Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism
Released October 7th, 2003 by Barsuk Records
Members:
Benjamin Gibbard - Vocals/Guitar
Christopher Walla - Guitars
Nicholas Harmer - Bass
Michael Schorr - Drums
This is Death Cab's most recent release, and probably my personal favourite. DCFC have been around since about '97 and have released numourus albums. In my opinion, they're probably the most popular indie-rock band out there right now, with the exception of Modest Mouse. They blend together indie and pop so well, it's a great album to chill out too while driving. When I first heard Death Cab, I wasn't too fond of the vocals, but they grew on me. They seem to have a couple different sounds; sometimes they're a harder pop, with distorted guitars, sometimes they're very poppy, then sometimes they're slow paced mellow pop. I like it.
The New Year - It starts out quiet... then hits you with probably the hardest sounding guitars on the entire album. I think this is a good song to start off the album with, a little faster and harder than most of the album. I don't like CD's that start with a slow track.
4/5
Lightness - A lot slower than the previous track, it's a decent song, not my favourite. I really like the chorus though, it's very chillin' song.
3/5
Title And Registration - I love the beggining of this song. They combined a good intro riff with a "beat box"? I don't really know what to refer to them as, electronic drums maybe? Anyways, this is a good song. It basically has two awesome riffs, played throughout the song. At about 2:23, this song reaches it's peak, xylophone solo... How many songs can you name that have a xylophone solo?
5/5
Expo '86 - This was the song that made me pick up the album, I had only heard this song, but I liked it enough to buy the CD. I don't really know what to say about this song though... good guitars, good singing. Overall it's just a solid song. Halfway through they hit the distortion and kick it up a notch... good song.
4.5
The Sound Of Settling - Jumps right into the lyrics/guitar. This is a verrrry poppy song. Probably the poppiest song on the album, with a chorus that goes "BA BAAAAA, This is the sound of settling, BA BAAAAA, BA BAAAAA."
3.8/5
Tiny Vessels - This is another one of the slower pop songs, they seem to alternate going back in forth, gives the album a good feel. Kind of a sad song, good song to just lay back and mellow out. "Yeah you are beautiful, but you don't mean a thing to me."
4/5
Transatlanticism - You may recognize part of this song from a certain commercial. Slightly distorted guitars, synthesizer and piano in the background, it's got a good feel. Part way through the drums come in a little harder and speeds the song up a bit. Towards the end the back-up vocals are braught into play: "So come ooooonn, so come ooooooonn". I think it's the longest song on the album, coming in at 7:55.
4.5/5
Passenger Seat - Starts out with a piano, then the vocals come in at about 0.45. It's a song about driving, if you didn't pick that up from the song title; "I roll the window down, and then begin to breath". Another very slow, mellow song.
3.8/5
Death Of An Interior Decorator - A very catchy song, catchy riffs etc. Not really much else to say, It's a catchy pop song?
3.5/5
We Looked Like Giants - This track starts out similar to The New Year, quiet at the begginning and then jumps right into the distorted guitars. The guitars calm down and the vocals come in. I like the drumming in this song, fits well with the track. This one is another one of my favourites on the album, it's just put together so well. It's a solid song.
5/5
A Lack Of Colour - I love this riff, so simple, yet so good. The vocals fit together with it so well, it's a great song to end off the album with. Awesome acoustic guitaring, quiet drumming, great vocals... This is definately one of my favourites.
5/5
This is one of my favourite albums, by one of my favourite indie-rock bands. I think you should atleast download a few songs by them if you haven't heard, and give them a try.
4.5/5
