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Narrow Stairs
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Narrow Stairs Image
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 99 Ratings

  • Summary: The indie rockers' follow-up to their platinum album "Plans" features an eight-and-a-half-minute-long song.

Top Track

I Will Possess Your Heart
How I wish you could see the potential The potential of you and me It's like a book elegantly bound But in a language that you can't read just... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 31
  3. Negative: 0 out of 31
  1. The A.V. Club
    100
    Narrow Stairs finds Death Cab comfortable with all aspects of its musical personality--and on top of them all.
  2. Alternative Press
    80
    The real reason narrow Stairs works so well is that despite the band's more esoteric experiments, they still contribute standalone pop hits. [June 2008, p.125]
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  3. Billboard
    80
    The songs here hit with a full-on assault of crunching guitar riffs, distorted, cracked vocals and walls of disorienting feedback, while lyrically, frontman Ben Gibbard visits the moodier and darker corners of his mind.
  4. Delusions of Adequacy
    70
    On its own, it has some great moments, and it is a very good pop/rock record.
  5. Filter
    70
    Throughout Narrow Stairs, the band allows itself to open up, twisting and tinkering the same old style to their liking with mixed results. [Spring 2008, p.90]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Pitchfork
    60
    At times, the maturation feels forced; the more adventurous moments here are experimental only for such a high-profile group, and they don't play to Gibbard's sentimental, word-weighing strengths.
  7. Austin Chronicle
    40
    Perhaps if there were more self-exploration and less chemical dependency on the old standby, heartbreak, Narrow Stairs wouldn't sound, to paraphrase the band, like settling.

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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 29
  3. Negative: 3 out of 29
  1. ae
    May 29, 2008
    10
    Joseph- no way. transantlantisism or photo album is their best. and Chad - such great heights is postal service, not death cab. Weirdfish - Joseph- no way. transantlantisism or photo album is their best. and Chad - such great heights is postal service, not death cab. Weirdfish - my god you insult me they are NOT emo... and Sam - if Cath is any song it is death of an interior decorator, not tiny vessels. Fools.… Expand
  2. JosephP.
    May 13, 2008
    10
    A fantastic record from start to finish, it's Death Cab's best outting by far, and something distinct and interesting. Early A fantastic record from start to finish, it's Death Cab's best outting by far, and something distinct and interesting. Early contention for album of the year, IMO.… Expand
  4. SpencerV
    Jun 5, 2008
    9
    I just don't get what critics want from this band. This is another Death Cab masterpiece.
  5. ChadS.
    May 17, 2008
    8
    I like the metal-like riffage on the back-end of "Bixby Canyon Bridge". To me, it's a subtle reference to the film "Once", when the guy I like the metal-like riffage on the back-end of "Bixby Canyon Bridge". To me, it's a subtle reference to the film "Once", when the guy from The Frames plays that brief speed-metal song about his ex in the back of the bus. That's just me. Many bands noodle(Yo La Tengo, for example), but the noodling on "I Will Possess Your Heart" might be a tribute to the long track on Wilco's "A Ghost is Born". Maybe. Again, that's just me. "You Can Do Better Than Me" sounds like "Pet Sounds"-era Beach Boys without reminding you of an Elephant Six band, or R.E.M.'s "At my Most Beautiful". "Narrow Stairs" never attains the heights of "Such Great Heights"(so it was used in a car commercial: get over it, already), but it's a well-varied, and mostly delightful album.… Expand
  6. milli
    May 29, 2008
    8
    Well - this album is great. very sad though - all the songs have a great sadness to them. almost feels similar to something about airplanes - Well - this album is great. very sad though - all the songs have a great sadness to them. almost feels similar to something about airplanes - and gibbard's voice sounds a little different, but i can't put my finger on it. I'm flying interstate to see them in august. ..providing I can get a ticket as the freakin OC made my fave indie alternative band popular!!! grrr.… Expand
  7. LetzTalkMoveez
    Oct 8, 2011
    7
    Revolutionary, it certainly is not. There's just so much to like here. The band is totally in their element at this point, and on easy-breezyRevolutionary, it certainly is not. There's just so much to like here. The band is totally in their element at this point, and on easy-breezy tracks like "Bixby Canyon Bridge", "Cath...", and "I Will Possess Your Heart", it's visible in spades. Not a great album, but a really fun one.… Expand
  8. LimeyQ.
    May 28, 2008
    2
    The most disappointing album of the year so far. Mediocre songs played clumsily with cheesy lyrics and bad arrangements. They sound like a The most disappointing album of the year so far. Mediocre songs played clumsily with cheesy lyrics and bad arrangements. They sound like a second rate Wilco at their worst.… Expand

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Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Most Discussed Album of 2008
85
#85 Most Shared Album of 2008