Death Cab for Cutie

Editor's Review:

Something About Airplanes is the full-length debut record from the Bellingham, Washington band, Death Cab For Cutie—Ben Gibbard, vocals/guitar; Chris Walla, guitar/organ/vocals; Nick Harmer, bass; and Nate Good, drums. Beginning as side-projects for a group of musicians with influences derived from bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Bedhead and The Beatles (the band coined their name from The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour record), Death Cab For Cutie has already begun to make a name for itself, working its way towards indie-rock God-dom.

Airplanes is full of indie rock standards: heavily layered and distorted guitars over slightly dissatisfied vocals. Yet songwriters Chris Walla and Ben Gibbard managed to create an original sounding record, which includes the use of Erika Jacobs on cello. Airplanes is a record of pop songs featuring echo-filled harmonies with manic titles such as, "The Face That Launched A 1000 Shits," and "Fake Frowns." While Airplanes begins with a lush, cello enhanced sound, it slowly transforms into a set of guitar-heavy songs, ending in a dreamy, surreal rush. Sharing vocal duties, Chris Walla and Ben Gibbard manage to sound like the super-pop influenced love children of Elliot Smith and Doug Martsch (Built To Spill). After an initial listening to Something About Airplanes, I couldn't help but remember the first time I heard bands such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Galaxie 500, which have gone on to become two of my favorites; it's just that initial feeling of new-found joy.

-Nicole Seredszun
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Record Label Elsinor Records / Barsuk Records Released August 1998

Tracks 1. Bend To Squares 2. President Of What? 3. Champagne From A Paper Cup 4. Your Bruise 5. Pictures In An Exhibition 6. Sleep Spent 7. The Face That Launched 1000 Shits 8. Amputations 9. Fake Frowns 10. Line Of Best Fit