Death Cab for Cutie: The Open Door EP Track Reviews!
Little Bribes
According to DCFC, The Open Door EP is not to be considered a collection of b-sides from Narrow Stairs, but rather, songs that didn't fit on their (with a few exceptions) utterly depressing record. "Little Bribes" was too happy to make the cut, yet its cheery chord progression doesn't save it from being downright forgettable - besides the noodley, distracting guitar solo that continued over the vocals. That was, unfortunately, hard to forget. Still, Gibbard's description of the casino life is clever on this one; "Every slot machine is a robot amputee waving hello/the people stare into their eyes and feed them little bribes and then they go." "Little Bribes" is by no means a bad song, just disappointing.
Death Cab for Cutie - Little Bribes.mp3
A Diamond and a Tether
When a member of Death Cab for Cutie is romantically connected to the queen of indie cuteness, this type of song is just uncalled for. "Pity/take pity on me/cause I'm not half the man I should be . . . love is a lesson that I can't learn/so I made the same mistakes at each familiar turn." BOO HOO. You're engaged to Zooey Deschanel! Get over yourself Ben Gibbard, stop being a wuss. The music is equally unmoving. Mopey strumming, a couple shimmering guitar notes and reversed notes here and there. You know, the usual sap song.
Death Cab for Cutie - A Diamond and a Tether.mp3
My Mirror Speaks
"My Mirror Speaks" has the least in common with the EP and DCFC's preceding LP, automatically making it the standout track. It is the most musically adventurous, too, recalling the band's more complex and dynamic work from Plans. The song continuously builds on itself, kicking off with a driving drum beat that greets a dominating bassline (similar to say, "Summer Skin") 30 seconds in. The clapping is a welcomed addition. This is song will stabilize your love/hate relationship wit DCFC (unless the gib-man makes you swoon).
Death Cab for Cutie - My Mirror Speaks.mp3
I Was Once a Loyal Lover
Suggestion of Zooey Deschanel infidelity?? I wonder what her opinion of this track is (props if she got this far through the EP). The fuzzed guitar and ghostly keyboard echoing is a nice add-on to this doe-eyed strum fest of an EP, but nothing can save "I Was a Loyal Lover" from plain old blandness. Fortunately, these recordings won't be remembered as the "lame recordings that succeeded a cheerless album" - they just won't be remembered at all. Or is that worse?
Death Cab for Cutie - I Was Once a Lover (Streaming)
Talking Bird (Demo)
Hasn't been released through Stereogum yet. Update to follow tomorrow. But can you imagine how much worse a demo from this EP is??
Random thought about DCFC: Doesn't Ben Gibbard sort of look like Colin Meloy, the lead singer from the Decemberists?
-Stelios Phili
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End of article, view comments-
Seems like you guys are so bitter about Zooey that you can't hear the music being played...
Sounds to me like someone made their mind up before they even heard the EP, silly scenester. Sounds like a great EP, another solid output from DCFC.
this is supposed to be a music review, not a celebrity gossip magazine.
love zooey,
thanks for the heads up about these tracks.
Im pretty sure that these reviews, the "celebrity" references aside, state why he dislikes the album.
personally, I don't hate it as this guy seems to, but I have to admit, how many songs like A Diamond and a Tether is Mr. Gibbard going to churn out?? It just seems unnecessary at this point. The last track was my fav though :D
Did everyone here like Narrow Stairs or something? If so, then you must know the meaning of unconditional love. And for that, I admire you. Let it be known, I am a Death Cab fan, but these songs were simply not up to par - Zooey or no Zooey.
It sounds like Stelios is one of those scene kids who like the wrist-cuttingness of Plans and never bothered to listen to anything else in their discography. I think I'll write a review on this article:
This was a boring review to read. The author includes a ton of information unnecessary for evaluating the EP, and erroneously assumes that everything the songs are about is a literal reflection of what is going on in the songwriter's life. He has explicitly stated that "Cath" and "What Sarah Said," among other songs, are entirely fictitious. Perhaps the idea of a songwriter writing from a perspective other than their own, or about someone other than themselves, is completely foreign to the author of this review. In that case, he should find something to pursue other than judging music by his misplaced standards of merit.
Anonymous,
Though I am not one of those "scene" kids, I do respect your assessment of the writing. Paralleling his personal life to the lyrics is inherently flawed, because it then suggests that one needs to experience the said topic in order to write about it. And that's simply not true, since it basically negates the creative mind. So thank you, that's something I won't do again. With that said, just as you thought the track reviews were "boring," that's how I felt about the other songs (save "My Mirror Speaks"). Focusing more on the musicality would have worked better for the review. I hope you continue to comment on future articles.
Stelios,
Most recent Anonymous poster again. I apologize for being a jerk about the review - as many do, I get defensive about the bands I like, but you're just as entitled to having and publishing your opinion as anyone else is. Please keep writing, and please excuse my excessively rabid fandom.
Civil disagreement = Win. It's just further proof that Popsense writers and readers are the most awesome people ever.
That is all.
Ben doesn't always write about his own life. &it's never failed him before; just as it's not failing him now. he is brilliant &in my opinion he can do no wrong. &why do you have to mention Zooey in almost each review?
To Anonymous numero 2:
this was addressed in the previous comments! They ended up making friends and resolved that the approach was flawed. Though I believe the references were intended to be humorous. His critique is mostly about the music - and I would have to agree on the aspect....great lyrics as always though...
The last song is a talking BIRD demo. not mirror
Dude fuck you, you suck at life. This is a great EP, have you ever listened to their music? Or did you just decide to be a douchebag and write randomly about a band you're obviously bitter about. Did they reject you in keyboard tryouts or something? Go fuck yourself what an awful review.
Dear 5-year-old anonymous commenter,
I appreciate your insight. Telling me to fuck myself and that I suck at life is a great demonstration of your intelligence and it clearly counteracts all of my points about the music. I'm not sure how you figured it out, but everything you've said is true-- in 1996 I auditioned to play keyboards for Death Cab, and then I forgot that it happened and woke up and decided, "i'm going to randomly write a review today." I'm just embarrassed for having phrased my points in such a retarded, pathetic manner... oh no wait, that was you. Stop sucking Ben Gibbard's dick, you're not even good at it.
I didn't like the EP at first, but after a few listens, it's really growing on me.
I Was Once a Loyal Lover is a great song.
Your Zooey Deschanel were not entertaining or witty.
As an avid Death Cab fan, I liked this EP very much, without giving it too much thought. After reading this review, I listened again to the EP, and I still liked it. To each his own I guess, but I will say that the songs were a step above disappointing. I found every song to be good, just not amazing. Still though, it's just Death Cab, no surprises really.
As far as the Ben Gibbard comments are concerned, you cannot expect his music, or the whole band's for that matter, to change genres because he is engaged. That seems a little unfair. If you don't like dcfc's "mopey" style, I would not recommend them at all, because their music has been pleasingly "mopey" since Something About Airplanes.
They've been my favorite band for 5 years now, I think I've heard every song they've ever made, even the remake of "Earth Angel" on the Stubbs The Zombie Soundtrack. Just enjoy the music, I think they're still a very underated band, and even though these songs "were simply not up to par," and "not amazing," and the songs do center around Ben Gibbard's lyrics, just enjoy the music; "Ben" said it best "If you don't like dcfc's "mopey" style, I would not recommend them at all."
whoever wrote this review is a dumbass.
I think that this review is an absolute disgrace. I will admit that some of these are different than what they are most famous for, but in my opinion, you cannot consider yourself a fan of Death Cab if you have only listened to Plans and then decided to listen to everything else. I am not one of those people, I have been with Ben since and after the Postal Service. This review sounds like you are one the 'fans' I so despise. Get some musical education and then write a review. It saves you and everyone else the humiliation of writing and reading it.
the EP, hands-down, is GREAT.
it's still Death Cab to the last breath.
if youre gonna write some bias, pre-meditated review with the mind the size of a pea, then do not bother writing one at all.
(sorry for my english)
'Narrow Stairs' was one of the worst album of 2008 and I think we're a lot to agree. But this Ep is really nice. It's like DCFC were telling us "ok guys, we messed up last year. We're gonna make things right this time".
Ok, it's not the best Ep of the Year, it's far from the finest songs of DCFC, but at least, there're melodies. And after 'Narrow Stairs' is better than something. :)
Haters gonna hate