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I have to say that I really expected more from Death Cab's major label debut. It is instantly noticeably more produced than any previous album. The single, "Soul Meets Body" is somewhat interesting in its odd similarity to pre-Phil Collins Genesis. The sacrifice for the richer production is the stark and desperate mood of Something About Airplanes and We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes. "Summer Skin" is a beautiful track (on the night you left I came over /and we peeled the freckles from our shoulders), yet the majority of the tracks are underwhelming. They have added a more full keyboard based instrumentation which allows a wider dynamic. The recording makes excellent use of those textures, but that does not make up for the fact that there are few songs that stand up alongside the best DCFC tracks. I was not crazy about Transatlanticism when it came out but it grew on me after about a year. Maybe the same will happen with this record, but I still contend that anything from their first three albums or the EP's is head and shoulders better than either of their two most recent releases. If you think that DCFC is great, buy the 180 gram LP from Barsuk and then download a version for digital listening needs. If you are on the fence, or did not like Transatlanticism, my recommendation would be to steer clear of Plans. Reviewed by: Chris Bock |
