I’ve always liked Death Cab, and even though this is their somewhat raw first album it is well-written and complex. Ben Gibbard is so darn good at what he does, with those gorgeous harmonies and lyrics.

On first listen I didn’t enjoy this much – I’m really just not into the experimental stuff. But it probably merits repeated listenings to understand it better. I highly doubt it will ever become one of my favorite albums, but I did enjoy a few songs, including “Karma Police” and “No Surprises”.

For insight into Beethoven’s character, read Beethoven Lives Upstairs (a children’s book, but one that taught me enough about the composer that his character in the film harbored no surprises). The only other worthy aspect of this movie was, of course, the glorious music (particularly during the Ninth Symphony premier), but I’d rather listen to a good recording of it than listen to it in the context of a mediocre plot.

This is one of those films in which you know the outcome but you’re still holding your breath the whole way through to see how it will play out. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would, due to an excellent cast, captivating plot, and fascinating characters.

Even Dane Cook couldn’t save this one. I think supermarkets are humorous in nature and a good source for a comedy, but I’ve seen better films on the subject made by college students. Be prepared for incredibly stupid humor (and even that, when done well, is better than this) and an award-winning (ha) performance by Jessica Simpson.

The more I listen, the more I like the sound of Belle & Sebastian. The lyrics on this album are great, very subtly humorous, and the sound is just the right amount folksy/indie for my taste. If that makes sense. I enjoyed all the songs, but the title track and “Seeing Other People” were particularly memorable.

I’m not sure how I feel about this album, but that might be because I have never watched the show (the CD was given to me by a friend) so the songs don’t really have any meaning in terms of characters or storyline. There are some interesting and memorable songs, and some that are a little too out-there for my taste.

All the great quality I expected from Death Cab. I really love “Coney Island” and “We Laugh Indoors.” The lyrics were wonderful throughout. I love the intelligence and the quiet intensity of it all. “Styrofoam Plates” may have been the most memorable of all – a jumble of thoughtful, sad, blunt, detached, and dramatic all at once.

This is the first time I’ve listened to anything of theirs, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Couldn’t tell you why, but it just captured my attention. I’ve heard it’s different from their other stuff, so we’ll see if I like the rest of it as well. But this album was quirky and upbeat and put me in a good mood.

I’d never listened to Radiohead but I really enjoyed this album. Beautiful and interesting melodies.