Death Cab for Cutie - Cath

Sauntering down the Narrow Stairs of Death Cab's latest LP is Cath, another standard indie rock track from a band that can now be considered among the heavyweights in the American division of the genre. For ten years, the group has married the meandering guitar riffs of veterans Built to Spill to frontman Ben Gibbard's tenor (reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World), gaining fans and critical acclaim along the way. This, the second single off Stairs, narrates the story of Cath, which, in typical indie-emo fashion, involves the plights of failed lovers and regret. Band member Chris Walla's production here is commendable, but while Death Cab's recent album has garnered its fair share of praise and debuted at No. 1 in the US, Cath doesn't find the indie darlings deviating too much from the norm. [Jason Morton]

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