"Death Cab for Cutie's songs live in a tiny, claustrophobic, brilliant space. Every sound matters. Ben Gibbard massages every word he sings, exacting the maximum poignancy from each syllable. Last year's We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes was a subtle, understated master work; an indie-pop album obsessed with the road and the girl that got away. The Photo Album finds Gibbard's lyrics still saturated with travelling references, no doubt due to the band's near constant touring schedule over the past few years. Sonically, comparisons to fellow Washington band Built to Spill are not too far off, but Death Cab for Cutie's songs are much less of a guitar playground than Built to Spill's. They are driven by rhythm and kissed with endearingly repetitive, simple riffs. Doug Martsch's lyrics often come off as randomly pasted-on, abstract thoughts, while Death Cab's songs are carefully constructed around Gibbard's ruminations."  (PopMatters)

"Longtime DCFC fans will undoubtedly embrace The Photo Album as another shimmering jewel in Death Cab for Cutie’s canon, while those who didn't care much for the band before probably won’t find themselves dancing in the streets praising this latest effort. But to quote the popular adage, it’s the little things that count. While the changes the band has made here are small, they are nevertheless the key factor that transforms The Photo Album from a charming pop album into a shimmering Album Of The Year contender."  (Splendid E-zine)

"Everywhere you turn on Photo Album, Gibbard is in transit, singing songs of travelling across America while his bandmates slowly perfect the post-punk melodies that snake their way through these crooked pop songs. It's a great pairing, especially considering tracks like the piano-driven "Information Travels Faster" and "Blacking Out The Friction" seem to be drifting away from the place DCFC used to call home. Throughout, Gibbard makes his way from downers ("Steadier Footing") to rockers ("Styrofoam Plates"), from L.A. ("Why You'd Want To Live Here") to New York ("Coney Island"), while the scenery floats by. As Gibbard keeps on cruising and his songs kick up dust behind him, past expectations fade behind him like the sun."  (Magnet)

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