rating: 7/10
review:
I won't lie, I listened to this after seeing them live at the Mann a few weeks ago...
Overall, it's a solid album--nothing crazy different or derivative, but with a band like Death Cab For Cutie, where my real favorites are the older albums, that's not going to be an issue. I was shocked the album was only 10 songs long, but with each song being good, I'll take it as a good thing--sometimes dragging it out isn't worth it!
On to the music, Ben Gibbard's vocals manage to stay unchanged since their debut album (2002, I believe?), which impressed me from the get-go. The guitar parts are catchy, but not too powerful as to outshine the vocals, and remind me of a Johnny Marr type riff: catchy, repetitive, and not TOO overpowering of the other instrumentals.
Death Cab For Cutie's unity tends to be something I notice first, the feeling of a college band jam session stays even now, which lends to an almost "low-effort" feel to many of their songs. (Note: I mean low-effort in the sense of something being "good without trying," and not poorly done)
The album cover was a little lackluster, which is not to the detriment of the album, but still plays a part. I bought the CD to play, and while it isn't bad enough of a design to outwardly dislike, I still feel it is a little underdone for their music. It looks almost as though it was not completed, like a first draft? Which is a shame because the colors and general idea is interesting and visually pleasing, the execution just leaves something to be desired.
Overall, however, this ended up being an album with no bad songs, just a lingering feeling wishing for more.
favorite song: Punching the Flowers
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