Plans

With a growing indie-rock fan base that included <i>O.C.</i> character Seth Cohen, Death Cab for Cutie finally moved up to a major label with <i>Plans</i>, their fifth full-length release. It’s both the modestly forward-looking effort past listeners would have expected and a bold leap forward. Ben Gibbard again sings for those with aching hearts, a bit puzzled about where they find their young lives going, but this time from a more resolutely grown-up position. Like R.E.M. before them, Death Cab is building an impressive catalog from diverse blocks that click into place nicely.