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EDIT INFODeath Cab For Cutie - Plans
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Album Details
- Artist: Death Cab For Cutie
- Album: Plans
- Label: Atlantic/Barsuk
- Year of Release: 2005
- ME Rating:
- Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-09-26
Media
Crooked Teeth (video) 
RecommendDeath Cab For Cutie has caught slack over the past couple albums for keeping to their own sound and not branching out that much. There is that argument and then there is the idea that Gibbard, Walla and crew are just perfecting their beautiful pop sound. It is true that their sound hasn't completely moved away from their first album. Some songs are better than others but for the most part each album is an improvement over the last both with quality of songs as well as Walla's production skills. Plans is no different. Sure, they have Atlantic dollars behind them but from what I have read Death Cab were left to their own means to get the job done. No outside producer, mixer or engineer was involved. It is hard to believe because one of the big selling features is the amazing production work. There is nothing quite as immediate as the impressive opener of Transatlanticism but after as few listens as 2 or 3 you start to peel back the complex layers of Walla's very warm production. "Soul Meets Body" stands out as one of the album's finer moments. Even though I don't think the boys have never been but Calgary gets a name check in "I Will Follow You Into The Dark". The guitar on "Your Heart Is An Empty Room" has a bit of the Edge from U2's flavor added to it. The band has come a long way since their Something About Airplanes album in 1999 showing us that there is indeed no overnight success here. When a band has had such critical success before they get major label backing there is always the sell-out cry but Plans proves that this is just more of the soft rock that Death Cab For Cutie is perfecting.
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on 2009-07-17 fortunecookie Said:
Plans is a great intro to Death Cab album, fusing enough melodic pop elements into their indie music to keep even mainstream music fans happy. Thankfully there's still a complexity and music knowledge beyond what you typically here on the Top 40 station.
It's hard to call any tracks "standouts", because almost every one pops out at you. "Soul Meets Body" has become famous for its soaring, soothing lyrics and music; and "I Will Follow You Into the Dark" has become an indie romance standard. "Marching Bands of Manhattan" lifts our spirits much like the song "Transatlanticism" did, and "What Sarah Said" gently brings us back to earth, beautifully but tragically recounting the end of a life but not the end of love.
Overall this album is definitely in my top 25 of all time, with elements near any music lover should be able to get behind.
Rating: 9/10
Review:
on 2007-09-18 DeathEyesForKiley Said:
The follow up album to their emmensely successful Transatlantism, Plans is just as good as you have come to expect. It is nothing less than perfect. It has every thing you could want from DCFC. The single "I will follow you into the dark" is the shining example of this album. From that to "What Sarah Said" it is an emotional roller coaster that is sure to not dissapoint. The lyrics paint a picture. Songster Ben Gibbard gave his best effort in my opinion to make this album work. It is one of the best works of art i have heard in a long time. This album is something all their own. This album in everyway is as close to perfect as it gets. It is on par with some of the best albums of our time. All in all in my opinion Plans did not only surpass Transatlantism it showed that Death Cab For Cutie can do much better than their so called "best". Ben Gibbard has much yet to come. His talents are unmatched and would have to be on par with the best of the best when it comes to writing. He is the reason Plans is so amazing. In closing Death Cab For Cutie showed they are far from done being the kings of emo.
Rating: 10/10
Review:
on 2007-07-31 kev_stev Said:
After an extremely succesful indie gem, Death Cab was promoted to Atlantic records to relase their next LP, Plans. Met with much backlash for leaving their \"indie\" roots, Death Cab surprised many listeners by not deviating too far from their triumphs of Transatlanticism. Though Plans is a very piano oriented album, Death Cab still utilized repetition and displayed an admirable emphasis towards the depth of their lyrics--creating poignant, nostalgic songs like \"Summer Skin\" and the painfully articulated waiting room setting of \"What Sarah Said.\" The production on Plans is extremely well done; the songs have much more clarity than on previous albums, allowing Ben Gibbard to better display his incredible vocal talents. Each song on Plans is a success on its own, and, when tied together, Plans proved not to falter in topping Transatlanticism\'s hype, making for an aesthetic, cohesive album that is currently being enjoyed worldwide.
Rating: 9/10
