Music 'Plans'

One of the things that appeals to me more than anything else, when it comes to music that I like, are the lyrics. While I can get into a song that has a catchy riff or beat, if there is nothing to the lyrics, it becomes more difficult. There is an album that comes out at the end of the month that perfectly illustrates what I love about music. That album is the latest from Death Cab for Cutie, “Plans”. In the few weeks that I have been listening to it, “Plans” has quickly become my favorite album so far this year. I have been a fan of the band for a while and I think that this represents their best writing to date.

For the most part, the songs are relatively depressing (not a bad thing). There is one song (happens to be my favorite) that is not as depressing as it is morbidly romantic. “I Will Follow You into the Dark” is the fifth track on the album and because of the stripped down simplicity of the music, you are allowed to, if not forced to focus on the lyrics. “If there is no one beside you when your soul embarks… then I will follow you into the dark.” It is a beautifully romantic song. The line from the song, “What Sarah Said”, really captures the mood of the album…“Love is watching someone die.”

There is so much pain and truth in the writing of “Plans”. That is what I respond to... truth. There are many people I know that dismiss some music as ‘depressing’, but there is nothing depressing about this. Yes, the stories that they tell are not happy, but neither is life. I think that is comforting to be able to relate to the pain that another person is going through. When you feel lonely, what is better than knowing that you are not alone in what you are going through?

Back to the album…
“Plans” is being released on Tuesday, August 30. With this album, Death Cab is poised for breakout mainstream success. The first single is already being played on the radio (“Soul Meets Body”). If you have never heard of Death Cab for Cutie before, this is a great one to start with. Another album to pick up is their previous one, “Transatlanticism”.

Since I already said that “Plans” is my favorite this year, I thought I would list some of the other albums that I really responded to this year…
Ben Folds – Songs for Silverman
Jack Johnson – In Between Dreams
The New Pornographers – Twin Cinema
Bright Eyes – I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning
Beck – Guero
Sleater Kinney – The Woods
Coldplay – X&Y
Snow Patrol – Final Straw (I know that it came out in 2004)

And…
Some that I am looking forward to…
Sigur Ros – Takk (9/13)
Fiona Apple – Extraodinary Machine (10/4)
Franz Ferdinand – You Could Have It So Much Better (10/4)
Dashboard Confessional (10/11)
Built to Spill
Iron and Wine + Calexico
Flaming Lips
The Killers
The Shins
The Strokes