"The Photo Album," DeathCab's third full-length, shows a lot of the strengths of their previousreleases with a solid set of new songs, but also begins to show signsof weakness. It's an appropriate title, as the release is the slice oflife type, stories told by the band on the road and pictures of theirpast. "Styrofoam Plates" is dripping with imagery of a life without afather figure, and "A Movie Script Ending" is a fine piece oftoe-tapping indie rock with fluid guitar work and solid drumming. Asalways, Gibbard's voice is clear, distinct, and inescapably endearing,especially when he reaches for notes you swear he won't hit. Theaddition of harmonies here and there, notably on "Blacking Out TheFriction," is a nice change, adding a nice dimension to theproceedings. The music is all fresh, full of energy, and well executed.It's in the lyrics where the weakness lies. On "We Laugh Indoors,"Gibbard says "I loved you Guinevere" about eight times too many. And"Why You'd Want To Live Here," while a solid rock song, is full ofimages of Los Angeles that are trite and over-done. We all know it'ssmoggy and hard to breathe there, and the line "Is this the city ofangels or demons?" almost made me want to gag. Still, it's a goodrecord, and the band's most accomplished work, as well as their hardestrock record yet. I just hope Gibbard's lyric writing doesn't continueon its downward spiral too long, becoming a parody of every indie rockband, or of itself. But, as Gibbard puts it, quoting a billboard butinadvertently summarizing Death Cab's efforts "We are not perfect, butwe sure try." Indeed. Catch them on tour with the Dismemberment Planand Cex starting in February. - Read More
