Death Cab for Cutie

Transatlanticism

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Editor's Review:

Both the name of this veteran crew of indie-pop heroes and the title of their latest full-length, Transatlanticism, would seem to evoke — especially in those unfamiliar with the permanently rain-soaked musical persona of DCFC frontman Benjamin Gibbard — a sense of obligatory emo whimsy and, dare one say, the highly affected indie rock preciousness that has become all the rage these days. And in the first moments of Transatlanticism, the band does little to dispel this notion with the arena-rock bombast of “The New Year,” and its typical vocal boo-hooings (“So this is the new year / and I don’t feel any different”). But as the album plays on, one finds that while both band and record may not exactly be boldly going where no man has gone before, they certainly do a damn good job of making yesterday’s new idea into today’s rock institution.
With an even more polished production than 2001’s The Photo Album, Transatlanticism is nothing if not a study in audio precision. Gibbard’s disenchanted vocal musings are presented with a pleasant crispness that counters the airy and layered instrumentation. New drummer Jason McGerr fits perfectly into Gibbard’s mechanical part-writing scheme, and provides a suitable bedding for guitarist and producer Chris Walla’s musical and sonic atmospherics. The real strength of DCFC has always been the songwriting, and Transatlanticism is certainly no different than the rest. Upbeat rockers like “The Sound of Settling” and “We Looked Like Giants,” provide a yin to the dirgish yang of “Tiny Vessels” and the semi-epic title track. Besides a few aural bells and whistles, Transatlanticism is basically DCFC as you know and (may or may not) love them. Nothing new, but who needs new anyway?
– Daniel Taylor
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