The Photo Album
The Photo Album | ||||
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Fierce Panda | ||||
Producer | Chris Walla | |||
Death Cab for Cutie chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Photo Album | ||||
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The Photo Album is the third studio album by indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie, released October 9, 2001 on Barsuk Records.
The albums spawned three
A limited edition extended play called The Stability EP was released in early 2002, containing bonus tracks from the limited edition and Japanese versions of The Photo Album.[1]
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
The Boston Phoenix | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
NME | 8/10[7] |
Pitchfork | 7.1/10[8] |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | 7/10[11] |
Under the Radar | 8/10[12] |
The Photo Album holds a score of 75 out of 100 from the review aggregating site Metacritic based on 17 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[2] John D. Luerssen of Billboard gave the album a very favorable review and said, "If it's true that music of this nature doesn't get anymore heartfelt, it also rarely gets more infectious."[13] Mojo wrote that the band "weave together smartly taut guitars with vivid observational lyrics to create perfectly crafted pop songs, stunning in their simplicity and beauty",[14] while Alternative Press called the album "the skillful meshing of Benjamin Gibbard's part-stream-of-consciousness, part-confessional vocals with melancholy piano and achingly melodic guitars that reveal a fleshed-out Cutie are indeed a band of uncommon beauty."[4] Nude as the News gave it a score of eight out of ten and stated, "While not every song is a gem, the ones that are have pushed the band's already high standard of compelling indie pop one notch higher."[2] Neumu.net gave it seven stars out of ten and called it "evidence of a band that's maturing, slowing down and trying new things."[15] Drawer B gave it a positive review and stated, "The most noteworthy aspect of The Photo Album is the band's upward trajectory. The music is cohesive and even, though still somewhat sluggish."[16]
In a mixed assessment, Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club wrote that the album "is often marked by pleasant but static, middle-of-the-road material."[17] Melanie Haupt of The Austin Chronicle said, "It's a rare talent that can express such emotions so concisely; even more rare is the ability to deliver them in a near-whisper rather than a scream."[5] Q wrote, "Full of beautiful pop songs, The Photo Album is just that—a collection of vignettes."[9] Robert Christgau of The Village Voice gave the album a three-star honorable mention rating, indicating "an enjoyable effort consumers attuned to its overriding aesthetic or individual vision may well treasure".[18][19]
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Steadier Footing" | Ben Gibbard | 1:47 |
2. | "A Movie Script Ending" | Gibbard | 4:19 |
3. | "We Laugh Indoors" | Gibbard, Nick Harmer, Chris Walla | 4:58 |
4. | "Information Travels Faster" | Gibbard, Walla | 4:02 |
5. | "Why You'd Want to Live Here" | Gibbard | 4:44 |
6. | "Blacking Out the Friction" | Gibbard | 3:27 |
7. | "I Was a Kaleidoscope" | Gibbard, Walla | 2:50 |
8. | "Styrofoam Plates" | Gibbard, Harmer, Walla | 5:24 |
9. | "Coney Island" | Gibbard | 2:40 |
10. | "Debate Exposes Doubt" | Gibbard, Walla | 4:36 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Gridlock Caravans" (also track 6 on LP edition and found on the UK bonus disc) |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
12. | "20th Century Towers" (Gibbard/Harmer/Walla) | |
13. | "All Is Full of Love" (Björk Guðmundsdóttir) | |
14. | "Stability" (Gibbard/Walla) |
Personnel
Death Cab for Cutie
- Ben Gibbard – vocals, guitar, piano, organ
- Nick Harmer – bass guitar, organ
- loops
- Chris Walla – guitar, piano, loops
Additional personnel
- Sean Nelson – high vocals on "Blacking Out the Friction", harmony vocals on "I Was a Kaleidoscope"
- Jeff Saltzman – mastering
- John Vanderslice – low vocals on "Blacking Out the Friction", backing vocals on "I Was a Kaleidoscope"
References
- ^ "Death Cab for Cutie: The Stability EP". October 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Reviews for The Photo Album by Death Cab for Cutie". Metacritic. Retrieved July 1, 2021.
- ^ Rabid, Jack. "The Photo Album – Death Cab for Cutie". AllMusic. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ a b "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". Alternative Press (161): 79. December 2001.
- ^ a b Haupt, Melanie (November 9, 2001). "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album (Barsuk)". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- The Boston Phoenix. Archived from the originalon June 28, 2016. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Alexander, Jim (March 5, 2002). "Death Cab For Cutie : The Photo Album". NME. London. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
- ^ Tangari, Joe (November 14, 2001). "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 7, 2011.
- ^ a b "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". Q (188): 118. March 2002.
- ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
- ^ Greenwald, Andy (November 2001). "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". Spin. 17 (11): 138. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
- ^ Lynch, Wendy. "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album (Barsuk Records)". Under the Radar. Archived from the original on May 12, 2008. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
- ^ Luerssen, John D. (October 16, 2001). "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 13, 2001. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". Mojo (101): 96. April 2002.
- ^ Baldwin, Rosecrans (2001). "Death Cab For Cutie: The Photo Album". Neumu.net. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Doherty, Patrick (October 19, 2001). "Death Cab For Cutie, The Photo Album (Barsuk)". Drawer B. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Thompson, Stephen (October 9, 2001). "Death Cab For Cutie: The Photo Album". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Death Cab for Cutie: The Photo Album". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
- ^ Christgau, Robert. "Key to Icons". RobertChristgau.com. Retrieved July 9, 2013.