As Death Cab for Cutie gear up for the release of their new album, Asphalt Meadows, the indie rock quintet have unveiled “Here to Forever,” a rock and roll examination of mortality.
“In every movie I watch from the ’50s,” Ben Gibbard sings to kick off the track. “There’s only one thought that swirls around my head now/ That’s that everyone there on the screen/ Yeah everyone there on the screen/ They’re all dead now.” This catchy existential crisis reaches its peak in the chorus, as he wails, “I want to feel the pressure/ Of God, or whatever.”
“It’s a song both about our impermanence and the anxiety of these times,” Gibbard said in a statement. “It’s also about wanting to believe in something bigger even when it feels like nothing is out there.”
The track comes with a music video from Lance Bangs. It co-stars comedians Natalie Palamides and Courtney Pauroso as the oddball owners of a record pressing operation. The visuals open with them trying to get Gibbard to go away, even as he seeks to collect a stack of Death Cab vinyls. In the end, there’s nothing for him to do but roll up his already-rolled-up sleeves and press the records himself. Check out “Here to Forever” below.
Asphalt Meadows arrives September 16th via Atlantic, and pre-orders are ongoing. Previously, the band shared lead single “Roman Candles.” Death Cab is currently on tour supported by Yo La Tengo, illuminati hotties, and Low, and you can get your tickets here.
