1300. Death Cab for Cutie - Narrow Stairs

I obsess over my music. I'm a collector, a completist, a everything. I used to sit down and watch my friends playing with a CD of mine and thinking, "I hope they put the insert back properly so the jewel case tab doesn't crease the booklet" - well, I've learned to let go a little. This was one of the few cds I bought in the last year or so, and within a day ellen spilled water all over it, merging all the pages of the diecut booklet into one solid piece (the cover has four short folds). Sure I was a little upset, but I realized, I can always buy another... but back to the music at hand. DCFC were on a steady roll prior to their major label debut. "Plans" was just a bit too sugary and sweet - the band has alway excelled at making suffering sound so good, but that disc had just too much of the good. On "Narrow Stairs" the band swings to the other direction making the suffering take the front seat to what eventually becomes a stale, uninspired set. You still enjoy it because the band has its charm, but there's no spark.

7.2 out of 10