[video] Death Cab For Cutie // Underneath the Sycamore

Tag Archive: Death Cab for Cutie

[video] Death Cab For Cutie // Underneath the Sycamore

Written on January 17, 2012 by Dave in Music, Video

I did not spend any time with the latest Death Cab release, a statement I’ve not uttered prior. This song sounds ok, but not much more; the video is about as interesting.

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[mp3] New Releases // May 31

Written on May 31, 2011 by Dave in Music, New Releases

the record store [mp3] New Releases // May 31

As the warmer months continue the new releases hop along as well. As for us, it’s likely we’ll be getting the new Death Cab despite news of its lack of charms. The Seapony record is enticing, as is the biggest release of the week in My Morning Jacket’s latest effort. There’s also new Vaccines material, something from Eddie Vedder and a Flogging Molly disc. Get on out and support your local record stores!

Black Stone Cherry // Between The Devil & The Deep Blue Sea
BT // These Re-Imagined Machines
Kate Bush // Director’s Cut
Death Cab For Cutie // Codes and Keys
Flogging Molly // Speed of Darkness
Matthew Good // Lights of Endangered Species
Jordan Knight // Unfinished
The Melvins // Sugar Daddy Live
My Morning Jacket // Circuital
Seapony // Go With Me
The Vaccines // What Did You Expect From The Vaccines?
Eddie Vedder // Ukulele Songs

[mp3] Seapony // Dreaming

[mp3] My Morning Jacket // Circuital

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1000 Minutes: Dave #49

Written on April 2, 2010 by Dave in Music

1000 Minutes: Dave #49 As I move past the century mark with my list, I wish to point out that I don’t intend to make a habit of selecting multiples off one album for single editions of my 1000 Minutes, though today it was a bit unavoidable. If you know not of what I am speaking, go here to read up on my previous 99 selections.

100. Death Cab for Cutie – The Sound of Settling (mp3) from Transatlanticism (2:12) [Time Remaining: 591:49]

101. Death Cab for Cutie – We Looked Like Giants (mp3) from Transatlanticism (5:32) [Time Remaining: 586:17]

I don’t have much of a defined strategy to select songs to use for this project each week. Essentially it comes down to whether or not a song struck inspiration during the week, or whether or not a song reminds me why I love it when I’m scrolling through iTunes. Today, I chose my first song through the latter method. It was inevitably going to find its way onto this list, I was just uncertain when. Today it finagled its way in, and it happened to be the first companion to the only other Death Cab song on my list, until I decided to add a third.

If there were ever an album I would describe as ‘ours’ when referring to my wife and I, this would have to be it. I got it when we were a relatively new couple in college, and though she didn’t immediately love it – she was more into Give Up at the time – she later came to consider it her favorite album ever. It is certainly up there for me, though I wouldn’t necessarily state it is my favorite of all time. It is without a doubt the best effort from Gibbard and co., but that is an easy assessment. These two songs are highlights for differing reasons that I will not be elucidating upon further today because it would take too long.

As a final word, the live performance of “We Looked Like Giants” that the band gave a few years ago here in Rochester is easily one of the best individual song performances I have ever seen in my life. It was simply incredible.

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Best of 2009: EPs and Singles, Part 2

Written on December 27, 2009 by Andy in Music

Today we continue our look at some of our favorite EPs from the past year; we’ve got one more of these set for tomorrow as well.

Animal Collective – Fall Be Kind

As if 2009 wasn’t busy enough for AnCo, their Fall Be Kind EP was released at the end of November. (The EP, interestingly, contains the first licensed sample of The Grateful Dead on “What Would I Want? Sky.”) It’s signature Animal Collective – space-y, psychedelic rock that’s cementing them a place at laser light shows across the nation twenty years from now when our kids are getting stoned.

Animal Collective – What Would I Want? Sky (mp3) from Fall Be Kind EP EP

Death Cab for Cutie – The Open Door

Since their move away from Barsuk, reviews of Death Cab’s material has gone steadily downward. It may just be coincidental, but the indie goodwill they’d built up prior seems to have been waning. With The Open Door, the band released a few of the tracks from the Narrow Stairs sessions. A little less produced and polished than what ended up making the cut for that album, the songs sound much better.

Death Cab for Cutie – My Mirror Speaks (mp3) from The Open Door EP

Josh Rouse – Valencia

After a quiet couple of years, Josh Rouse took the unconventional route with his recent Valencia EP. Comprised of the leftovers from his forthcoming LP, Valencia is an excellent pre-cursor to what should be an excellent album. It’s upbeat, influenced by his current residency in Spain, and warms up the long winter nights with hints of the impending spring.

Josh Rouse – Easy Street (mp3) from Valencia EP

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1000 Minutes: Andy #34

Written on October 20, 2009 by Andy in Music

1000 Minutes: Andy #34 After taking a week off, this week’s entries into my 1000 Minutes Project are both products of Left Coast bands. And not only that, but the lead singers look vaguely similar.

69. Death Cab for Cutie – A Movie Script Ending (mp3) from The Photo Album (4:19) [Time Remaining: 668:57]

My wanderlust was never particularly strong. I went away for a couple years when I went to college, but my draw was always back to where I was born. I’ve never felt the desire to live elsewhere. Perhaps this makes me one of the “new bottoms on barstools” that Mr. Gibbard sings about here, but I don’t get the feeling that this song is one of derision.

There’s something secure/comforting about my hometown. Sure, I get the twinge to go elsewhere every so often – to pack it up and begin anew; it’s not hard to dream about the excitement of the unknown. While that allure of the unknown is always exciting, in the end I’d rather have the fluency of my own familiar.

70. The Decemberists – The Sporting Life (mp3) from Picaresque (4:43) [Time Remaining: 664:14]

It’s often difficult to pick out a particular song from an album by The Decemberists. Their albums flow toward a singular goal, and as such, they run in together to tell the story seamlessly. The band is at the best when they’re more simplistic than this year’s disappointing Hazards of Love. Colin Meloy’s shaky tenor can certainly carry a song on its own, but his storytelling is heightened when the band is able to pick up the tempo.

I don’t imagine there’s much of a hidden meaning to the song. When it comes to The Decemberists, it’s best to take things at face value. It’s not always about connecting with the listener via the lyrics; not all bands need to forge a deeper bond with the listener over what something could mean. And sometimes – like with this song – it’s nice to not have to think.

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