Can Death Cab for Cutie do any wrong? Honestly, I’m not sure. Their entire catalogue is full of great albums after the next, each with their own standout tracks bolstering this band’s incredible discography,
Death Cab for Cutie are back with their eleventh studio album, I Built You A Tower, four years after their last LP, Asphalt Meadows, an album that definitely found its place among the top in my ranking of Death Cab albums. So can this one hold its own? Absolutely, though I do have some thoughts that many may not agree with.
This album is quintessentially a Death Cab for Cutie record in that it’s a solid “band” record. There aren’t many electronic flourishes or programmed drums; it’s full of raw energy one might find in the band’s earlier catalogue. Think of a more polished Photo Album, or We Have The Facts, and We’re Voting Yes. It’s that, but with decades of experience to boot.
As always, frontman Ben Gibbard is punching us in the (flowers) gut with his smart, complex lyricism, touching upon his recent divorce and navigating that landscape. What I’ve always loved about Ben’s writing is that breakup songs or songs about love aren’t in-your-face sad/love songs. His lyricism always plucks metaphors and double meanings, or, as he explains in regard to the song Punching the Flowers, an experience of seeing a little kid literally punch some flowers while having a meltdown. Of course, in typical Gibbard fashion, he’s able to see the beauty and chaos in a situation such as that, framing it in such a beautiful way in the titular track.
Fans of Death Cab for Cutie may know that you have two distinct eras when listening to this band: the Walla era and the post-Walla era. Each era stands well in its own right, but many may prefer the Walla era. With that being said, I Built You A Tower is as close to a Walla-era record you’re going to get. Maybe it’s because of the “band” thing I mentioned prior, maybe because the Walla/post era is no longer obvious since it’s been over twelve years since he left the band.
Instrumentally, I Built You A Tower is fantastic and reminds me a lot of the instrumentation in Narrow Stairs, specifically because of how prominent and creative bassist Nick Harmer is on this record. It’s giving I Will Possess Your Heart, but without the four-ish minute bass-driven intro. There’s also a somewhat mathy element to the instrumentation, pushing this far beyond just another indie rock/emo album from the Washington quintet. It’s not 4/4 all the way through, and it’s this creativity that makes this album stand out from the crowd. I absolutely adore Envy the Birds and The Flavor of Metal.
My only criticism of the album is that it lacks any real catchy hook. There’s no Sound of Settling, no Soul Meets Body, and no Here to Forever. There are some great choruses, but the album seems to favour more compact back-and-forth, push-and-pull instrumentation as opposed to a quiet verse that explodes into a big singalong chorus. It’s not necessarily a bad thing; creatively it’s an interesting choice, but I do feel like it lacks a real catchy hook that I’ll be humming… here to forever… (I’m sorry).
Overall, I Built You a Tower is a fantastic album that bridges a gap between Walla-era and post-Walla-era Death Cab for Cutie. If you’re looking for a stripped-back, band-centric modern Death Cab album, then this is it. I would love to have heard more catchy hooks, but ultimately it’s a solid album that I’ll definitely be spinning alongside Transatlanticism and Plans.
Score: 8/10
Death Cab for Cutie released I Built You A Tower on June 5 via ANTI- Records.