Photo Album, the

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE, Barsuk's flagship downer indie pop band gives us their third album, which also happens to be my least favorite. Ben Gibbard's lovely, distinctive voice and arching emotive lines along with lively drumming almost carry it. Sounds very clean and produced, almost like commercial alt. rock. -nari

1. simple remorseful soloistic poem
2. midtempo "sappy song" in his own words
3. starts off promising, goes nowhere
4. decidedly sad; almost country feel to it
5. simple, driving riff; develops, becomes more agitated
6. sad; bouncy tempo versus sluggish tempo
7. bright, upbeat; heavy rock rhythm; country feel again
8. starts solo, band joins later, nice tumultuous bridge section
9. Beta Bandish thing: fake drum loop, piano, echoey nostalgic sounds
10. colorful melancholy chords and heavily resigned vocals