Death Cab For Cutie
The Photo Album
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Death Cab For Cutie
The Photo Album
Barsuk, 2001
RiYL: Built To Spill, Modest Mouse, Elliott Smith |
Songs like the lush rocker "Why You'd Want To Live Here" (in reference to Los Angeles) build upon the band's well-established formula of catchy pop arrangements sharply contrasted by singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard's sweetly delivered but disarmingly brutal lyrics. As he reflects on L.A., Gibbard's lyrics are at their most concise and affective and his whiny-sincere tenor reflects, "You can't swim in a town this shallow / you will most assuredly drown tomorrow." On a different bent, "Coney Island" finds the band using delicate guitar picking and light drumming to sonically reinforce the images of the carousel and waves that Gibbard sings about.
However, not all of the album is as successful. On both the mid-tempo scorn song "Information Travels Faster" and the downbeat "Blacking Out The Friction," The Photo Album falls flat. In both instances, the band's usually engaging, off-kilter rhythm work and catchy guitar hooks are replaced by uninspired, generic arrangements with sub-par lyrics.
Yet despite these shortcomings, The Photo Album is generally a compelling record built on Death Cab For Cutie's continuously developing understanding of their pop songcraft. While not every song is a gem, the ones that are have pushed the band's already high standard of compelling indie pop one notch higher.
A.K. GOLD | A.K. Gold lives in Washington, D.C., where she slaves away for a non-profit organization and constantly compares everything to New York City or Chicago. She's earned her "cred" as a college radio and pre-1960 country music DJ, committed indie label street teamer, sporadic zinemaker/contributor, retired mail-order filler and occasional freelance writer. From time to time, she publishes Anecdotal Evidence, a per zine that will some day be considered for the National Book Award, or possibly not. If you want to buy a copy, or desire to write to her for some other reason, email criticgirl@hotmail.com.