Is there hope?

I think there's still hope. It sounds like they're fixing what I didn't like about Stairs - it was TOO live, there was little production to keep you interested (like on Transatlanticism or Plans). And the fact that the lyrics are pretty weak didn't help.

I think it will be along the lines of the first few open door songs, a bit laid back.

It better not be anything like The Open Door EP. I still can't beleive so many people on here liked it. I hated it, and I thought it was terrible.

Even I'm getting tired of complaining about the whole Twilight thing. But of all the things about their involvment in Twilight that piss me off, the fact that they were going to spend this time working on their next record, but instead are going to Twilight movie premeires, playing at Hot Topic, and doing the whole publicity tour for it, that's right up there.

Yea, learning that they have been spending all of their time on this twilight thing threw me off... It'd be one thing if they just did the song and that was it, but the fact that it took up time for producing something is kind of dissapointing.

I was hoping they were more about making music than this.

quote:

Originally posted by .brian:
I think there's still hope. It sounds like they're fixing what I didn't like about Stairs - it was TOO live, there was little production to keep you interested (like on Transatlanticism or Plans). And the fact that the lyrics are pretty weak didn't help.

Which is ironic because before Stairs came out they were super excited about sharing their newfound awesome "live'ish" sound with the world. It was the best idea they ever had because Plans was just tooooo damn overproduced.

But i think mr. walla is probably right in that a middle ground might be effective. Wilco are great so... ? I guess that's a good idea.

I don't know, i'll go into this with zero expectations this time. But for the love of god, please start recording Ben's vocals like you used to and let Ben get back to some of that evocative slightly ambiguous writing he used to be so good at.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Kasper,

I liked one song on The Open Door and that was My Mirror Speaks. I don't know why but they should have put it on the album and taken away No Sunlight or some other shit song, it felt more Death Cab-ish unlike the rest on the EP.

I think it's going to come down to the staying power of the album, the way he's been writing has just gotten cheesier and cheesier which is making the songs last about 2 or 3 months after the album release, then you just don't listen to it anymore. At least with plans some of the songs were really good, like marching bands, but the production of it was overdone, with narrow stairs they brought it back down to the basics, but the songs just didn't last. Hopefully Ben will take the time to find some different inspiration for this next album, and maybe write something a little deeper than crap like little bribes.

Yea I think James is spot on. The idea of taking the recordings back to the basics wasn't as big of part of the problem as we're making it out to be, as Mr. Walla is apparently suggesting-- the problem is the writing and its lack of depth.

I remember Ben saying in an interview that the whole 'robot amputees' line had been floating aroudn in his brain for like a year or more and the man interviewing him was encouraging that... I mean, if you want to make that the focal point of your song, the song is better off being a joke.

I'm tempted to think that there would be some merit in letting Chris handle writing duties on a couple for the next one. I feel like there were a couple songs on stairs that shouldn't have even been considered for recording let alone getting on the album.

I think once they've got good songs they can do whatever they want production-wise. I don't think they miss the mark on that too often.

Either way, I'm not going to hold my breath for the next album. I'd be willing to bet it won't be out for another 2 years.

quote:

Originally posted by Steven.:
...the problem is the writing and its lack of depth.

I definitely agree... with Stairs I felt like the songs were just kind of there with no emotional meaning or feeling or mood, they were just kind of neutral - if that makes any sense. Throughout Transatlanticism and even some most of the songs on Plans, there was some kind of mood/atmosphere where you could really feel what they were going for.

steven that song is a joke, that's probably the corniest thing Ben has ever written, and I'm surprised that he didn't go crazy and shoot himself having that in his head for a year.

The dude wrote that song about being on shrooms in Vegas. Of course it's gonna be fuckin weird!

New album will be a step in the right direction (which in this case would be backwards)

I hate to say it because generally Walla's work is what has kept me interested in Death Cab, but maybe they should work with some unknown producer or something so they get some different sounds. Nobody big that's going to make them into pop stars, oh wait that happened...just the way things are going with the twilight stuff I wouldn't be surprised if we hear like soul meets body featuring Carlos Santana on the next album.


oh and I though we established that Ben's drug of choice was crack, not shrooms.

Apparently you aren't keeping up with the times, james. Here ill fill you in.