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Product Description
Time Out, October 8, 2003
Death Cab For Cutie play truly emotive rock with awe-ispiring conviction.
This is a record of rare beauty and poise.
Their best offering to date: dreamy and lovelorn in places, but also epic, gritty and twisted in others.
This is a record of rare beauty and poise.
Their best offering to date: dreamy and lovelorn in places, but also epic, gritty and twisted in others.
Album Description
US underground sensations’ fourth studio album is truly a major work, blending subtle intelligent songwriting, amazing production, boundless creativity, and thoughtful rock. All wrapped up in super lush artwork this is a ‘must-have’ record.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
40 of 43 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
First of all you've got to get over the name. It's a terrible, terrible name. Every time I tell a friend that they have to buy the new album by Death Cab for Cutie their eyes glaze over and no amount of missionary-zeal at the glorious music of this album can ever win them back. But it's important to keep trying, because when this album gets you, it's for the long term.
The first couple of times through, Transatlanticism pretends to be a pretty good indie rock album. The opener "The New Year" pushes all the right buttons and proper pop songs like Expo '86 and The Sound of Settling have you humming along. A few piano ballads lead the way to a full-on rocker in We Look Like Giants and the Elliot-Smith-a-like A Lack of Color closes the album on a strangely low key note. But then you listen again, and again, and you realise that there's much more to it than that.
I could go on about the beautiful melodies, the keen sense of unease, and wonderful lyrics of heartbreak, regret and warm melancholy all day frankly, but I'll keep this short and just say something about the title track.
Epic in scope, full of intelligence and central to the album's theme of love ended by distance it's a perfectly realised gem. Beginning from a simple piano refrain, Ben Gibbard starts singing oddly about how the Atlantic was created and how, though "most people were overjoyed," he "thought it less like a lake and more like a moat." More images of insurmountable distance are added before he lays his cards on the table "I need you so much closer" he repeats again and again. And then, after the music has built up towards it's peak, he lets go of all his studied articularcy and simply sings "So come on, come on" as if there's nothing more he can do. I'm telling you, it's a heartbreaker.
Simply put, every song has it's own moment of genius, every song has been lovingly constructed, every song will have you singing along, and then you'll think about the words you're singing and if you're anything like me you'll think "blimey, this is genius."
The first couple of times through, Transatlanticism pretends to be a pretty good indie rock album. The opener "The New Year" pushes all the right buttons and proper pop songs like Expo '86 and The Sound of Settling have you humming along. A few piano ballads lead the way to a full-on rocker in We Look Like Giants and the Elliot-Smith-a-like A Lack of Color closes the album on a strangely low key note. But then you listen again, and again, and you realise that there's much more to it than that.
I could go on about the beautiful melodies, the keen sense of unease, and wonderful lyrics of heartbreak, regret and warm melancholy all day frankly, but I'll keep this short and just say something about the title track.
Epic in scope, full of intelligence and central to the album's theme of love ended by distance it's a perfectly realised gem. Beginning from a simple piano refrain, Ben Gibbard starts singing oddly about how the Atlantic was created and how, though "most people were overjoyed," he "thought it less like a lake and more like a moat." More images of insurmountable distance are added before he lays his cards on the table "I need you so much closer" he repeats again and again. And then, after the music has built up towards it's peak, he lets go of all his studied articularcy and simply sings "So come on, come on" as if there's nothing more he can do. I'm telling you, it's a heartbreaker.
Simply put, every song has it's own moment of genius, every song has been lovingly constructed, every song will have you singing along, and then you'll think about the words you're singing and if you're anything like me you'll think "blimey, this is genius."
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Bought this soon after its release, on recommendation. Must have listened to it in the five years since more than any other album I own. Melody, pace, lyics, everything works perfectly. Still their best album IMHO.
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I was amazed that there hadn't been a review of this album yet, especially with Death Cab's relative popularity at the moment, so I thought I'd give it a go.
I bought this album after loving Plans, and upon the first few listens I just thought it was like the band said, "if Transatlanticism is the inhale, Plans is the exhale" - This album just seemed to me to be an inferior version of Plans just with some heavier guitar chucked in for good measure. As I gave the album more and more listens I realised that it had another dimension to it. There are songs on this album that just suddenly hit you with their greatness, 'We Looked Like Giants' a prime example.
Ben Gibbard's beautifully clear lyrics are in abundance here, and there are a number of heartwarming and heartbreaking songs on offer here - Tiny Vessels ("she was beautiful, but she didn't mean a thing to me"), the epic, narrowly optimistic title track - ("I need you so much closer now") and the excellent closer A Lack Of Color - ("And when I see you, I really see you upside down. But my brain knows better, it picks you up and turns you round")
I think that the truly good thing about this album is the way that it surprises you with each listen, you'll be settled into a song and it'll suddenly move in another direction. All in all, this is a catchy, tender, thoughtful, and epic piece of work from a fine band.
I can't comment on any of their early albums, but I'd also recommend Plans, another excellent album.
I bought this album after loving Plans, and upon the first few listens I just thought it was like the band said, "if Transatlanticism is the inhale, Plans is the exhale" - This album just seemed to me to be an inferior version of Plans just with some heavier guitar chucked in for good measure. As I gave the album more and more listens I realised that it had another dimension to it. There are songs on this album that just suddenly hit you with their greatness, 'We Looked Like Giants' a prime example.
Ben Gibbard's beautifully clear lyrics are in abundance here, and there are a number of heartwarming and heartbreaking songs on offer here - Tiny Vessels ("she was beautiful, but she didn't mean a thing to me"), the epic, narrowly optimistic title track - ("I need you so much closer now") and the excellent closer A Lack Of Color - ("And when I see you, I really see you upside down. But my brain knows better, it picks you up and turns you round")
I think that the truly good thing about this album is the way that it surprises you with each listen, you'll be settled into a song and it'll suddenly move in another direction. All in all, this is a catchy, tender, thoughtful, and epic piece of work from a fine band.
I can't comment on any of their early albums, but I'd also recommend Plans, another excellent album.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
wow
To be completely honest, i was blown away by how amazing this album was. I listened to it on CD and it was so emotional and well produced, exactly what you would expect from them... Read more
Published 3 months ago by E. Pegler
Gets better with every listen.
The first few times, Transatlanticism comes across as a good album, with the catchy melodies of The Sound of Settling and Expo '86 sticking in the listener's mind and making them... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Guitarist
Favourite album
This is not only my favourite Death Cab for Cutie album, this is one of my favourite of all albums. The songs are deep and melancholic, and I keep returning to hear it over and... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Claire Hansen
Transatlanticism
I bought `Transatlanticism' on the strength of the title track alone and was left amazed at how good the rest of the album was. Read more
Published on 18 Sep 2009 by Spider Monkey
There best work still..
I'm also surprised by the lack of reviews for this remarkable album so thought I have to had my own. Read more
Published on 13 Jun 2008 by D. Longden
Initially Beguiling, Ultimately Fulfilling
Approaching an album like 'Transatlanticism' subjectively is difficult. Given the iconically cult nature, not only of the album, but also of the band themselves, it is impossible... Read more
Published on 30 Mar 2007 by Mr. P. A. Brown
One of my favourite ever albums!
There are not many CDs you can buy that have so many good songs on it, they'll have a one or two that you recognise and like and the rest of it is really... Read more
Published on 13 Dec 2006 by GS Minhas
Transatlanticism
I can't give five stars as there are some weaker moments in this album, but overall it is a great and varied collection of songs. Read more
Published on 10 Nov 2006 by Mr. Ralph Darvill
Death Cab's album
The only standout track from this album is, or would have to be 'A lack of colour', a melodious, melancholy tune to please the auditory senses. Read more
Published on 13 Jun 2006 by NatRocks
Brilliant
I think this is Death Cabs best album, all the songs are brilliant, well produced but still quite a raw feel (like in the photo album). Read more
Published on 16 Jan 2006 by "take_me_to_nirvana"
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