Normally I try to write about current items of interest, but every now and then I like to go back and look at things a second time. Whenever I discover a band that I really like, I investigate--look up bios, band member names, histories, and of course discographies. If a band is really good, and I mean really good...I try to get a hold of their older albums. One band like that is Death Cab for Cutie. I tuned in around the release of Plans which happened to the band's fifth disc and knew almost immediately that this was going to be a long term relationship. The next time I got a chance, I picked up their second CD, We Have Heard the Facts and We're Voting Yes. Honestly, when I first played it I thought it was kind of slow but I sat with the lyrics and a certain tranquil beauty surfaced from that fusion of words and music. So mellow, so cool. Anybody that can romanticize the mundane and suburban truly must have a gift with words. There are some real gems on the album like "405" which is that kind of odd stream of thoughts had while driving an endless highway, plus the added action on the idea of "what if I just kept driving?" Tantalizing.
Then there's "Company Calls" which also makes eyes at the thought of just picking up and getting out. Death Cab are the masters of the melancholy without the depressing part. I particularly like "No Joy in Mudville" for it's sheer imagery. Brownstone buildings, southern corruption, incomparable cool. It's not flowery stuff but when combined with the tone of the song, it just evokes explosions of images. Death Cab lyrics are always great, but this is just so finely crafted. If for some reason, this disc has not made it's way into your collection, check it out. It was released some time ago but it's worth another look if you skipped over it at some point. You might just hear flashes of your own life in it's notes.
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