a spade a spade and agree that this one lived up to the hype. Produced by Brian Eno, this one is better than anything U2 has put out in a very long time -- further proving that there's a new king in town. Rebounding from 2005's X&Y, Coldplay is a rare success story in the 2008 dismal realm that is mainstream music.

Worst Album Hype of 2008:
Lil Wayne - Tha Carter III

Now I'll be the first to admit that there's a thing or two I can learn about hip-hop, but I just KNOW this album is utter garbage. When I hear about albums that are terrible yet get almost universal praise, I begin to question the sanctity of this industry (like I didn't already). Sometimes critics are lemmings, and this is just another example of it. Now Wayne is everywhere --- from Kanye West's album to the new Fall Out Boy. This stinks to high heaven.

No Sunlight? No Problem.

If you've read this blog for the past few months, you know how much my opinion has swayed about Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs. I think a lot of this change of heart has to do with the creativity of the music videos for the album's singles. I really liked what they did with "Cath" a few months back, and the mometum is only building. Ben Gibbard and crew just released the video for the album's third single, "No Sunlight." Only appropriate considering the suckiness of Daylight Savings Time. They're taking it a step further as you'll see:

No Sunlight

We Have The Facts, And They're Absurdly Cheap

I know the idea of purchasing music is kind of an afterthought to many people these days. However, if you ever feel so inclined to kick it old school, there is a great Amazon MP3 deal today that's really hard to pass up. The first GREAT Death Cab For Cutie Album, We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes, is on sale today for a measly $1.99. I URGE you to take advantage of this deal. Go HERE for the deets.

The List (Part 9)

For 100-91 (Part 1), click HERE.
For 90-81 (Part 2), click HERE.
For 80-71 (Part 3), click HERE.
For 70-61 (Part 4), click HERE.
For 60-51 (Part 5), click HERE.
For 50-41 (Part 6), click HERE.
For 40-31 (Part 7), click HERE.
For 30-21 (Part 8), click HERE.

20) Outkast - Stankonia (2000)
Put quite simply, Stankonia is the album that transformed this Atlanta hip-hop duo into one of greatest acts of all time. This record got the ball rolling for Andre 3000 and Big Boi, who followed up with the near perfect Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. In an time when Southern rap oozed mediocrity (Juvenile, B.G., Hot Boys), this band was a breath of fresh air. And who would have thought these guys were clairvoyant? Three years before the Iraq debacle, Outkast rocked our world with the jarring anthem "Bombs Over Baghdad". But it didn't stop there. Follow-up R&B-inspired singles "Ms. Jackson" and "So Fresh, So Clean" occupied some pretty prime real estate on the Billboard charts a year later. Stankonia never got even one bad review -- chalking up an unheard of 95 score on Metacritic.


19) Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes (2008)
Seattle's Fleet Foxes are perhaps the most exciting new band of the year (yes, more so than Vampire Weekend). And sure, it might be a little bold to throw these guys in the top 20, but I have this much faith that we are going to be hearing great things from this band for years to come. If you take a listen to their self-titled debut, you'll discover that this band is mature beyond their years. They've definitely done all their homework in Neil Young 101, and have already learned to perfect a country/folk sound that rivals even the mighty My Morning Jacket. Combine this with the songwriting sincerity of Mark Kozelek, and you get a band that's pretty difficult to criticize.


18) Queens of The Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf (2002)
When Queens of The Stone Age's Rated R was released in 2000, I remember reading in numerous publications that this was a band to watch. And although these guys scored some radio credentials with "The Lost Art of Keeping A Secret," their breakout album went largely unnoticed by the general public. But this must have only fueled the band's creative fire. Josh Homme and gang went on a tear with their follow-up magnum opus, Songs For Deaf. Recruiting Dave Grohl for drumming duties, the band put on a rock and roll clinic that spawned several smash singles that included "No One Know," "Go With The Flow," and "First It Giveth". Unfortunately all this success couldn't prevent the internal drama. The only other original member, bassist Nick Oliveri, was kicked out of the band shortly after Songs For The Deaf hit it big.


17) The Hold Steady - Stay Positive (2008)
I think I've made my sentiments abundantly clear about this album. Stay Positive is my undisputed pick for record of the year. There, I went ahead and said it. I don't care if some critics claim that this one's awfully similar-sounding to their last record; if you've got a great thing going on, why mess around with it? The Hold Steady are everything that's good about music -- excellent songwriting, top-notch musicianship, infectious charisma, zero pretentiousness, and a great attitude. For my (comprehensive) review of Stay Positive click HERE. Nuff said.


16) Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (2007)
If Stay Positive is this year's pick for record of the year, then Spoon's Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is 2007's tour de force. This band's consistency is something that should be applauded, and any mainstream exposure they've achieved as of late is definitely well-deserved (the record debuted at #10 on the charts). If you haven't caught these guys on the Letterman or Saturday Night Live circuit, then you've more than likely heard "The Underdog" on the radio or during some obscure movie trailer. And yes, you have heard it before -- the horn section in this song is just too infectious to resist. In case you were wondering, the album's title used to be the temporary name of one of their songs, "The Ghost of You Lingers". They scrapped the nonsensical song title, and instead opted to make it a nonsensical album title.


15) Fountains of Wayne - Welcome Interstate Managers (2003)
It's a shame that the commoner will always associate Fountains of Wayne with that song about Stacey's mom (no thanks to those Sunny D commercials). And while there's no denying that this song is as catchy as it is corny, this really doesn't do justice to the album or the band. In all its glory, Welcome Interstate Managers is a loose concept album that follows the doldrums of suburbanites placed in less than ideal situations. Whether it's North Jersey-dwelling contractors, alcoholic sales executives, or recently fired United Airlines employees, Managers perfectly juxtaposes FOW's shimmering power pop with the dark nature of everyday living. We haven't heard three-and-a-half minutes storytelling this perfect since "Eleanor Rigby" or "Oh-Bla-Di, Oh-Bla-Da". By the way, "interstate manager" is a nice way of saying toll taker.


14) Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism (2003)
Although I may have originally had some reservations about Death Cab's most recent offering, this was hardly the case for this band's 2003 breakout, Transatlanticism. It's no wonder why Ben Gibbard and crew were finally able to break the mold of anonymity from their first three disappointing efforts. Transtlanticism is much more emotionally charged than some of Death Cab's earlier work and this allows the band to soar, as evidenced on standout songs "The New Year", "Title and Registration," and "The Sound of Settling". This album soon became a cult smash thanks in part to its content's inclusion on countless movie and television soundtracks. Before long, it would go gold. Their 2005 follow-up, Plans, is not a particularly bad record, but certainly doesn't have the same consistency as Transatlanticism.


13) Sufjan Stevens - Illinois (2005)
You've got artists who come out with concept albums, and then you've got Sufjan Stevens. After releasing a record entirely dedicated to the people, places, and things from his home state of Michigan in 2003, Stevens decided it would be a good idea to keep the state thing going. In 2005, he released Illinois to unanimously positive acclaim. In fact, if you look at its score on Metacritic, you'll see it's the best-rated album of that year. And quite frankly, it's not too difficult to see why. This album is a musical explosion -- frequently utilizing strings, horns, and harmonized vocals. Illinois was so well-received, that a year later, Sufjan released an album of songs that just didn't quite make the cut. There's no resting on laurels, however. Stevens has made the bold assertion that he plans on releasing an album dedicated to each of the 50 states. He better get back to work.


12) Arcade Fire - Funeral (2004)
The Arcade Fire are a really strange band for me. When I first heard this record back in college, it didn't really do anything for me. I thought, "eh". But after it was received as the best thing since sliced bread, I gave it another shot and then gradually became hooked. It goes without saying that I expected big things for last year's follow-up, "Neon Bible". And despite critics' overflowing positive feedback a second time around, I didn't think it was anything special. But then again, I guess one out of two ain't bad. I've never seen this army of a band in concert, but supposedly it is quite the spectacle. Hey, if Springsteen thinks highly of the Arcade Fire, maybe there's something I'm missing.


11) Elliott Smith - Figure 8 (2000)
Although From A Basement On The Hill was nearly completed at the time of his death, many consider Figure 8 to be Elliott Smith's last official album. After releasing several amazingly stripped down, simplistic records, this was definitely the most ambitious effort of Smith's tragically short career. Unlike most of Smith's catalog, Figure 8 features complex instrumentation and detailed arrangements as evidenced on the remarkable "Son of Sam". While this one garnered some mixed reviews at first, Figure 8 has aged like a fine wine. Like most of rock's legends, Elliott left us way too soon.

We Have The Facts...

Death Cab For Cutie has announced some tour dates for the fall. As predicted, the band has upped the ante since hitting that coveted #1 Billboard chart milestone. Long gone are the days of Bowery Ballroom and Irving Plaza. The Cab (not to be confused with "The Cab") have graduated on to Radio City Music Hall and will be playing there on October 6th. No word yet about on sale information/openers. Here are the rest of the dates:

10/03/08 – Agganis Arena – Boston, MA
10/04/08 – Chevrolet Theatre – Wallingford, CT
10/05/08 – Showboat Casino Hotel – Atlantic City, NJ
10/06/08 – Radio City Music Hall – New York, NY
10/08/08 – LC Outdoor Amphitheater – Columbus, OH
10/12/08 – University of Illinois – Assembly – Champaign, IL
10/13/08 – Fox Theatre – St. Louis, MO

Hindsight

I'll admit that I was little harsh when I assessed Death Cab's Narrow Stairs a couple of months ago. The album has since grown on me (as predicted) and is actually not nearly as bland as I had originally reviewed. With this being said, the band just released the album's second single "Cath" -- one of my favorite tunes from the get-go. I don't know if MTV still airs videos, but if this were 1996, I'm sure we'd be seeing this one in the buzz bin:

• MTV
• Music Videos
• MTV Shows
• Entertainment News

A Movie Script Ending

Amid last week's speculation from its excellent first day sales, it was confirmed today that Death Cab For Cutie's Narrow Stairs is officially the number one record in the country. Shipping just over 144,000 units, Stairs assaulted the competition in a rather slow music week, besting a Frank Sinatra compilation that bowed in at number two with 99,000 sold copies. Although I was a little disappointed with this new Death Cab record, I really need to give Ben Gibbard some props here. I remember hearing about these guys in college when they couldn't even sell out a tiny club show in Pittsburgh. Five years later, it's truly amazing to see how far a once relatively unknown indie band has come. Despite the pathetic truth that 150,000 copies will pretty much solidify a number one record these days, I really cannot discount this remarkable feat and how it translates into peoples' shifting preferences in popular music. Kudos, Death Cab!

The Sound of Settling

I am fan of Death Cab For Cutie/Ben Gibbard/The Postal Service as much as the next guy, and was equally pumped when I heard good things about their new album Narrow Stairs (out next Tuesday, 5/13). Truthfully, I don't see what the fuss is about. Last month, I read the Paste Magazine cover story in which Gibbard talks about how he moved into the Big Sur house once inhabited by his idol Jack Kerouac to fuel his creative fire for Stairs. He basically confesses about how he was unable to draw any inspiration from this experience because he "idealized" the situation too much. He then goes on to contrast his collegiate Kearouacian idealizations with his current state of mind -- one that is surprisingly depressing considering the praise he has accumulated in recent years. Taking this into account, it is pretty obvious that Gibbard's defeated attitude has been translated into his mostly depressing new body of work.

Although Gibbard has fit comfortably as the master of melancholy to some, I really think he needs to grow out of this phase and show us a little depth. The first single, "I Will Possess Your Heart" may as well be considered the sequel to "The New Year" on Transatlanticism. We are given a bold four and half minutes of instrumental build-up before Gibbard finally chimes in with, "How I wish you could see the potential/The potential of you and me/Its like a book, elegantly bound but/In a language that you cant read." Nearly five minutes of waiting and all we get is the makings of a bad junior high school poem, huh? Ben, we get it: your heart is still broken and you've made mistakes you regret.

Unfortunately, we get this six or seven more times on Narrow Stairs as indicated by a multitude of foreboding song titles: "You Can Do Better Than Me", "The Ice Is Getting Thinner", and "Pity And Fear". Gibbard, never known for being discrete, does does a excellent job painting out the meanings of these songs, but again, this is nothing new to Death Cab fans. There are some highlights on this album, but unfortunately they are few and far between. The upbeat "No Sunlight" shakes things up a little bit despite its repetitiveness. The unquestionable standout track on Narrow Stairs is "Long Division" -- Gibbard's most ambitious attempt to develop as a musician. And don't get me wrong. Musically this album is not bad, but it really doesn't show the progress that many could have otherwise hoped for after disappointing on Plans. There is no doubt that Gibbard is as a talented singer/songwriter as it gets. But in order to make the next great (and I mean GREAT) Death Cab album, he needs to get over his obsession with looking at the past for inspiration.

My Rating: 6.5 out of 10