REVIEW: Death Cab For Cutie – I Built You A Tower

After twenty-plus years on a major label, Seattle indie-rock mainstays Death Cab For Cutie return to the indie-verse with their eleventh album, I Built You A Tower, out now on Anti- Records. 

On the new John Congleton-produced album – their first in four years - Ben Gibbard and company sound refreshed yet with retro-minded energetic and playful guitar melodies that recall the Photo Album and Transatlanticism eras along with the Krautrock-inspired rhythms of Narrow Stairs and Codes And Keys that remain a driving factor.  Of course, Gibbard always knows his way around a vocal melody and the singles “Riptides” and “Punching The Flowers” stand out among the 11 tracks with the infectious sing-along melodies of the former and the crafty and even heavy guitar hooks of the latter.      

Other standouts include the cascading guitars and bittersweet sentiment of “Pep Talk”, the tumbling rhythm and choppy guitars of “Envy The Birds”, the abrasive post-punk of the propulsive “How Heavenly A State” and “The Flavor Of Metal” with its nostalgia-laced lyrics,“…razor blades in the candy and Bloody Mary in the mirror”.  

Death Cab For Cutie remain one of indie rocks brightest stars and their new album, I Built You A Tower is their best effort in years.

For more info: https://www.deathcabforcutie.com/

Stream I Built You A Tower here: