| REVIEWS |
Death
Cab for Cutie
Transatlanticism
(Barsuk)
I always admired the fashionable Death Cab for Cutie, but from
a distance. Their previous work was soothing and comforting
but it always seemed to lack a certain unclear quality. At times
I felt like they were re-writing their own songs and frequently
reusing the same ideas. Well, after a brief escape for the band
and singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard achieving new found success
with The Postal Service, they will no longer be admired from
a distance, but from within. Death Cab for Cutie have noticeably
developed in all aspects of their music, which is why my ears
were drawn closer.
Transatlanticism is the type of album that exudes ingenuity
and creativity. Each song holds distinct emotional fiber and
character and a uniqueness that renders each moment to glisten.
This dynamic separates their latest effort from their previous
releases.
Gibbard's songwriting and lyrical anecdotes are more strapping
and coherent than ever. His words aren’t as flat out depressing
and gloomy as previous efforts yet there are still enough tearjerker
lines to comfort the sweater wearing emo kids who will closely
read the lyrics with a box of Kleenex nearby. The main premise
and theme of the lyrics on Transatlanticism is vastness
and the distance it embodies. This theme is set in motion with
the opening track "The New Year", “I wish the
world was flat like the old days/So I could travel just by folding
the map/No more airplanes or speed-trains or freeways/There’d
be no distance that could hold us back.”
As mentioned though, the down in the dumps yet cynical lyrics
are still a main ingredient of the dominant formula that made
Death Cab for Cutie the indie pop/rock powerhouse they are.
The track "Tiny Vessels" is filled with these sentiments,
“This is the moment that you know/That you told her that
you loved her but you don’t/You touch her skin and then
you think/That she is beautiful but she don’t mean a thing
to me.” The lyrics of Gibbard can be very simple at times,
yet clever enough to reel you in and move you. The lyrics in
"We Looked Like Giants" represent this sense of style
brilliantly. “God bless the daylight, the sugary smell
of springtime/Remembering when you were mine in a still suburban
town/When every Thursday I’d brave those mountain passes/and
you’d skip your early classes/And we’d learn how
our bodies worked.”
The music too, must not be overlooked. Subtly experimental,
it still holds that lush indie pop/rock essence; the pianos
and keyboards are more leading and prominent as they propel
and butter up the songs. The rhythmic guitars complement and
harmonize the keys, which intermix to form a special continuity
and stability that helps the album flow and blend nicely. New
drummer Jason McGerr (of Eureka Farm fame) adds a sense of balance
and poise to the music that was noticeably lacking somewhat
before. The album also includes some unusual studio production
sound effects that neatly fit into the compositions while remaining
passive amongst the music.
Transatlanticism can best be observed as evolution.
Death Cab for Cutie ran their previous course of music into
the ground; but after some time off and a rejuvenation of sorts,
they have produced their best and most complete work of art
to date.
Reviewed by
David Walter
November 19th, 2003 |
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