Death Cab for Cutie Embraces Existential Anxiety on ‘Roman Candles’

Death Cab for Cutie have released a new single, ‘Roman Candles’, offering fans their first listen of the band’s upcoming 10th LP. asphalted meadows, will be released on September 16 via Atlantic. The unmistakably heavy song was produced along with the rest of the album by John Congleton.

“‘Roman Candles’ is about the crippling existential angst that comes with living in a nervous city on a dying planet,” the band said in a statement. “And that the only way to be in the moment is to let it all go.”

Frontman Benjamin Gibbard added, “The lyrics were cobbled together from a few different songs that deal with my general anxiety; feeling that the fabric that weaves together a functioning society crumbled during the pandemic.”

Death Cab for Cutie will embark on a US headlining tour in support of Asphalted meadows this autumn. The walk begins September 22nd at the Sylvee in Madison, Wisconsin and concludes with a two-day finale at the Paramount Theater in Seattle on October 26th and 27th. On select dates, the tour will also be supported by Low and Yo La Tengo. Tour dates and full ticket information, including various advance sales, are available here.

Earlier this year, Gibbard curated Ocean Child: Songs by Yoko Ono, a tribute album honoring the pioneering artist. Death Cab for Cutie covered Ono’s 1973 track “Waiting for the Sunrise” for the collection.

The band’s last album thanks for todayarrived in 2018.

Asphalted meadows is now available for pre-order.