I Will Follow You Into the Dark
0 Comments Published by Devin on Tuesday, August 09, 2005 at 4:17 PM.
Music: Death Cab For Cutie - Summer Skin - Plans
Mood: Impressed
Transatlanticism was a good album, at best. Many of its songs were thoughtfully composed and provocative, yet there was an intangible element missing throughout the bulk of Death Cab's previous efforts. Albeit there's been plenty of content released under indie-label Barsuk Records for many years now, but there has always been somewhat of a void in our understanding of DC4C's message and 'plans'. So it comes as no shock to me that after seven years, Death Cab finally get down to the nitty-gritty of artful composition and creativity. Plans, their first major-label release has enough soul to go around, and then some.
The album opens very classically with Death Cab doing what they used to do so very well: creating soundtrack-style songs that invoke black-and-white images in our minds. We feel like we're a part of a slow motion movie while listening to Marching Bands of Manhattan. The second track is the first single, Soul Meets Body, an interesting departure from the norm, but a welcomed retreat from their old tricks. The crisp production on this entire album cannot go without mention, as guitarist Chris Walla has come into his own, serving as maestro extraordinaire on this effort.
Some of the strongest material on this album comes from Ben Gibbard's truly clever lyrics. Written throughout the past year of touring and through many months of Massachusetts isolation, the words are never excessive, and always apt with the tone of the track. On tracks like Summer Skin and I Will Follow You Into the Dark, Gibbard takes a very minimalist approach, focusing himself of developing a more precise pitch instead of distracting us with dual guitars. Where the album succeeds is during the solitary moments when Gibbard is sitting with an open mic and a Walla track, no drums, no bass.
Perhaps their most seminal work, What Sarah Said is the band's best effort at combining their indie-roots with a hint of mainstream appeal. If anything the song is guaranteed some strong radio-play in the coming months. While I consider myself somewhat of an elitist in terms of the music I appreciate, I do think that a track this good is somewhat tainted by the thought of hundreds of inappreciative fans abusing its grace.
In synopsis, Plans picks up partially where Transatlanticism left off, without the several strings attached. The production has been significantly upgraded for the better, Gibbard and Walla are at their strongest, as the band is finally clicking on all cylinders. A very strong record from a band that is considered by many to be too fragile for so much praise.
First Listen: 7.5 / 10
Second Listen: 8.0 / 10
Mood: Impressed
Transatlanticism was a good album, at best. Many of its songs were thoughtfully composed and provocative, yet there was an intangible element missing throughout the bulk of Death Cab's previous efforts. Albeit there's been plenty of content released under indie-label Barsuk Records for many years now, but there has always been somewhat of a void in our understanding of DC4C's message and 'plans'. So it comes as no shock to me that after seven years, Death Cab finally get down to the nitty-gritty of artful composition and creativity. Plans, their first major-label release has enough soul to go around, and then some.
The album opens very classically with Death Cab doing what they used to do so very well: creating soundtrack-style songs that invoke black-and-white images in our minds. We feel like we're a part of a slow motion movie while listening to Marching Bands of Manhattan. The second track is the first single, Soul Meets Body, an interesting departure from the norm, but a welcomed retreat from their old tricks. The crisp production on this entire album cannot go without mention, as guitarist Chris Walla has come into his own, serving as maestro extraordinaire on this effort.
Some of the strongest material on this album comes from Ben Gibbard's truly clever lyrics. Written throughout the past year of touring and through many months of Massachusetts isolation, the words are never excessive, and always apt with the tone of the track. On tracks like Summer Skin and I Will Follow You Into the Dark, Gibbard takes a very minimalist approach, focusing himself of developing a more precise pitch instead of distracting us with dual guitars. Where the album succeeds is during the solitary moments when Gibbard is sitting with an open mic and a Walla track, no drums, no bass.
Perhaps their most seminal work, What Sarah Said is the band's best effort at combining their indie-roots with a hint of mainstream appeal. If anything the song is guaranteed some strong radio-play in the coming months. While I consider myself somewhat of an elitist in terms of the music I appreciate, I do think that a track this good is somewhat tainted by the thought of hundreds of inappreciative fans abusing its grace.
In synopsis, Plans picks up partially where Transatlanticism left off, without the several strings attached. The production has been significantly upgraded for the better, Gibbard and Walla are at their strongest, as the band is finally clicking on all cylinders. A very strong record from a band that is considered by many to be too fragile for so much praise.
First Listen: 7.5 / 10
Second Listen: 8.0 / 10
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