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Death Cab For Cutie

The Photo Album (2001)
Barsuk Records

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Contributed by: Ryan Quappis
(others by this writer | submit your own)

Published on June 29th 2002

My friend Steve always tells me about new bands for me to check out. He told me about the Dismemberment Plan and Wilco and a lot more of my now-favorite bands. One day he told me about Death Cab For Cutie, so i downloaded a few of their songs. I HATED them. Having heard a few mp3s and obtaining a burned copy of "we have the facts and we're voting yes," i had attained enough information to decided that i really hated this band.

But then "The Photo Album" was released, and something drew me towards it. I had heard one song from it and noticed that they had changed their sound a bit. Based on that, i purchased the CD. From the first note of "Steadier Footing" i knew that i was in love. The minute-and-a-half song deals with love and hopelessness, one of the most generic song topics in underground music these days. However, Death Cab has this amazing ability to take a fresh approach to these overdone "emo" themes, which makes them so interesting to listen to. You hang on to EVERY word that vocalist Ben Gibbard sings, and the sheer honesty in his voice makes every word important.

Highlights of the cd includes the mellow "Movie Script Ending," the balls-out rocker "Why You'd Want To Live Here", an ode to Los Angeles (i bet you don't think "balls-out rocker" when you think of death cab, do you?), and 2 lyrically perfect songs "I was a Kaleidoscope" and "Styrofoam Plates", which deals with Gibbard's "bastard" father.

But the true gem of this album is track 3, "We Laugh Indoors." In this song, the beautiful melody floats over the sonic landscape of guitar work by Gibbard and Chris Walla. The song builds through the verses and bridge into one of the most intense "rock out" sections ever recorded in a song. To see this song performed live is truly an experience.

In every aspect, this cd is amazing. From Ben Gibbard's lyrics and singing to Michael Shorr's tasteful drum work, this is a superb recording that no "indie rock" collection should be without.

"I was a kaleidoscope: the snow on my lenses distorting the image of what was only one of you, and i didn't know which one to address as all your lips moved."

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lobsterboy (September 14, 2004)

Very good album, especially Coney Island, Styrofoam Plates, We Laugh Indoors and Debate Exposes Doubt are great songs.

Anonymous (October 23, 2003)

Dont think that was what he was saying.

now you stop sniffing glue.

Anonymous (July 5, 2002)

yo, kid a few posts down. if you're trying to say that something corporate's a good band, and that death cab for cutie is not, you should stop huffing glue.

Anonymous (July 2, 2002)

Cuz not everyone can afford a car cd-player.

evildeadalive (July 1, 2002)

Why make a mix tape when you can make a mix cd?

Anonymous (June 30, 2002)

mix tapes are for dorks

layawayplan (June 29, 2002)

Something About Airplanes is also top notch. "Bend to squares" is one of my favourite songs. I put it on a mix tape between a song by Breach and a song by Choke. go figure.

Anonymous (June 29, 2002)

Hey, this is Ryan, the reviewer here. I just wanted to say to clarify that after buying this album and listening to it, i have a new found respect for all of death cab's earlier work. in fact, now i like "we have the facts and we're voting yes" even more than photo album.

Anonymous (June 29, 2002)

not too long ago i wrote about a girl making me a mix tape with a something corporate song on it. i then spoke of how i never listen to that mix tape, mainly due to the fact that something corporate was on there. death cab for cutie is also on that mix tape. i still never listen to it.

never_forever (June 29, 2002)

This is a great CD, and one of my favourites this year. I reccomend all of you to pick it up if you can tolerate some "emo" - or whatever the hell you might call it.

I'm sorry to hear that you did not like "We Have the Facts", and I don't think that much had changed from album to album, but I guess I could be wrong. They are both SOLID albums, and should not go unnoticed in any CD collection.

ALSO, if anyone does happen to like this CD, check out the Stability EP as well as the Forbidden Love EP... these guys have really evolved and their sound is really dynamic and beautiful.

-ryan logan