Death Cab For Cutie's New Album, Tour

Death Cab for Cutie — the band partially responsible for introducing heartfelt indie pop to the mainstream — will release their 11-song major-label debut, Plans, on Atlantic Records August 30.

In support of the follow-up to 2003's critically lauded Transatlanticism, the Seattle quartet will take their intensely emotional jangle-pop on the road beginning October 3 in Vancouver, B.C.

The band, who found commercial success following a live appearance on Fox's hit teen soap "The OC," will tour the U.S. and Canada throughout October and November, stopping at Ann Arbor, Michigan's Michigan Theatre October 14 and Carlisle, Pennsylvania's Dickinson College October 21, later wrapping it up in their hometown November 18.

Death Cab will also play Japan's Summer Sonic festival August 13 and 14, New York City's Central Park Summerstage August 18, and the Austin City Limits Festival September 24. They will perform on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" September 27.

Death Cab stuck with their guitarist/organist Chris Walla as the producer for Plans; Walla also produced the band's past four releases, as well as records by the Long Winters, Nada Surf and Hot Hot Heat. Reportedly, the new album does not diverge greatly from previous releases, retaining the ability to stick a lump in the listener's throat with touching lyrics and emotional arrangements that rush, build and break around clean production and tight yet lighthearted playing.

Plans tracks: "Marching Bands of Manhattan," "Different Names for the Same Thing," "I Will Follow You Into the Dark," "Summer Skin," "Your Heart Is an Empty Room," "Someday You Will Be Loved," "Crooked Teeth," "Stable Song," "Brothers on a Hotel Bed" (written by Walla), "What Sarah Said" and "Soul Meets Body" (which you can currently stream off the Neumu homepage).

Forming in Bellingham, Washington in 1997, Death Cab began as singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard's side project. Gibbard caught his impassioned, breezy coos and infectious Beatles-esque melodies on cassette, naming it You Can Play These Songs With Chords, and, consequently, caught the attention of a strong underground following. The attention prompted Gibbard to transform Death Cab into a full band, bringing Walla, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Nathan Good (later replaced by Michael Schorr, who, in turn, was replaced by current drummer Jason McGerr) on board.

The band released their debut album, Something About Airplanes, in 1998, following it with 2000's We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes and The Photo Album in 2001, all on indie Barsuk Records. The Postal Service, Gibbard's recent electronica-meets-indie-pop collaboration with Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello, created an underground sensation with their album Give Up (Sub Pop), which also helped popularize Death Cab.

Death Cab recently released the DVD "Drive Well Sleep Carefully," which features live performances from a spring 2004 tour and 13 live songs culled from their eight-year career. Shot on 16 millimeter film by director Justin Mitchell, the DVD also features interviews, an acoustic performance and behind-the-scenes footage. — Jenny Tatone [Thursday, August 11, 2005]

Death Cab For Cutie Tour Dates

Oct. 3; Vancouver, B.C.; Commodore Ballroom
Oct. 4; Vancouver, B.C.; Commodore Ballroom
Oct. 5; Walla Walla, Wash.; Whitman College
Oct. 7; Salt Lake City, Utah; In the Venue
Oct. 8; Denver, Colo.; The Fillmore Auditorium
Oct. 10; Minneapolis, Minn.; First Avenue (All Ages)
Oct. 11; Minneapolis, Minn.; First Avenue (21 and over)
Oct. 12; Chicago, Ill.; Riviera Theatre
Oct. 14; Ann Arbor, Mich.; Michigan Theatre
Oct. 15; Toronto, Ontario; Kool Haus
Oct. 16; Montreal, Quebec; Le Spectrum
Oct. 17; Boston, Mass.; Orpheum Theatre
Oct. 19; New York, N.Y.; Hammerstein Ballroom
Oct. 21; Carlisle, Pa.; Dickinson College
Oct. 22; Providence, R.I.; Lupo's at the Strand
Oct. 23; Washington, D.C.; 9:30 Club
Oct. 25; Philadelphia, Pa.; Electric Factory
Oct. 28; Nashville, Tenn.; War Memorial Auditorium
Oct. 29; Atlanta, Ga.; The Tabernacle
Oct. 30; Orlando, Fla.; Hard Rock Live
Nov. 4; Dallas, Texas; Ridglea Theater
Nov. 5; Austin, Texas; Stubb's Barbeque
Nov. 8; Phoenix, Ariz.; Marquee Theatre
Nov. 9; San Diego, Calif.; SOMA
Nov. 11; Los Angeles, Calif.; The Wiltern
Nov. 13; San Francisco, Calif.; Warfield Theatre
Nov. 16; Portland, Ore.; Crystal Ballroom
Nov. 18; Seattle; Paramount Theatre

Youth Group open October 3 through 19; Stars open October 21 through November 18