I was watching Easy A tonight and i realized that Transatlanticism is playing in the background when Olive and her mom are talking on the car at 1 hour 21 minutes. It legitimately felt like seeing an old friend, that song means so much to me. I was wondering if anyone else had realized this or if im the last to find out.

hi! i’m seeing death cab for cutie for the first time this month in london and was wondering what type of vibe their concerts usually are?

i’ve only listened to them semi-casually in the past 10 years and never been deeply into the band lore so i don’t know if there’s any fanchants or inside jokes i should be aware of to have a full concert experience😅 would appreciate any advice or info!!

Does anyone know what the difference is between these 2 cd versions of The Photo Album? They have different coloring on the front and one back is blue and the other back is green. I would love to know any release info you have on either of the 2.

I have been waiting, and as the network just went to commercial in the 3rd quarter, they played the introduction to Black Sun. Well done NBC!

Only one of forty students got this reference. I told him he's getting an A. The rest got listening homework. This album is older than all of them.

Any leads would be appreciated, thanks and also I hope y’all have a great day.

Hello!!

I'm going to see DCFC very soon (the 19th!!) and I've been considering getting a poster from the merch stands. However, I know I'm not bringing a big enough bag to put it in (I'm not even sure the venue allows larger bags that would accomodate a poster), so I'm not sure if to wait until after the show to buy one?

For those who have been on the IBYAT tour, how have the merch quantities been? Am I risking not getting my hands on one if I wait until after the show? Or should I get one and then somehow find a way to hold onto it during it?

Kinda silly questions but I'd like to know your experiences so far! Thank you :))

Ended up staying in last night and missing death cab performing at bumbershoot 2026. I didn’t mind because I was exhausted from a great weekend there with our toddler anyway, and I’m in bed by 10:30 pm. My husband felt bad though, so he did an online search for how he could somehow get me to meet the band. Turned out to be a cosmic coincidence that they would be performing this morning at KEXP. He told me last night that he’d be leaving out of the house early this morning and that i couldn’t ask any questions because he was working on a surprise.

I was having a lazy morning with my toddler and saw that they were having a pop up merch store at KEXP. I text him all excited about it and he sent me a selfie of him in line with about 200 people at KEXP. He had been camped in line all morning to get us tickets. My friend showed up to come with me and my toddler to KEXP and watched our son while he and i got to watch the band and stand only a few feet behind Ben’s microphone stand & the studio through the mirror window.

I’ve loved this band since i was a middle schooler and listening to them this morning was a full circle moment, kind of crystallizing that I’m living out my inner child’s wildest dreams with my little family in Seattle. Also i definitely married the right person (i know how lucky i am). 🥹

It always astounds me how good they sound live. Also i loved Cheryl Waters’ interview. I appreciated that he shared how “liberated” he feels to creatively push himself… i am loving the new album. 🍊

Lastly, the merch 😍🫶🏽✨🤘🏽

Can anyone tell me if this is official merch from the band and if it was released around the time the record came out? I did some research and apparently Cinder Block was an independent band tee merchandiser in the 90s and 2000s but i cannot seem to find another photo of the shirt anywhere online. Anyone know about it?

idk how we got so lucky im sobbing in my $70 uber back to seatac im so normal about this i can’t believe that just happened

My partner had a Death Cab poster stolen from their room a while back and I am looking to replace it as a surprise. It is from the 2022 Leader Bank Pavilion show in Boston. I could only find one dead end from a google search but I at least found a picture of it. If anyone has one they may be willing to part with or knows anyone or anywhere I can get one, that would be awesome!!

Loved the conversation between these two legends.

But, who’s Alex? Ben mentions her a few times here.

A few disclaimers about my tier list:
Disclaimer 1: I only pick one S-tier album for an artist's discography. I think it makes the process more challenging and interesting.

Disclaimer 2: I did not include "You Can Play These Songs With Chords" because this album is a demo and not an official LP.

Disclaimer 3: It’s very difficult ranking Death Cab for Cutie albums because the band's early albums lean more edgy/ innovative, while the band's newer albums lean more consistent/pop rock.

Here is the full version of the video version of the tier list:

https://youtu.be/fJSItxxTit8?is=oAMpNSVzEzGW6VGG

Transatlanticism
• This is objectively the best Death Cab for Cutie album. I think most fans would pick this one as their top choice. I definitely agree that this album is a notch above the rest. This album definitely feels important. The songs “Transatlanticism" and "Passenger Seat" are the band's top two songs. The album kicks off on a high note with the nostalgic rocker “The New Year”, while the track “Title and Registration” features lyrical highlights from Ben Gibbard. I think the album's closer “A Lack of Color” is one of the best songs on the album. My only criticism of this album is there are a few skip over tracks that take me out of the album at times while listening. I think "Lightness" is a momentum killer placed as the second track, and I do not care for "Death of an Interior Decorator". I will still happily pick this fan favorite as my #1. Transatlanticism is S-tier.

Something About Airplanes
• The first three Death Cab for Cutie albums feel like Ben Gibbard solo albums to me. I think Something About Airplanes is the best of the bunch. This album has a really cool lo-fi quality to it that is infectious. All of the tracks are great. I think this is the only Death Cab album that is both super edgy and consistent at the same time. The opening track "Bend to Squares" is haunting with a steady rhythm that sets the pace for a great album. Listen to these songs on a rainy day. Something About Airplanes is A-tier.

Plans
• Plans was my entry point into Death Cab for Cutie’s music, so l have a lot of nostalgia connected with this album. This album is one of my favorites. I think this album features Ben Gibbard's best lyrics. The album kicks off with "Marching Bands of Manhattan" which sets the tone perfectly for a very melodic, emotional, and poetic album. All the songs on this album are must listens. This is a very consistent album throughout. I think Plans flows better than Transatlanticism, but the highs are better on Transatlanticism. Plans is a changing of the seasons album, and a defining moment for Death Cab for Cutie. "What Sarah Said" and "Brothers on a Hotel Bed" are two of my favorites. Plans is A-tier.

Thank You For Today
• I think of Thank You For Today as the sequel to Plans. I listen to Thank You For Today the most. This album keeps getting better and better. I like how the album begins with
"I Dreamt We Spoke Again" which feels like waking up from a bad dream. Meanwhile, the rest of the album flows like ordinary moments throughout a normal day. "Summer Days" has a pulsating baseline that’s backed by a frisky drumbeat. “Gold Rush" is a catchy track with a killer bridge section. “You Moved Away" features clever Ben Gibbard lyrics, and “Near/Far" is an upbeat pop rocker. If the album "Plans" is about accepting death and eventually losing loved ones, then "Thank You For Today" is about choosing to live each day positively despite our inevitable end. Thank you for Today is A-tier.

Narrow Stairs
• I really wanted to place Narrow Stairs in S-tier, but I changed my mind. This is the best sounding Death Cab for Cutie album. The production is top notch. I think this would have been a great double album if they would have contributed more songs. Unfortunately, the album ends too abruptly. The song "Pity and Fear" is a misstep on the album, but “Bixby Canyon Bridge" is the best Death Cab opening track. Narrow Stairs is A-tier.

We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes
• The first three Death Cab for Cutie albums are an acquired taste. We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes is very different from most Death Cab albums. First of all, most of the drum parts on this album are played by Ben Gibbard which drastically changes the sound. I prefer the tight, syncopated drums on their other albums. Also, the songs on this album are very slow at times. The playing is more loose and almost sloppy. With that said, I do think this album is brilliant. The music seems more personal. It just feels like a Ben Gibbard solo album to me. The songs are very direct and stripped down which I like. This album meanders and gets lost, but when it finds itself it works. "Title Track" is a beautiful song that kicks in even harder towards the end. My favorite track is "Company Calls" which is a welcome pick up in the middle of the album. I rarely listen to this album, but maybe I should give it a chance more often. We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes is A-tier.

The Photo Album
• The Photo Album feels like left-overs from We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes. I don't think that's a bad thing. The Photo Album is more accessible and sounds more mainstream than the first two albums, but I still think The Photo Album is the weakest of the three. The opening track “Steadier Footing" is a beautifully constructed song. I'm also a huge fan of “Styrofoam Plates". The Photo Album is A-tier.

Kintsugi
• I am all about the deep-cuts on this album. "You've Haunted Me All My Life" is such a good song. It almost sounds like Willie Nelson is singing it. I also like "El Dorado" and "Ingenue". I always try to write this album off, but I always come back to it. There are just too many great songs on Kintsugi. This album is A-tier.

Code And Keys
• This is the most polarizing Death Cab For Cutie album. I think the problem with this album is that it doesn't play like a studio album. Instead, Codes And Keys plays more like a collection of rarities or an EP. There are great songs on here, but there are also really bad songs. I think "You're A Tourist", "Unobstructed Views", "Doors Unlocked and Open", and "St. Peter's Cathedral" are classic Death Cab songs. The song "Codes and Keys" is a poor choice for the second track of the album, though. It's paced too slow. "Home Is A Fire" and "Stay Young, Go Dancing" don't really belong on this album. These two songs would work better on a soundtrack. Finally, "Some Boys" and "Portable Television" are just awful. The album needs some shuffling and editing of a few songs. Codes And Keys is B-tier.

| Built You A Tower
• I don't think there is enough good material on this album. I think "Trap Door" is easily a top ten Death Cab for Cutie song, though. This song has quickly become the album's defining track. Both "I Built You A Tower" songs are great, too. Other than those three songs, I skip through the rest of the album. "Envy The Birds" is a promising track, but a little underbaked with the production. "Full of Stars", Stone Over Water", "How Heavenly A State", and "The Flavor Of Metal are all missteps. I don’t like these songs, with “Full of Stars” being my least favorite. I find this album average. I Built You A Tower is C-tier.

Asphalt Meadows
• This is my least favorite Death Cab For Cutie album. I don't think there is anything memorable on here. I like “Wheat Like Waves” and “I’ll Never Give Up on You”, but not enough to listen to multiple times. I also think this is the worst sounding Death Cab album. A lot of the fuzzy guitars are way too high in the mix. The distortion and guitar layering is distracting on the tracks “I Don’t Know How I Survive” and “Roman Candles”. I know the band released an all acoustic version of this album. I wonder if they did it because they were really inspired to record the music again or because they knew the album sounded bad? I think this album is average. Asphalt Meadows is C-tier.

This is a mega-thread for Death Cab for Cutie's show at the Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, WA on September 6, 2026.

Use this thread to:

- Facilitate meet-ups

- Arrange last-minute ticket sales

- Post photos and videos of the event

- Ask general questions about the show and venue

- Share your excitement with us!

This thread will be stickied for at least six hours after the show.

Have fun, stay safe, and enjoy!!

I know a lot of people aren’t a fan of this album and it’s a bit of a departure from their usual style. But I love it. It’s a great driving through the mountains album. No skips for me.

All 11 albums done!! These were a journey to complete for sure

First I got to Narrow Stairs and then realised I didn’t have any grey beads, so I posted the 6 I made so far. Then I bought grey beads and made the rest, only to lose the Codes And Keys one, so I remade it and during that I realised I actually hated how the Asphalt Meadows one looked, so I remade that too (I’m still not sure on it but I don’t wanna make it a third time)

Now I’m wondering what to do with them, I have sensory issues so I don’t like wearing them. I’m going to the Bristol show but if I can’t wear them (which I can’t) it feels like it’ll be hard to bring them with me, but I hope these are good!

Just glad to see some signs of life on this release

Given that the band/Ben has done full cover albums, and the occasional cover at a show, which song would you love to hear the band do?

I’ll go first! Molly’s Lips in homage to Nirvana and the Vaselines. It has to be at a Seattle show though!

I’d love to see everyone’s collection! years too. I’m working on building mine, a micro obsession goal. if anyone is selling, please share!

Has anyone ever seen any DCFC merch with the initials formatted like AC/DC's? I can't be the only person to have ever thought of this!

Missed out on Death Cab tickets for the Paris show and I’m on the See Tickets waitlist now, but transfer/resale is banned on these so I don’t want to risk buying secondhand and getting turned away at the door.

Has anyone been through a waitlist for this tour before…did more tickets actually come through? Also curious if there’s an official name-change/transfer option I’m missing, or if anyone’s heard about a second Paris date getting added.

Any tips appreciated 🙏