Natalie Hanassab
With the highly anticipated May 12 release of their latest album, “Narrow Stairs,” Death Cab for Cutie showed their fans a different but pleasant side to their usual indie-rock albums.
Their previous 2006 album, “Plans,” showed off their mellow side, mostly singing about their encounters with love. On the contrary, the band used words such as “bloody,” “lose” and “creepy” in select songs on their current album, according to Atlantic Records.
The band was formed in Bellingham, Wash., in 1997 after the lead singer Ben Gibbard was solo and decided to form a group.
Fans will find the same sincere vibe but discover new lengths the band has gone to for a little twist.
It seems as though Death Cab has evolved as a band, going through blissful experiences of love, and now describing experiences of the not-so-blissful times, for a diverse take on love.
In their first single off the new album, “I Will Possess Your Heart,” the band explains that if his crush spends a little more time with him, he will possess her heart and make her fall in love with him.
With lyrics such as that, they display diversity compared to their other album.
The song was released March 18 and was introduced on the radio March 24.
Although the song runs for approximately eight minutes, fans get to hear emphasis on the instrumentals for the first five minutes.
Gibbard, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, once again shows off his pleasing voice along with his incomparable tempo throughout the 11 songs.
Through catchy lyrics in the opening track, “Bixby Canyon Bridge,” Gibbard shows off a more passionate tone to his voice. The instrumentals from his fellow band members Chris Walla, Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr display great depth and talent.
In an interview with Billboard magazine, the band explained their point of view toward their new work.
“It’s really weird,” they said. “It’s really, really good I think, but it’s totally a curve ball, and I think it’s going to be a really polarizing record.”
True fans will respect the band’s interest toward taking a slightly different path, but still enjoy the basic Death Cab For Cutie.
The band made an appearance at this year’s Coachella festival before beginning their tour.
Their upcoming show will be June 23 at the NOKIA Theatre L.A. LIVE.
Grade: A