Death Cab For Cutie
Plans

THE REVIEW

We had left them with the little masterpiece Transatlanticism. We find them again with an unexpected popularity due to being the favorite band of the protagonist of the current teen TV show the O.C. and with a contract with a major label. But the discussion doesn't change one bit.

The CD opens with "Marching Bands Of Manhattan," where a tambourine and a sweet, light guitar let us into the heart of a lover who wishes to stretch himself so far as to cover the distance separating him from his beloved, the melody is pleasant and reassuring. Then comes "Soul Meets Body," the first fantastic single, where an acoustic guitar with an almost nervous pace reigns, calmed by the soft keyboard carpet; it's a song that requires a few listens to be fully appreciated, but then it creates a pleasant addiction. It's a simultaneously peaceful and tormented meeting between soul and body. "Summer Skin" is the third track; the snare drum flows, a very vintage piano and bass dictate the tempo, the atmosphere is warm and dreamy, with highly appreciable instrumental interludes; it seems to evoke the golden, hot, and desired skin of that girl we met at the sea, all behind an inevitable curtain of nostalgia. It is followed by "Different Names For The Same Thing," the melancholic and solitary escape of a boy alone on a train with an old map, uninterested in the stops, convinced that the cities, even if they have different names, are essentially all the same. After the first part is dominated by the singer's melancholic voice followed almost timidly by the other instruments, around mid-point we are faced with an interesting electronic interlude, reminiscent of the carefree and romanticism of French electronic pop (Phoenix above all).
"I Will Follow You Into The Dark" starts and continues throughout with an acoustic guitar, it is the sweet and intimate whisper in the girlfriend's ear, a promise of love that goes beyond death, as sweet as it is moving, as heartbreaking in words as it is pleasant in melody. Bass and drums return as protagonists in "Your Heart Is An Empty Room," to be honest not very convincing, with an electric guitar seemingly borrowed from The Edge's riffs. "Someday You Will Be Loved" is also not on the level of the first tracks, with faint guitar strumming and arpeggios that recall the movement of a music box.
The flaw of the record is this. The various songs are very similar to each other, and after a very slow and light piece, one might expect perhaps a bit of an amplifier increase (always within the band's limits, of course). This doesn't happen. These would be flaws if we considered music in general, but since we're talking about Death Cab For Cutie, who have made this characteristic a trademark, we shouldn't be too disconcerted.
More upbeat "Crooked Teeth," electric and contagious especially towards the end. Lovely and intense "What Sarah Said" with a very incisive and rhythmic piano (although it gets a bit lost in the over 6 minutes of repeating the same loop). "Brothers On A Hotel Bed" and "Stable Song" remain on the same line of lyrics and music.

A definitely pleasant album, although not on the level of Transatlanticism, even if the characteristics such as intensity and poignant lyrics about the teenage world are all maintained. Maybe I expected something a bit innovative, a slight shift, which is not there. But for those who didn't expect anything more and just wanted 11 new songs from this band so emo and so close to the feelings of teenagers to cry or dream about, this record will be perfect.