deathcab_for_cutie silentbob is pretty 011028 ... raze for the last four days, i've had these words stuck in my head: "so this is the new_year and i don't feel any different" 250104 ... warmthofrelease although it might be splitting hairs, I always understood it to be "death cab" not "deathcab" but anyway... that band she liked when she was in high school is actually pretty good. way better than so many people think at a glance. chris_walla carries a quiet humble genius in him that makes me think of peter_buck or brian_jones the way he approaches his work. a strict and uncompromising ear, not eager to call attention to himself, but always ambitious within the boundaries he sets for himself. he has such a good understanding of enormity and contrast while remaining firmly within tonality. combine chris' simple genius, his effortless knack for understanding song structure and timbre and knowing the exact sound he wants, with ben's very singular speaking voice and writing voice, along with a strong backbone rhythm section, a good work ethic and an underappreciated presence in live performances, and those guys bottled some magic there for several years. transatlanticism is genuinely one of the best records of the 21st century. narrow_stairs has its peaks and valleys but the impressive moments really stay with you. the early records, airplanes and facts and photo have some wonderfully blistered sorrow of a band getting their feet under them while incidentally making some songs that really stood the test of time, as well as a few other songs that did not. since chris left, well, I wouldn't call the band unlistenable but certainly it's not the same. I'm old enough now to know the difference between whether I'm able to take off the rosy colored glasses or not. when it comes to something like codes_and_keys yeah, I know it's not very good but I like it anyway. but when it comes to the prime of this band's career, no. they really were, and by legacy they are, as legitimate as any rock band of their generation. 250718 what's it to you? who go blather from