Critical Record Review - "Transatlanticism" by Death Cab for Cutie

"Transatlanticism"

Track List:

1. The New Year
2. Lightness
3. Title and Registration
4. Expo '86
5. The Sound of Settling
6. Tiny Vessels
7. Transatlanticism
8. Passenger Seat
9. Death of an Interior Decorator
10. We Looked Like Giants
11. A Lack of Color

The Distance of “Transatlanticism”

            Death Cab for Cutie’s “Transatlanticism” is an album about distance.  Figuratively or literally, the issue of distance is important in every relationship, but especially in the type of relationship that Death Cab for Cutie’s lead singer, Ben Gibbard, writes about on this record.  The album revolves around the theme of love, whether it is mistaken love, lost love, overlooked love, real love, broken love, hidden love, or foolish love.  Each track signifies some variation of “distance” in a relationship that may or may not have “problems with easy solutions” (Track 1 – “The New Year”).  With a few radio-ready tracks, such as “The Sound of Settling”, “Expo ‘86”, and “The New Year”, Death Cab for Cutie has created an album that appeals to a wider audience than their previous records had.  Other tracks on the album are generally slower, sound a bit more melancholy, and are indicative of the emotions that surround relationships in which distance is a big factor.  Without a doubt, “Transatlanticism”, the title track, is the most powerful track on the album, with metaphorical lyrics that include imagery of substantial geographical distance separating two lovers and the simple, resounding line, “I need you so much closer”.  “Transatlanticism” is a special album because a multiplicity of its tracks can appeal to individual listeners in various periods during their life, which makes the album timeless and relatable to more than one audience.  The very nature of “Transatlanticism” is apparent in the band’s press release for the album:  “distances so vast and daunting that they seem impossible to breach.”  The almost depressing value of the made-up term “transatlanticism” is transformed into the optimism of hope by the end of the album, present in its closing lines: “This is fact, not fiction, for the first time in years” (Track 11 – “A Lack of Color”). 

            The aesthetics of “Transatlanticism”—the album’s lyrics, instrumentation, and style of Ben Gibbard’s vocals—merge to form Death Cab for Cutie’s most acclaimed record to date.  “Transatlanticism” scored an eighty-five out of one hundred possible points on www.Metacritic.com and received the honor of being named one of the fifty most important recordings of the decade by NPR (“The Decade’s Fifty Most Important Recordings”, www.npr.org).  Adam Thomas of www.Sputnikmusic.com writes that “Gibbard weaves his stories of love with a captivating simplicity and a pensive honesty that makes every line beautiful in its own right” (“Transatlanticism” review, www.sputnikmusic.com).  Gibbard’s lyrics are inherently deep, and worthy of numerous explorations on this album.  Some of the most intricate, thought-provoking lyrics include:  “I wish the world was flat like the old days / Then i could travel just by folding a map” (“The New Year”); “Oh, instincts are misleading / You shouldn't think what you're feeling / They don't tell you what you know you should want” (“Lightness”); “Sometimes it seems that I don't have the skills to recollect / The twists and turns of plots that turned us from lovers to friends” (“Expo ’86”); “The rhythm of my footsteps crossing flood lands to your door have been silenced forevermore / The distance is quite simply much too far for me to row / It seems farther than ever before” (“Transatlanticism”); “God damn the black night with all its foul temptation / I become what I always hated / When I was with you then” (“We Looked Like Giants”); “If you feel discouraged / That there's a lack of color here / Please don't worry lover / It's really bursting at the seams / Absorbing everything / The spectrum's A to Z” (“A Lack of Color”).  Gibbard has the ability to use metaphorical language and simplistic phrases to describe distance-related circumstances of relationships in a few choice words.  For example, a lover’s longing to be with their beloved in an instant “by folding a map” is a simple, yet transcendent idea in that it disrupts the conventional notion of travel, removing both the typical mode of transportation and the time it would take to reach the desired location. 

In addition to the powerfully simplistic lyrics, one must take into consideration the careful instrumentation and production that Chris Walla, the band member responsible for production and mixing, as well as guitar and keyboards, pairs with Gibbard’s lead vocals.  Walla layers the guitars that both he and Gibbard use with the keyboard, which is sometimes the singular instrument, as in “Passenger Seat”, and the rhythm of the drums and bass in a way that allows the flow of each track to lead into the next one and form a distinct sound unique to Death Cab for Cutie.  However, even with the expert production value and musicianship, the most obvious draw of the band’s audience is Gibbard’s lyrics and vocals. 

“Transatlanticism” is one of the most important albums of the decade, as declared by NPR, and one of the most important albums for anyone in a relationship that involves distance, whether it is emotional or physical distance.  It is special because it offers a perspective of relationships that cannot take certain things for granted, such as the ability to create emotional intimacy or see a significant other in person.  “Transatlanticism” does not attempt to make any bold statement or take a stance on a political issue as many culturally important albums have; it merely asks the listener to consider what “love” means to them and if “the distance is quite simply much too far…to row” in their relationship.   

"Transatlanticism":

Passion Pit - "Little Secrets" (Live at Club Firestone in Orlando, FL 6/12/10)

(footage shot by Melissa Sherrill on 6/12/11 at Club Firestone, Orlando, FL)

As one of their more popular songs, Passion Pit’s “Little Secrets” has made its way into the hearts of high school and college kids everywhere in America and internationally.  Having performed countless shows in the last few years, including UNC’s 2010 Homecoming Concert, Passion Pit is expected to play “Little Secrets” at every live show.  It is one of the catchiest electro-pop songs in recent years and has undeniable “danceability”.  The beat and electronically-produced melody make this song ideal for parties and of course, live shows.  Passion Pit’s style of well-crafted, and unexpectedly complicated, pop songs combined with innovative production value has helped propel the electronic music scene to more mainstream stages.

The average listener might not catch just how many different elements form a Passion Pit song.  The overall melody of most of their songs is obvious, but what has created that melody is hidden in the technology used to produce it.  “Little Secrets” is a heavily electronic song that incorporates familiar elements one would find in more conventional pop songs and adds very unique electronic flourishes.  These electronic flourishes are what make Passion Pit’s music appealing to audiences seeking more unconventional styles of production.  This is important because there is a growing trend among today’s pop artists to incorporate more technology into their music to give it a more modern, electronic base or influence.  Artists and bands are expanding outside of the usual instrumentation of guitar, bass, drums, and keyboards to include variations of synthesizers and software that manipulate various sounds to warp them into the unexpected.   In this way, artists and bands are no longer limited to the similar-sounding chord progressions, beats, harmonies, and general sound of conventional instruments—they can forge a new path with electronic mediums that can produce endless new sounds to help transform the discourse that defines what is considered “music”. 

Whether it is cast in the realm of “experimental” or “popular” music, technology has been incorporated into the musical sphere in a way that has allowed anyone with a computer and knowledge of necessary software to become artists in their own right by creating music and disseminating it through the internet.  Self-promotion and networking, especially through social media, has created a new atmosphere for music culture that is based on the discovery of new artists through music blogs, online radio websites (such as Pandora), and other online outlets.  It is not surprising that as the dissemination of music has changed from CD format to mp3 format, music itself has begun to incorporate technology and software that has become available within the last decade.

Before Passion Pit became a band, the lead singer, Michael Angelakos, wrote and performed what would become Passion Pit’s first EP (“Chunk of Change”) by himself using his laptop.  After forming Passion Pit, Angelakos and his bandmates focused on producing their first LP, “Manners”.  “Little Secrets” is the second track on “Manners”, and is one of the most upbeat songs of the album.  It is interesting to note that much of the lyrics of “Little Secrets” do not imply that it would be an electro-pop song:  “You've caused all this pain / and you proudly shame / your whole families’ name.”  To a casual listener, the tone of the song would cause one to overlook or not even realize the serious nature of the lyrics because the song is catchy and upbeat.  However, the situation of “Little Secrets” being performed live brings the song to life in ways that simply listening to the recording cannot.  Being packed in a room with people that have something in common, the fact that most if not all listen to Passion Pit, is a unifying force that evokes a celebratory atmosphere in which the music, band, fans, and shared experience of the concert come together to form a special memory for every member of the audience.  On a personal note, this particular performance in Orlando will always be a cherished memory for reasons related to the person who went to the show with me, but the performance as a whole was one of the best I have ever experienced.  

"Little Secrets"

When I came down the dawn poured into me

I shook em up, the walls came crumbling

my fists kept trembling with these salty wounds

my stolen gold inside the emperors tomb

Now painting rainbows on my ugly face

I built this cardboard neighborhoods disgrace

but I ascend and serve my feverish need

within the confines of such chemistry

It's the way I see

everything I need

it's no way to be

Let this be our little secret

no one needs to know were feeling

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

But I feel alive and I feel it in me

up and up I keep on climbing

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

My face blew up at such a casual sight

the smattered colours of ecstatic fright

the rush above me to oblivion

outlining wet sidewalks in halogen

Oh have you ever felt so goddamn strong

how come it takes some people so damn long

he tried to squeeze the lemon juice to rain

the citrus drawing out the scene in stains

Watch the basin drain

as your life lines wane

and you cant explain

as your friends complain

You've caused all this pain

and you proudly shame

your whole families name

Let this be our little secret

no one needs to know were feeling

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

But I feel alive and I feel it in me

up and up I keep on climbing

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

Mother I can tell what you've been thinking

staring at the stars on your ceiling

thinking once there was a power that you were wielding

and now I've hit the mark

stabbing at the dark

and I cannot help but ignore the people staring at my scars

Let this be our little secret 

no-one needs to know we're feeling

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

But I feel alive and feel it in me

up and up I keep on climbing

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

Let this be our little secret

no one needs to know were feeling

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher

But I feel alive and I feel it in me

up and up I keep on climbing

higher and higher and higher

higher and higher and higher 

Analysis of "Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" by Brand New

Song Title: “Sic Transit Gloria…Gloria Fades”

Artist: Brand New

"Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades" AUDIO

In an effort to make a cultural criticism, I have chosen to analyze “Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades” by Brand New.  The song, released in 2004, is unique in several ways:  the lyrics, the vocals, and the general meaning of the song.  The way in which the song is sung will not leave the listener with a clear idea of the deep nature of the lyrics because it takes more than one listen to truly understand the narrative of the song.  Many bands write songs with very simple verses and repetitive choruses.  In “Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades”, Brand New has managed to incorporate metaphors, powerful imagery, and a visceral quality to this defining song.  On the surface, the listener may assume that this is just another song about young people and their struggles in growing up and experiencing things for the first time.  However, the deeper meaning lies in the repeated lyrics, “Die young and save yourself.”  The lyrics, of course, are not literal; they simply mean that it would be easier to die young and save one’s self from the experience of growing up and the loss of innocence. 

“Sic Transit Gloria…Glory Fades” addresses the issue of having sex with someone for the first time.  In particular, the song is from a male point of view in which he is reluctant to have sex with an apparently experienced girl.  The lyrics reflect his emotions and physical reservations about losing his virginity to a girl who obviously does not value the experience in the same light because she has already lost hers: “She hits the lights. / This doesn't seem quite fair. / Despite everything he learned from his friends, / he doesn't feel so prepared. / She's breathing quiet and smooth. / He's gasping for air.”  This song is interesting because many popular songs are reflective of a male’s perspective in which dominance over a female defines his manhood and the animalistic lust that is so fundamental to his nature.  The perspective of this song matters because it gives a voice to males that, in American culture, are expected to have sexual prowess and be completely confident when having sex, but may not feel that they do possess these qualities.  Also, the way the lead singer painfully shouts lyrics and evokes desperation and frustration with the situation presented in the song is vital in its overall “feeling” or aesthetic:  “Up the stairs: the station where
the act becomes the art of growing up.”  In this lyric, the “art of growing up” is becoming a man by losing one’s virginity.  This proves to be a monumental moment for the subject, although it seems as though this sexual experience will be regretted.   

The instrumentation of the song also functions in establishing its tone.  For example, the bum-bum-bum-bum of the bass line that continues throughout the song is representative of the heavy heartbeat of the subject who has been put in the stressful situation of basically being forced to have sex with a girl when he does not feel comfortable with it.  Along with the bass, the emphatic drumming causes the pulse of the listener to adapt to the rhythm of the song, creating a physical element that coincides with the emotional feeling that the lyrics convey.  By breaking up the steady beat of the bass line and drumming of the verses, the instrumentation of the chorus creates a sense of urgency that Brand New pairs with the emotions surrounding the subject of the song.  The parts of the song with rapid drumming introduce the listener to the intensity of the chorus underlined by the “Die young and save yourself” lyric.  Perhaps the song is best summarized by the line “He is the lamb, / she is the slaughter. / She's moving way too fast and all he wanted was to hold her”.  The metaphor demonstrates his loss of innocence and her denial of his desire in favor of her own.  It is a moment he will regret, a moment that was supposed to be glorious, but the “glory” fades.   

Lyrics:

"Sic Transit Gloria...Glory Fades"

Keep the noise low.
She doesn't wanna blow it.
Shaking head to toe
while your left hand does "the show me around."
Quickens your heartbeat.
It beats me straight into the ground.

You don't recover from a night like this.
A victim, still lying in bed, completely motionless.
A hand moves in the dark to a zipper.
Hear a boy bracing tight against sheets
barely whisper, "This is so messed up."

Upon arrival the guests had all stared.
Dripping wet and clearly depressed,
he'd headed straight for the stairs.
No longer cool, but a boy in a stitch,
unprepared for a life full of lies and failing relationships.

(Up the stairs: the station where
the act becomes the art of growing up.)

He keeps his hands low.
He doesn't wanna blow it.
He's wet from head to toe and
his eyes give her the up and the down.
His stomach turns and he thinks of throwing up.
But the body on the bed beckons forward
and he starts growing up.

The fever, the focus.
The reasons that I had to believe you weren't too hard to sell.
Die young and save yourself.
The tickle, the taste of...
It used to be the reason I breathed but now it's choking me up.
Die young and save yourself.

She hits the lights.
This doesn't seem quite fair.
Despite everything he learned from his friends,
he doesn't feel so prepared.
She's breathing quiet and smooth.
He's gasping for air.
"This is the first and last time," he says.
She fakes a smile and presses her hips into his.
He keeps his hands pinned down at his sides.
He's holding back from telling her
exactly what it really feels like.

He is the lamb, she is the slaughter.
She's moving way too fast and all he wanted was to hold her.
Nothing that he tells her is really having an effect.
He whispers that he loves her,
but she's probably only looking for se-...

(Up the stairs: the station where
the act becomes the art of growing up.)

So much more than he could ever give.
A life free of lies and a meaningful relationship.
He keeps his hands pinned down at his sides.
He waits for it to end
and for the aching in his guts to subside.

The fever, the focus.
The reasons that I had to believe you weren't too hard to sell.
Die young and save yourself.
The tickle, the taste of...
It used to be the reason I breathed but now it's choking me up.
Die young and save yourself.

Up the stairs: the station where
the act becomes the art of growing up.

The fever, the focus.
The reasons that I had to believe you weren't too hard to sell.
Die young and save yourself.
The tickle, the taste of...
It used to be the reason I breathed but now it's choking me up.
Die young and save yourself.

Song of the Day - 5.09.11

"Can You Tell" - Ra Ra Riot

Oh baby baby baby babe,
How long am I supposed to wait?
I think about you nightly
Oh, can you tell I'm losin' sleep?

Oh what am I supposed to do?
It's hard to stay cool.
Oh, when you smile at me
and I can notice every time you speak.

My bed's too big for just me
and when you turn your eyes, 
I promise I won't care.

Oh baby baby baby babe
Oh baby baby baby please
My head sinks to my knees.
Oh baby baby don't you know
I think about you nightly?

My bed's too big for just me
and when you turn your eyes, 
I promise I won't care.

Oh baby baby baby babe
I think about you nightly
I think about you nightly
Oh baby baby baby baby

Oh baby baby baby babe.
When I look in your eyes
I tend to lose my thoughts
Don't forget your stare
Or what was that you said?
Would you let me know?
'Cause I can't read your mind
But can you tell I can't even explain

Oh baby baby baby babe
I think about you nightly
I think about you nightly
Oh baby baby baby
I think about you nightly

Oh baby I can't even explain 
How long am I supposed to wait?
I think about you nightly
Oh can you tell I'm losin' sleep?

Oh baby, what am I supposed to do?
It's hard to stay cool.
Oh when you smile at me
and I can notice every time you speak.

Oh baby baby baby babe
I think about you nightly
Oh baby baby baby babe

"Can You Tell"