Social Graffiti
“Transatlaticism,” Death Cab for Cutie

By Charles Young
George Washington High School

Being a disciple of music, I keep a close eye on the music press to see what bands have been deemed the hottest new indie bands by the powers that be. Several years ago, the music community was on fire about a fresh-sounding band out of the Pacific Northwest called Death Cab for Cutie. For several months, every magazine I picked up was singing the praises of this little band and the brilliance of its new album “Transatlanticism.”

When I pulled up the band’s page on iTunes, I was surprised to find that it boasted an impressive back catalog of records and EPs. Though the band had been in existence since the late ‘90s, “Transatlanticism” was its first time in the mainstream spotlight.

I downloaded the record I had heard so much about and ripped it to a disc. It fully lived up to all the fuss, providing all that had been promised and more. It was sublime indie-pop at it’s finest.

The opening crashes of “The New Year” welcomed me with open arms, luring me with subtle undertones and lyrics about burning love, loss and frustration.

Lead singer and guitarist Ben Gibbard has a way of crafting his lyrics so that he can make the most of their emotional content. His flair for creating phrases awash in purpose and passion leaves the listener craving his naïvely beautiful songs.

On songs like “We Looked Like Giants,” Death Cab creates suburban folktales, capturing the essence of youth and first love and describing the discovery of love and intimacy. To the inexperienced ears of a 15-year-old, songs like “Lightness” and “A Lack of Color” ring as true as poetry, weaving sensuality with beautiful melodies.

But the defining moment of the album is the title track, “Transatlanticism,” on which Gibbard cries out against the distance and time that separates him from his lover.

“I need you so much closer,” he moans in the haunting refrain. “The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row” he says, enchanting the listener throughout this eight-minute opus.

The entire album transitions flawlessly from one song to the next, giving the record a feeling of cohesiveness. This allows the band to flood your ears with a cascade of feelings and emotions without losing you between tracks.

For me, “Transatlanticism” crystallizes the spirit and promise of youth and the things that happen when those promises don’t come true.