Transatlanticism

So sometime in August, we'll be taking my fifteen-year old sister to our first concert together :) Death Cab for Cutie is coming to Singapore and the sweet child is beside herself with excitement! (apparently, when teenagers send you emails typed entirely in caps, that means they're really, really excited...) Jude and I saw them when they played here in Ann Arbor in 2005, but I thought it'll be fun to go with Sam again anyway- I mean, how often do I get a chance to go to a concert with her, and for how much longer before going *anywhere* with her older sister becomes so totally uncool...;)

Even though their new album, Narrow Stairs, has partially redeemed them from the disappointment that I thought was Plans, nothing, and I mean *nothing* has since, or ever, come close to the brilliance and beauty that was Transatlanticism- both the album, and its title track. We had blogged about it here after their concert and till today, after listening to almost everything the band has ever produced, the song remains our all-time favorite Death Cab for Cutie track, and quite possibly one of my favorite songs ever, period. The songwriting is absolutely inspired and the arrangement, pure sumptuous gorgeousness. Listening to it 'live' continues to be one of the highlights of my concert-going experience.

As I was scouring the web for the video for the track, I came across this one. I'm quite sure it's not officially produced or commissioned by the band, but whatever the case is, it is AWESOME! And I mean that. For real. With all seriousness. It's almost weep-worthy... For those of you who like Michel Gondry's visual imagery as much as we do, you'll love this even more- the stop-motion animation is very much reminiscent of his craft, and everything about it just works with the song. Everything. It's genius, really. Watch it, and excuse me while I go sit in the corner and miss my husband way far across the Atlantic...