Rand Mcnally

Death Cab’s mix of youthful fragility and deep, romantic yearning is one of the hallmarks of modern rock. Even at their most melodramatic, they maintain composure in ways their emo ancestors didn’t, and their 10th album in a now-25-year career is no exception. But like the imagery behind its title, Asphalt Meadows is a rougher sound than the sometimes porcelain smoothness of their 2010s albums, mining similar tender—brisk New Wave (“I Miss Strangers,” “Asphalt Meadows”), gentle Americana (“Rand McNally”), and big, atmospheric ballads (“I’ll Never Give Up On You”).

American indie-rock legends Death Cab for Cutie release an all-new acoustic edition of their tenth studio album Asphalt Meadows. Co-produced by Andy Park (Pedro the Lion, Joseph, Noah Gunderson) and Death Cab for Cutie, the new release sees the band presenting stripped-down takes on each of the original album's tracks.