So Death Cab is one of those bands that’s been a holdover for me since my high school days. I think they’ve actually matured pretty well, and found a good niche for their sound. Ben Gibbard’s ear for catchy melodies can’t really be disputed (see: that Postal Service record I was never really into), and Chris Walla’s production chops are top notch (remember when he did that Knock Knock Knock EP for Hot Hot Heat? He made those guys sound like they had mad swagger back then).
Anyway, I’m digging DCFC’s new EP, The Open Door. A few hits (‘My Mirror Speaks,’ ‘I Was Once a Loyal Lover’) and a few misses (‘Little Bribes’ wasn’t the best choice for an opener, in my opinion). It’s no Narrow Stairs, for sure — after all, that record has ‘Cath…’, one of the best songs they’ve written — but there’s still plenty to like. I normally don’t do this, but I’ll go track by track and highlight some of the finer points.
‘Little Bribes’ is a decent song, but comes off a bit too peppy and divergent from the sound most people would probably expect. It’s a good song — the use of the galloping acoustic guitar with tambourines is executed very well — but again, the placement of it as an opener doesn’t really do it justice. ‘A Diamond and a Tether’ moves at a much slower pace, but catches the more delicate nature of their acoustic stuff that they’re generally pretty good at; except this time they kind of give it a country twist, with reverb-ed up lead guitar licks and a small amount of organ layering. ‘My Mirror Speaks’ bounces along on snappy handclaps, simple snare hits, and zippy hi-hats. Gibbard’s voice still has his usual quaver and vibrato, but he uses it best on this particular track, especially with lines like “Like a soldier I can’t command / As he sees a frightened child / In the body of a full-grown man”. ‘I Was Once a Loyal Lover’ starts right away with a vocal hook you can tell will fit with the title about .02 seconds in. It’s easily my favorite on the EP, though; It seems to be the most fleshed out of the bunch, and they make great use of loud and quiet dynamics (I always love when they utilize distortion in their sound, even when it’s just a guitar that’s moved a bit further back in the mix). Lastly, full disclosure: ‘Talking Bird’ was my least favorite song on Narrow Stairs, and this demo version doesn’t improve upon it all that much. I do like the usage of the mandolin, but the song still kind of falls flat in terms of being all that interesting.
We’ll say a 6.5 out of a possible 10. Definitely worth a listen, if you can get past the track order and the slightly country-esque feel of the first half.
DOWNLOADS:
Death Cab For Cutie – I Was Once A Loyal Lover
Death Cab For Cutie – Cath…
Buy it from insound: The Open Door EP
