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circatbs
12/18/08, 07:10 PM
Death Cab for Cutie - Transatlanticism
Record Label: Barsuk Records
Release Date: October 7, 2003

So, it's Thursday night, I'm bored as hell, and can't fall asleep. What else to do than write an album review? As I search around the AP reviews, I notice there is no review for Transatlanticism. Why the fuck not, you may ask? I don't know why, but I am here to write one.

Transatlanticism is considered by many to be Death Cab For Cutie's finest work. I agree 100 percent. The album starts off with "The New Year," a slowly building track that is a perfect beginning to the album. Next up is "Lightness." This is a beautiful song with possibly the best written lyrics on the album. "Title And Registration" is a tune that provides a big change from the first two tracks. It has a much different feel to it, and I like it. "Expo '86" is definitely the worst track on the album. They kind of just tried to hard with this one. "The Sound Of Settling" is the shortest song on the album, but definitely one of the strongest. This track serves sort of as an interlude to the album. It is very upbeat and catchy, and is just very fun to listen to. "Tiny Vessels" is another standout tune. There is just something about it that just makes you want to keep on listening. The title track, "Transatlanticism," is a very strong point. It is simple, yet mind-blowing. The build to this song is what makes it great, definitely has the best intro on the album. "Passenger Seat" is a beautiful song with INCREDIBLE lyrics. I don't know if everybody feels this or if it's just me, but this song has the strongest lyrics. The imagery Ben Gibbard uses is amazing. I also felt it is Gibbard's strongest song vocal-wise. "Death Of An Interior Decorator" is another standout track on the album, but aren't they all? Anyway, this song song just gives you that feeling that after the first time you hear it, that you immediately know it is an amazing song. "We Looked Like Giants" is for sure in top three favorites of this album. This song is meant to tell a story, and it does, but without making it seem like it's a story. It is another upbeat song that is great to listen to over and over again. And last but not least, "A Lack Of Color." This song is a perfect closing track. So mellow and beautiful. Another song with incredible lyrics written by Mr. Ben Gibbard.

So, after reading the review, I think you can tell I LOVE this album. I mean, who wouldn't?

indie rock; incredible vocals and lyrics; ear orgasms
myspace.com/deathcabforcutie (http://www.myspace.com/deathcabforcutie)

12inchessoft
12/28/08, 04:31 PM
Expo 86 worst track on the album? Please.

mspaigepassion9
12/29/08, 07:32 PM
this cd is pretty amazing. i will admit i wasn't the biggest death cab for cutie fan until narrow stairs came out. however, unlike the shallow minded that only listened to "i will possess your heart" and then got over it, i went and downloaded the discography & was blown away. kudos to you death cab... kudos [=

Casey's Dad
12/30/08, 07:34 AM
strongest album, absolutely. favorite album, not quite -- that would be We Have the Facts.
As for Expo '86 being their worst cut on this album, I couldn't disagree more. The song is prototypical Death Cab. It's catchy and whimsical, yet lyrically strong and busts into rocker mode mid-track. Definitely one of the strongest in their entire catalogue.

Thanks for the review though, it definitely needed to be written up.

solargrrl
12/30/08, 11:03 AM
Wow, Expo 86 is one of my favorite DCFC songs of all time.

Julia Conny
12/30/08, 11:09 AM
Its good to see a Transatlanticism review in our database.

This album is one of my all time favorites.

tommy's ghost
12/30/08, 12:07 PM
Good review. I don't know which one I prefer, Plans or Trans... Hard for me to say which is best.

Undue Noise
12/30/08, 12:11 PM
Expo 86? Really?
Fuck, that song is amazing.

OveriseFan
12/30/08, 04:10 PM
This is a terrible review. Sorry.

Your intro is stupid - we don't want to know why you're writing the review. We want to know a bit about the band/music. Poor intro.

Your "review" is a song-by-song breakdown. Already bad. Unfortunately, you don't redeem yourself, as your descriptions don't describe the music very well at all. They're all vague and you use words like "great" and "incredible" rather than describing the actual sound.

Anyway, you need to spell/grammar check your work before posting it. There's still quite a few mistakes left in there that with a proofreading would have been easily noticed.

circatbs
12/30/08, 04:48 PM
This is a terrible review. Sorry.

Your intro is stupid - we don't want to know why you're writing the review. We want to know a bit about the band/music. Poor intro.

Your "review" is a song-by-song breakdown. Already bad. Unfortunately, you don't redeem yourself, as your descriptions don't describe the music very well at all. They're all vague and you use words like "great" and "incredible" rather than describing the actual sound.

Anyway, you need to spell/grammar check your work before posting it. There's still quite a few mistakes left in there that with a proofreading would have been easily noticed.
Thanks for the criticism, seriously. It's only my first review so I want to make sure the ones I write in the future are as good as possible.

mr chainsaw
12/30/08, 07:25 PM
Wow, Expo 86 is one of my favorite DCFC songs of all time.
That's what I was thinking too. I thought the first song was the weakest, but the whole album is pretty amazing and the only Death Cab For Cutie CD that I ever go back and listen to.

Kind of a weak review...sloppy...I can't believe a staff member approved this. My reviews always get sent back for small errors. This sounds like you just sat down and wrote and did not go back and reread it. You just said everything was awesome (which the album is), but it was not much fun to read.

spartanfan10
12/31/08, 05:37 AM
Though I think this a great record, when you review something I'm pretty sure you're supposed to support your decisions with evidence. Saying, this is a great song. It's different than the last one and that's cool doesn't make me think you have any idea what the fuck you're talking about. But, Death Cab is awesome.

npmshah
01/01/09, 10:35 AM
sweet review adam
but its really easy to see weaknesses in a song by song review
so make sure you add more descrpitions etc. when reviewing songs...
ive defeintely had trouble there, as i tend to write reviews in a song by song basis as well...
also: intros are generally to inroduce and give some background for a band, no matter how big or small they may be...
otherwise
congrats on it being acceptred :-)
im still waiting for my Breathe Carolina reivew to be approved.

circatbs
01/01/09, 12:38 PM
sweet review adam
but its really easy to see weaknesses in a song by song review
so make sure you add more descrpitions etc. when reviewing songs...
ive defeintely had trouble there, as i tend to write reviews in a song by song basis as well...
also: intros are generally to inroduce and give some background for a band, no matter how big or small they may be...
otherwise
congrats on it being acceptred :-)
im still waiting for my Breathe Carolina reivew to be approved.
Thanks for the advice Neeps, and good luck with that review.

The Personist
01/03/09, 03:44 PM
This review is terrible. I love this album, but not your syntax. Or your grammar. Or how horribly casual your style is, to the detriment of your analysis.

mike'smannequin
01/11/09, 01:35 PM
EXPO 86 is my fav song on the cd

lurker411_k9
01/19/09, 05:59 PM
One of my top three albums.

10/10

SoccerJunkie
01/21/09, 03:09 PM
Lol, possibly the worst review I've ever read. Good album. Expo 86 is a great song though, watch yourself.

pretty.odd
02/15/09, 08:14 PM
love the album, but no offense not the review

circatbs
02/16/09, 09:13 PM
love the album, but no offense not the review
Haha it's okay...I hate it too.

buzzhannahbuzz
03/09/09, 04:22 PM
I could actually understand this review, and it didn't make me feel stupid like a majority of them on this website. So, *thumbs up*
Amazing album, too.

Chris92
10/02/09, 04:55 PM
Shitty review, good album...and I actually kinda agree with you about Expo '86...I don't like it that much either.

emilyx95
01/08/10, 10:32 AM
the sound of settling was deff the worst on the album.

FoxVsWolf
03/20/11, 04:30 PM
I think this review is fine, honestly don't see what people are complaining about. It's exactly what I wanted to see; someone's personal opinion on this album. It's more casual/less pretentious than a lot of reviews.
Death Of An Interior Decorator was the only song I couldn't get into, no idea why. It's a good song and all but I just can't seem to want to listen to it as much as the others.