The Photo Album
by Death Cab for Cutie
  • Record Label: Barsuk
  • Release Date: Oct 9, 2001
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Q Magazine
    60
    Full of beautiful pop songs, The Photo Album is just that--a collection of vignettes. [Mar 2002, p.118]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. AllMusic
    60
    The Photo Album does not quite meet the standard set by 2000's stellar We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes on a song-for-song level, but it's still a moving and intelligent collection of wistful pop.
  3. The A.V. Club
    60
    Its 38-minute run time is often marked by pleasant but static, middle-of-the-road material.
  5. Spin Cycle
    50
    The admittedly catchy, three-chord pop structure isn't as effective as in previous DCFC releases--as a basic approach, it seems more thoughtless than deliberately anaesthetizing this time.

Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Best Album of 2001
57
#57 Most Discussed Album of 2001
58
#58 Most Shared Album of 2001

User Reviews

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User Score
8.2

Universal acclaim- based on 40 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 40
  3. Negative: 4 out of 40
  1. starsbedivided
    Jul 7, 2013
    10
    "We Have the Facts" is their best work, but this is definitely a close second. It starts out simply, with "Steadier Footing", one of the best"We Have the Facts" is their best work, but this is definitely a close second. It starts out simply, with "Steadier Footing", one of the best opening tracks after "Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space" and "3rd Planet". Moving on to the middle, a lot of the songs sound the same, yet you can still tell them apart. The end gets a little flat, but "Blacking Out the Friction" is underrated. "Coney Island" would have made a better closing track than "Debate Exposes Doubt", however.… Full Review »
  2. Ricko
    Mar 22, 2013
    7
    This record was the first time I heard this band. First impressions were, these guys are Placebo-Lite crossed with a little bit of Mogwai, butThis record was the first time I heard this band. First impressions were, these guys are Placebo-Lite crossed with a little bit of Mogwai, but that was a bit unfair and they have got their own identity going on. There are plenty of decent tunes on offer here and its only really the tail end of the record that lets it down a little bit. The more you listen, the more you get from the record, and in time, who knows, this might become an 8 record. Also, the bonus disk that comes with some version of this has an awesome, if unexpected version of Bjorks "All Is Full Of Love".… Full Review »
  3. moonman1994
    Dec 15, 2012
    7
    This album is good but it's hard to find a song on it that particularly stands out causing the songs to run together. It just doesn't have theThis album is good but it's hard to find a song on it that particularly stands out causing the songs to run together. It just doesn't have the variety that albums like Transatlanticism or Narrow Stairs have. This is an earlier album and you can tell. It's good but certainly not great.… Full Review »
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