I admit I had never heard Death Cab For Cutie before. From the band’s name I was expecting some screamo nordic deathe metal meat-rock, instead I fire up youtube and get…the Clancy Brothers with less fish.
I am a huge admirer of the NPR Tiny Desk Series, I have never met an episode that I didn’t like, not even Cheryl Crow’s and I have ptsd trauma around Cheryl’s oeuvre – not her fault in the slightest, it is just that music that plays while certain events are happening acts as my madeleine, my ratatouille, my hook, line and sinker into the past. I am audio based, and spend my life in fear of losing my hearing entirely. I am partially deaf on one side due to head trauma, and it is more saddening than any other injury.
Back to Death Cab For Cutie. I am still listening and in vague uncanny disconcerted shock. I mean they are ok. I might even like them in a non descript kinda way, I don’t know yet, since the disconnect between expectation and reality was so vast.
So, yeah, if you see Death Cab For Cutie, you are not going to get metal, or screamo. I made sure that this just isn’t some one off acoustic reworking, but no, you are safe, they are definitely not a screamo death metal gore band. I am not entirely sure how I have so totally avoided listening to them that nothing I am hearing sounds familiar. That said, they are good. Sea shanties minus the ocean. Some hip folk, gentle feeling alt-folk from 3 nice boys with some meaningfully sad lyrics and a longing lonesome way with a piano and guitar. It is a sweet lush sound, and they are growing on me. My initial response of ‘dull’ was almost entirely due to expecting something else. Mumford and Sons without the squeezebox and English accents. Closer Fleet Foxes than BABYMETAL, and you know what, they sound pretty good, really.
That name though, should be put under misleading advertising, or win an award for most inappropriate band name considering the bands output since The Byrds failed to have a single female member.
Im off to listen to Judas Priest now…..