– Fenton Wright, Web Services Coordinator
Yes, it is still 2026. Your eyes are not deceiving you, Death Cab for Cutie did release a new album earlier this year! Along with this new album came a host of songs including “Punching the Flowers” that remind us that Death Cab for Cutie is just as good, and still improving for close to 30 years.
Fresh Sound…
There is something almost comforting about listening to Death Cab for Cutie in 2026. It reminds me of a time before I was born. It makes me think of the early 2000s. Everyone wearing polos, spiky hair, and of course Seth Cohen from The OC. On “Punching the Flowers,” Death Cab channel some of what makes their old music so good and synthesize it with a more modern indie pop sound.
The lyrics of this song might be some of my favorites from new releases this year. They create this painfully beautiful picture of someone longing to have some kind of happiness or freedom in their life. However, with the line “punching the flowers,” Death Cab makes it clear to us that this person is fighting any chance that they have to be happy whether knowingly or unknowingly. In this process of trying to take control of their lives, these people end up missing out on the things and people that love them.
What I love about this music video is the way it all swells to this somewhat big, but quiet moment at the end where everyone is putting their all into these dance routines. At the beginning and through most of the video, the men in the dance pairs seemed distant from their partners, mirroring the lyrics.
Same Style
If you don’t know Death Cab, the best advice that I can give you is to start listening to their vast discography immediately. They have numerous albums, spanning across countless genres. There is almost no way that you get bored of them! For me, my introduction came through The OC, and one of my favorite characters Seth Cohen. Death Cab and Seth, in my mind, fully emody the 2000s alternative/pop-emo scene.
Listen to More!
Like I have mentioned before, there is so much more Death Cab for you to check out! On top of that, they are currently on tour around the United States, so be sure to check out those dates and try and see them if you can!
