DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

I'm not overly familiar with the Death Cab for Cutie ouvre - just a few random songs here and there that I've inserted into some of my mix CDs. Rolling Stone just gave their new LP, Plans, a fair-to-middling review (three stars is hardly high praise for them), and I'm sure some of the die-hards are disappointed/disgusted that their once indie-to-the-hilt heroes have signed with a major label (Atlantic).

Well, so be it, I say. I'm finding myself liking at least half the tracks on the record, and that ain't a bad percentage in this song-centric era. I'm not sure that Death Cab has ever been quite this "poppy" before (again, one can all-but-see the die-hards hocking loogies of disdain from their scuffed-up skateboards). And this is the first time that I found myself fixating on how much lead singer Ben Gibbard sounds like the Fountain of Wayne's Chris Collingwood. To me, that's just fine. But die-hards: hock your loogies.

My favorite song from the new album is "Soul Meets Body," which isn't surprising, as I've already seen it tagged as "R.E.M.-esque" in multiple reviews. To my ears, though, it also has a New Order streak running through it, and somehow that combination works for me. Alas, I've also already seen multiple MP3s of the song circulating in cyberspace, so I'm going to post the very simple and satisfying "Someday You Will Be Loved" instead.

Plans will be released in the U.S. on August 30th.



[MP3] [left-click] "Someday You Will Be Loved" [from the LP Plans, 2005]

[MP3] [left-click] "Title and Registration" [from the LP Transatlanticism, 2003]

[MP3] [left-click] "We Looked Like Giants" [from the LP Transatlanticism, 2003]

[MP3] [left-click] "Photobooth" [from the EP Forbidden Love, 2000]