Death Cab for Cutie — I Built You A Tower

A seasoned alt-rock band makes their atmospheric, mesmerizing return.

Four years on from their last LP, Asphalt Meadows, Death Cab For Cutie present their eleventh studio album, I Built You A Tower, released via Anti- on June 5th. The eleven-song project follows three singles, and does well to build on the previous album to continue the group’s good run of form in the 2020s so far.

The first thing that stands out about I Built You A Tower is the ambience. The project has a dreamy, almost surreal quality to it throughout most of the tracklist, pulling the listener into a beautiful, slightly haunting world where the band tells the album’s stories. This is assisted majorly by the hazy, shimmering, resonant guitar tones and the distant, mystical-sounding synth accompaniments. The spacey mixes also make the songs feel bigger and more enthralling, contributing to the atmosphere and to the warm, nostalgic sound profile of the record. There’s a wistful quality to the tracks, making them resonate emotionally significantly more. 

The project is also structured excellently, with the largely softer, more understated tracklist, with standouts like  given some dynamism and variety by the occasional presence of slightly heavier songs with buzzing guitars and more notable percussion, such as “How Heavenly A State”, “Riptides” or the closer, “I Built You A Tower (b)”. The composition is executed on a very high level, with some highlight instrumental parts such as the piano segment on “Trap Door”, or the drum work on the aforementioned “How Heavenly A State”. The project is very consistent from beginning to end, too, with the stretch from “Stone Over Water” to “Riptides” particularly strong.

The writing throughout the album is also on a steadily high level, with some really poetic lyricism in certain parts and captivating imagery all throughout. The wistful themes fit perfectly with the soundscape, adding even further to how engaging the ambience is.

Overall, I Built You A Tower is a very strong, consistent body of work with plenty of personality and a great atmosphere. For a band founded almost thirty years ago, and on their eleventh LP, Death Cab For Cutie still seem to be in no shortage of appealing musical ideas. Every facet of the project is solid and pleasant to listen to, making it a great experience and one of the better albums of the year so far.

7.8/10