i don't agree with your review completely - i do agree that the alternating albums serve that progressing purpose... but i think stairs is good... though, i'll give you that it doesnt sound like an album from the get go - the way that trans just flowed like one piece of music... narrow stairs only feels like that once i heard it about three or four times... i think the writing is spectacular - ben should be allowed to change the way he writes, in fact even as Cath sounds like old-era DCfC, the writing of the narrative can't really find a place on any old records... anyhow, nice review. can't agree with you completely..