Directions

AMG Review of Directions

Rob Theakston
All Music Guide

Directions is an ambitious song-by-song visual supplement to Death Cab for Cutie's excellent 2005 Plans release. Proposals from around the world were submitted to the band, and a budget was allowed for 13 finalists to create videos that would translate their visions into reality. The results range from the existential and tragic ("Marching Bands of Manhattan," "What Sarah Said") to the innocent and charming. Rob Schrab's animation to "Crooked Teeth" is quite easily the highlight of the disc, and also noteworthy is Autumn DeWilde's interpretation of "Different Names for the Same Thing," which features an elementary school marching band redoing the song in mildly out-of-tune glory. This is definitely something Death Cab fans will enjoy, and a special tip of the cap goes to the bandmembers for allowing their songs to be adopted so idiosyncratically by other people.