The Photo Album by: Death Cab for Cutie List Price: $16.98 Price: $13.99 current as of: 03/11/2010 12:49 EST  Close Binding: Audio CD EAN: 0655173102121 Item Dimensions: 22 Label: Barsuk Manufacturer: Barsuk MPN: 31021 Number Of Discs: 1 Publisher: Barsuk Release Date: October 09, 2001 Studio: Barsuk Editorial Review: Amazon.com: Death Cab for Cutie turn difficult personal issues into literary rock songs while straddling the narrow line between blissful pop and driving indie rock. The Northwest act's songs soar high like Built to Spill's or Beulah's, and almost every track on The Photo Album is as musically bouncy and upbeat as the best of those bands. As catchy as the songs on The Photo Album may be, though, it's really front man Benjamin Gibbard's comfort with laying his emotional issues bare that makes this an excellent album. "Styrofoam Plates" is the most stunning track, with words that leave chills long after they've disappeared. As Gibbard sings about anger for a dead father ("It's not quite a stretch to say you were not quite a father / But a donor of seeds to a poor single mother / That would raise us alone / We never saw the money / It went down your throat down the hole in your belly"), his stark honesty makes this dysfunctional family story the most compelling piece of this album. The other issues of clumsy relationships pale a little in comparison, but The Photo Album still leaves little doubt that Death Cab deserve all the indie rock accolades they have received. --Jennifer Maerz Album Description: 3rd full-length from Seattle indie darlings features guest appearances by Sean Nelson, John Vanderslice & James Mendenhall ,on Barsuk Records. Disc 1: Steadier Footing A Movie Script Ending We Laugh Indoors Information Travels Faster Why You'd Want To Live Here Blacking Out The Friction I Was A Kaleidoscope Styrofoam Plates Coney Island Debate Exposes Doubt Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours