But what flowed out of the speakers was completely unexpected. It sounded more like 1972 than 2008. More prog rock than Top Forty radio fodder. Dark like a Golden Earring record, but more musical. There was a long intro that reminded me of Bowie’s Berlin interlude, psychologically anyway. This intro went on seemingly forever. Eventually some guitars swooped in to play along with the bass. I was waiting for the track to falter. But I remained hooked, captured. The keyboard was a delicious flourish. The track slowly sped up and built like something from Kraftwerk. Then, nearly FIVE MINUTES into the track, someone started to sing. Without the melisma-riddled vocal of the era, but the thin, but mellifluous, voice of someone seeming to vocalize from outer space. I was now rooting for this number, keep it going, don’t disappoint me, don’t deliver a lame chorus. And I wasn’t. Disappointed that is. I was reminded of a great Porcupine Tree track. This number, it was TRULY MAGNIFICENT!
Bob Lefsetz writing about Death Cab’s latest record via The Leftsetz Letter, 5/19/08