Track Listing

1. New Year
2. Lightness
3. Title And Registration
4. Expo '86
5. Sound Of Settling
6. Tiny Vessels
7. Transatlanticism
8. Passenger Seat
9. Death Of An Interior Decorator
10. We Looked Like Giants
11. Lack Of Color

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2050 in Music
• Released on: 2007-09-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

CD Description
Death Cab for Cutie finally delivers on its promise with its fourth album, TRANSATLANTICISM. Although the band's earlier outings have excellent moments, this collection of indie power-pop plays to Death Cab's strengths, wrapping Ben Gibbard's plaintive vocals and emotive lyrics in consistently dynamic and engaging arrangements. The album opens with the majestic surge of "The New Year", and moves to the instantly catchy "Lightness". While guitars chime over solid bass-and-drums backing, Gibbard's melancholy tales unfold, drawing the listener in further with each song, largely due to the perfect production of guitarist Chris Walla. By the time the wide-screen title track runs it course and the album ends with the oddly optimistic "A Lack of Color", it becomes clear that this is one of those albums that you'll listen to over and over again.

Customer Reviews

Give it time...
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.

Overused but accurate superlative: awesome!
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.

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. The song that got me really 'into' them was The New Year and after hearing I brought the album on here and loved straight away, that track and Expo '86 being the real stand outs at first. Then the all album opened up for me and every song was a classic. Lightness is a ear pleasing and joy of a song, with great vocals and 'oh wha-ho's' aplenty. I skip forward to The Sound Of Settling being the most uplifting song on the album 'Old age is just around the bend and I can't wait to go gray'. The title track echoes and wallows with Ben saying 'I need you so much closer' then passenger seat will bring back down to earth with it's light piano sound. We looked giants is a other loud song with a nice ending of guitars. The final song A lack of color is there most famous song and can also be heard on The O.C (thanks to that show that made me listen to the new year) ends the album fantastically and leaves a nice feeling inside even though the song is quite sad about a break up of all things. Have to say theres a very natural transition from track to track on this album unlike Plan. , This still ranks my favorite of all the albums second being The photo album which I also love. If your a Death Cab fan chances are you already own this and if not then your mad! And new fans should by this 1st rather then Plans or the new album.