Road Trip in a for Death Cab!

Now that it's the fall, and we won't have to deal with annoying shore traffic, we think it's about high time we made another trip to Atlantic City. All we need is a good excuse to do so, because, frankly, the lure of the blackjack table alone isn't enough to overcome our desire to save the gas and toll money. So we need a little added incentive. Thankfully, we're getting it, and from one of our favorite bands, no less: Death Cab for Cutie (MySpace) will be playing the House of Blues Atlantic City at Showboat on Sunday night.

We've now had a few months to digest Death Cab's latest album, Narrow Stairs, and we continue to be impressed (to say the least) by the material the band puts out. It took awhile for Narrow Stairs to grow on us. The album is more complex and nuanced than anything Death Cab has put out up until this point. We always knew the band could write more complicated songs, but on Narrow Stairs, Death Cab has really upped the ante on their arrangements. Each time you listen to the album, something new catches your ear. And what's really amazing about the album is how raw it sounds in spite of its intricacies, thanks in large part to the fact that it was recorded mostly live, and on 2" tape.

We saw Death Cab back in June when they were at the Mann, and although we hadn't quite fully bought in to Narrow Stairs at that point, we still thought it was a great show. The band had a great setlist for that show, featuring both songs from their recent major label albums and some older gems to please the long-time diehards. We're hoping for the same kind of mix this time around, and now that our appreciation for Narrow Stairs has grown, we're incredibly psyched to see the band again.

And hey, we'll get to spend a few hours playing cards before the show.

Death Cab for Cutie
House of Blues Atlantic City, 801 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ
Sun., 10/5/08, 8:00 p.m. (Doors 7:00 p.m.)
Tickets: $39.50-$52

Image Credit: Flickr user Phil Romans