Death Cab for Cutie
Transatlanticism
Barsuk, 2003

by Dr. Christian Carey

Ben Gibbard may not have been quite as prolific as Robert Pollard in ‘03, but he gave the GBV frontman a good run for his money, between Death Cab for Cutie, the Postal Service, the Home project, and solo work. Despite this spate of activity, his songs remained at a high level of quality for all of these various projects. While fans may quibble about the stylistic direction of the latest DCFC album, there is no doubt that Gibbard and company are growing in an organic way, not merely attempting to bow to demands of commercialism or of their fan base. In other words, they are an honest band and have made Transatlanticism an honest record.

Although the record was released this past autumn, it opens with the perfect song for January: "The New Year." It captures the inevitable pangs of regret and anticipation that fold together in our collective psyches by Dec. 31st; sending up the forced artificiality of yet another holiday party and the futility of resolutions, fireworks, and champagne. This is corresponded by musical depiction; the deliberate use of falsely anthemic crunching guitars and an ironically delivered "soaring" hook. Not only does Gibbard continue to grow as a lyricist, but the arrangements of the band are ever more refined and subtle.

"Title and Registration" comes the closest to poetic, bemoaning the narrator's accidental discovery of an old girlfriend's photo while looking for documents at a traffic stop. Once again, the delicate touch Gibbard displays at setting a scene is given ample space to breathe by the surrounding music.

It is true that, generally speaking, DCFC rocks less on Transatlanticism than they have in the past. But what remains certainly does not lack substance. Even an atmospheric song like the title track, which slowly weaves its way through a dreamy melody, underpinned by a constant piano refrain (which is cumulatively enhanced by the rest of the band as the song develops). Even the obvious quirk in the text-setting, Gibbard's persistent mis-accentuation of the second syllable of the word "closer" (clo-SER), becomes such an integral aspect of the song that, after a time, it seems necessary.

This album does not knock you over in the way that We have the Facts did; it prefers to slowly win your affection over time. But what DCFC has done on this outing is to make an album that assures eager anticipation of their next move, with inevitable surprises in store. That's something that I haven't felt listening to an American rock band in awhile, and it feels good.

-April, 2004