SOUNDTRACK: DEATH CAB FOR CUTE: Narrow Stairs EP (2009).
This EP follows the release of Narrow Stairs and is sort of a collection of outtakes from that session. And the impressive thing is that these are the outtakes. There are four original songs and one demo version of a track from Narrow Stairs.
All of the originals are what you’ve come to expect from recent Death Cab: catchy, somewhat somber and yet strangely uplifting tunes. The demo track is “Talking Bird” with just Ben Gibbard and a ukulele, although frankly it is the most well produced, “biggest” sounding ukulele I have ever heard. If you’re a fan of DCFC, you won’t be disappointed by this disc. If you’re not too familiar, this is a pretty good place to start as it is a cheaper EP (although really, the full-lengths are the place to go).
Basically, you can’t go wrong with this disc.
[READ: August 21, 2009] “On the Plains of Abraham”
If I had a bit more Canadian history knowledge, I would know this battle (one of Canada’s Greatest), well, at all.
This piece is a historical recreation of The Battle of the Plains of Abraham (or the Battle of Québec) from one soldier’s point of view. The Canadian Encyclopedia states:
A powerful British force under Major-General James WOLFE and Vice-Admiral Charles Saunders was sent up the St Lawrence to capture Québec. The French, commanded by Lieutenant-General the Marquis de MONTCALM, at first held the British at bay…. Québec surrendered on September 18. A French attack early in 1760 failed to recover the city, and later in the year the British captured Montréal and NEW FRANCE fell.
The fascinating thing about this “story” is that Humphries chooses a soldier from the losing side. And this choice is really interesting because, well, I rather think that the correct side won in that battle (Canada wouldn’t be Canada is things had happened otherwise). And yet, when you read the story from the point of view of a soldier fighting for his life who is ultimately heartbroken (but not killed), you can’t help but wonder if things would have been better off if his side had won.
Even if you don’t know the battle, Humphries’ story is quite compelling. And it provides an interesting look at history.
Check it out here.
I Just Read About That... 
[…] then we get the main articles. In the past two issues there has been an article about reimagining Canadian history, and in this month’s a devastating article about the inevitable destruction of the Great […]