Plans (studio album) by Death Cab For Cutie

From HoldenM 09/14/2023 00:08

I will always love this album, despite how disjointed it is. I don't know. Something about it just doesn't flow. Which is weird, because almost every individual track is excellent. Still, I don't mind a glossier, bigger-sounding Death Cab. The sheen of a major label suits them just fine. If the songwriting is a step down, it's not a big one. And at the end of the day, this is still one of my favorite records and one of the most formative discoveries of my lifetime.

I'm not sure why, but I just find this kind of music incredibly depressing and sad. Not in a good 'I will learn something from this sadness way', it just sounds like music they play when someone dies on a TV show to me. Not all songs on this album are like that, but a lot of them are.

From luigybetis 09/11/2018 13:45

Best album by DCFC. 9+/10.

This album contains a lot of my favorite DCFC songs:
Marching Bands Of Manhattan
Soul Meets Body
Summer Skin
Different Names For The Same Thing
What Sarah Said
Brothers On A Hotel Bed

All those hits force me to rate this album high. However, I don't think it is their more cohesive album. Narrow Stairs and The Photo Album sound more like great albums to me, even though they might have a few less hit songs. Plans is great because many songs in it are great, as those other two are just great albums because of how you can listen to them as a whole and feel a sense of continuity and greatness.

That being said, I love Plans and "What Sarah Said" has to be one of the most touching song I ever heard, I can hardly listen to this song without crying even after all those listens.

From Brad1770 04/07/2018 07:34

I do like me a nice slice of Indy Pop yet somehow the D.C.F.C catalogue had completely passed me by ...until now

'Plans' is the rather excellent major label debut for the band and bursts with sparkling melodies and infectious hooks from beginning to end

The absolute high point for me was "Crooked Teeth" , followed by the other 2 album singles "Soul Meets Body" and "I Will Follow You Into The Dark"

I'm so glad I've connected with D.C.F.C and 'Plans' , I'll definitely be digging deep into their remaining albums

Delicious

75/100

I wish I could give this album a perfect score but the three duds on it (Different Names For The Same Thing, Someday You Will Be Loved, and Stable Song) prevent me from doing so. All the other songs are wonderful. But it's particularly hard for me not to skip the three I have mentioned whereas Transatlanticism arguably has no duds. Overall, the album is still amazing and is definitely worth your time. Especially good album for late summer early fall. Highlights: Marching Bands of Manhattan, Soul Meets Body, I Will Follow You Into The Dark and Crooked Teeth. I feel awful not mentioning many other songs.

Death Cab's appeal is not universal because at their core they are a soft alternative emo band that lives unabashedly on the emotion of bittersweet.

For the people that can plug into this emotional vulnerability, Plans is a real treat.

Death Cab's 2nd best album doesn't reach Transatlanticism because of it's duds.

Stable and Someday You Will be Loved are throwaways.

I really like What Sarah Said but I can see why it lacks appeal; it is repetitive and takes far too long to find out what sarah said. Ditto for Brothers on a Hotel Bed.

It's track 1-5 run is excellent and repeat listens add to it's appeal.

Plans and Transatlanticism before are it are the height of Death Cab popularity and excellence.

From alexgagne 02/25/2016 18:28

Overall this is a good soft alternative rock album...an easy and pleasant listening.

Favorite tracks: Soul Meets Body (85/100), I Will Follow You Into The Dark (90) ... Concensus on BEA here!

Less favorite tracks: Someday You Will Be Loved (75), What Sarah Said (70), Stable Song (70)

The most accessible and well-constructed Death Cab album, chock full of beauty and timeless songs.

From flyingcitrus 02/26/2015 23:32

I think the singles from this album are among Death Cab's best, but many of the tracks are forgettable. It's a decent album that struggles living up to its predecessor.