Death Cab For Cutie/ Asphalt Meadows

BY NARENDRA KUSNUR

Death Cab For Cutie/ Asphalt Meadows

Genre: Indie-rock

Label: Atlantic Recording Corporation 

Rating: *** 1/2

Though formed in 1997, Washington indie-rock band Death Cab For Cutie took almost eight years to break into the mainstream, with their 2005 hit album Plans. The track 'I Will Follow You Into The Dark' became an anthem on afterlife.

The group has had a devoted following since, with vocalist-guitarist Ben Gibbard being known for his descriptive, narrative style of lyricism, displayed on songs like 'Soul Meets Body', 'What Sarah Said', 'I Will Possess Your Heart', 'Unobstructed Views' and 'You Are A Tourist'. There have been ups and downs during the past decade, but the fans eagerly await the new releases.

That quality of wordsworthiness is pretty much evident on 'I Don't How I Will Survive', the opening track of their new album Asphalt Meadows. After a short guitar intro, Gibbard sings, "Listen to the ringing in your ears, the scrambled voices of your fears, whispering, whispering; Listen to the sound of your heartbeat, growing louder, gaining speed; you're breathin' out, breathin in".

Over 11 songs, Gibbard scores highly on the lyrical front, though all the melodies may not attract your fancy. There are many shades of earlier songs, and though some tracks rise above the commonplace, there's no obviously definitive classic. But the arrangements work, with producer John Congleton and guitarist-keyboardist Dave Depper adding to the verve. And Gibbard's style of delivery is admirable, and he's blessed with clear enunciation.

The piece de resistance would be 'Foxglove Through The Clearcut', which blends a spoken poetry style with melodic choruses. The song is about a man who stays next to the sea but is afraid of stepping into the water, though he has driven all across America. "Nothing lives long, only the earth and the mountains", sings Gibbard, philosophically.

Unusual subjects like these are typical of Death Cab. On 'Here To Forever', Gibbard talks of being a fan of  Hollywood stars of the 1950s, all of whom are dead now. "And I can't but help keep falling in love with bones and ashes", he sings, again delving into the theme of mortality.

The title track is about the effects to excess urbanisation, and 'Pepper' is about a strained relationship with the lines, "Kiss me just this one last time, tell me that you once were mine". On 'I Miss Strangers', Gibbard talks of associations between people spending time together on the feontline.  "These days I miss strangers more than I, more than I miss my friends; waves of conversation break in on shores of my head once again", he sings.

The only weak link is the concluding number 'I'll Never Give Up On You', which just lacks the depth of the other tracks. Barring that slip-up and the occasional recycling of old tunes, Asphalt Meadows is a good throwback to vintage Death Cab. Their songs do require a few listens, with a focus on the words, but once they grab your attention, they stick.