Going two-for-two with John Congleton, indie stalwarts Death Cab for Cutie built upon 2022’s excellent Asphalt Meadows to create something even more timeless with their 11th full-length, I Built You a Tower. Back on an indie label and reinvigorated by sold-out, arena-packed anniversary tours, Tower benefits from a simpler, more direct approach that was achieved by the band locking in to record the album in less than a month. Without overextending or relying on too many production tricks, it’s a refreshing and surprisingly pure experience that harkens back to those early-aughts days when the band first blew up in the mainstream.
Thriving in this space, their trademark tender yearning elevates highlights like the soaring…