It's official. It may only be March, but the US press has already hailed Death Cab For Cutie's The Photo Album as "one of the true indie success stories of the year".

Thus far, the figures are impressive: they sold out of their initial U.S. pressing of 20,000 albums in its first week; debuted at #1 and revelled in multi-week support on US College Radio (above The Strokes, Bjork and Mercury Rev!), played sell-out shows across the country and they're making headway in the UK… but the figures only tell half the story.

In a perfect world both Jawbreaker and Heatmiser would reform, and Death Cab would join them on an unforgettable world tour. In a near-perfect world Death Cab would tour Australia with Weezer and Jimmy Eat World and do for glorious dream-pop, heart-heaving rock what the White Stripes, Strokes and Hives have done for retro-rock. They'd be recognised for kicking open the door of post-emo, and prove that there is indeed plenty of optimism in these melodically-drenched melancholic pop songs.

If you haven't heard of Death Cab For Cutie yet, that's OK. As soon as you become acquainted with The Photo Album, you'll soon find yourself spending many a quality hour with them: studying their ingenius lyrics, marvelling at their sparkling melodies, syncopated jagged rhythms and soaring indie hooks. And it won't be long before you're rushing to your favourite record store, demanding to hear their back-catalogue, questioning HOW they have escaped your ears until now.

They have the passion of Weezer circa Pnkerton and the dynamics of Built To Spill circa Perfect From Now On. Its impossible to comprehend that not only is this just their third LP but their first recorded in a studio and not someone's bedroom! If you think the English are onto something, catching on to Idlewild's brand of gripping rock riffs and jarring melodies, you're right. And Australia would have to be deaf to not recognise Death Cab's seamless execution of guitar-crunching, exhilarating pop.

As one zine said "if you can listen to their Built To Spill meets the Smiths meeting Sleater-Kinney meets Galaxie 500 brand of indie-rock and not get excited you must be dead inside." This is an album you'll want to bestow on your closest friends like a treasured gift.

As with Architecture's 2001 release of Death Cab's We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes!, Australian fans will receive a special edition of Photo Album, featuring 4 additional tracks not on the US pressing, including a mystical take on Bjork's All Is Full Of Love. The Photo Album out through The Architecture Label Monday March 18, 2002.
:::::::home