-
9.6
144749
9.6 |
Sputnik Music (staff)
It may not be quite on the level of albums like Plans or Transatlanticism, but truthfully, it's really not that far off from that level of greatness. Death Cab is here to stay, my friends, and here's to hoping that there's many more to come
Read Review
-
9.0
144743
9.0 |
All Music
Their hardest-rocking and emotionally urgent set in a while, I Built You a Tower is a strong reminder of why Death Cab have touched so many hearts over the decades, still refusing to rest on their legacy with this liberated, creative flash that pays off in droves
Read Review
-
8.3
144789
8.3 |
Paste Magazine
The indie-rock kings’ eleventh album is a song cycle that frequently rivals the most poignant and electrifying peaks of their breakout era of the 2000s
Read Review
-
8.0
144787
8.0 |
Under The Radar
With his fans growing up and facing similar issues while also yearning for the simplicity of youth, on I Built You a Tower Gibbard reminds us that we are not alone
Read Review
-
8.0
144829
8.0 |
musicOMH
Latest album from Ben Gibbard and co harks back to the band's glory days and is a welcome return to form
Read Review
-
8.0
144835
8.0 |
God Is In The TV
No sensible person wishes anyone else to go through heartbreak, but if it leads to Death Cab for Cutie album number 12, let the pain and poetry commence
Read Review
-
8.0
144756
8.0 |
The Skinny
A sonic diary of a man compartmentalising loss, the indie legends' rejuvenation on their eleventh record ensures I Built You a Tower is assembled on solid ground
Read Review
-
8.0
144761
8.0 |
The Line Of Best Fit
If it’s not a return to their earliest sound, it does capture a carefree attitude. It’s far from the sound of a band at a crossroads, this is some of the most urgent music of their career
Read Review
-
8.0
144769
8.0 |
Clash
Though the album obviously deals with themes of loss, it remains multidimensional in its approach, and it is a brave and astute reflection on times gone by
Read Review
-
8.0
144782
8.0 |
Mojo
The New Order effervescence of The Flavor of Metal and keening anthemics of Riptides ensure these bruised wisdoms resonate as deeply as they do. Print edition only
-
7.8
144741
7.8 |
Northern Transmissions
Gibbard impressively sounds his age despite having gotten off the road mainlining nostalgia on consecutive anniversary tours. While everything may have been falling apart around Gibbard, Death Cab kept it together
Read Review
-
7.8
144806
7.8 |
Pitchfork
Ben Gibbard and co. sound freshly emboldened on their first record in four years, with musicianship that evokes the band’s golden era and a mature, self-aware perspective on hardships and grief
Read Review
-
7.5
144830
7.5 |
No Ripcord
A record about coming to terms with the end of a relationship. It’s not about finding happiness or total resolution—hopefully, Gibbard finds this in his near future. Until then, I hope he and his bandmates can enjoy a well-earned victory lap after producing their best work in two decades
Read Review
-
7.5
144750
7.5 |
Spectrum Culture
One of the most personally exposed records Death Cab have made, but its impact will depend on the listener’s patience for sadness that no longer feels young
Read Review
-
7.0
144783
7.0 |
Uncut
The agitated "How Heavenly A State", the world-weary "Riptides" and two renditions of the title song, the first wistful, the second brutally self-flagellating, enact the stages of a musical exorcism. Print edition only
-
7.0
144765
7.0 |
PopMatters
Death Cab for Cutie’s first release for their new label, I Built You a Tower, is a full-circle collection that still adds new layers to their signature sound
Read Review
-
6.0
144740
6.0 |
Kerrang!
While not every track hits that hard, this is still a worthy addition to the band’s catalogue of poignant, sorrowful songs
Read Review
-
6.0
144841
6.0 |
Spill Magazine
I Built You a Tower doesn’t stand as a tower on its own within the Death Cab catalogue, but it offers enough memorable moments to give both longtime fans and newcomers something to enjoy
Read Review
-