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album review
Arriving one year after the release of Narrow Stairs, the five-song Open Door EP pairs four abandoned tracks from the Narrow Stairs sessions with a ukulele-helmed demo of "Talking Bird." Although it's certainly a stopgap recording -- released just before the bandmates' final tour in support of Narrow Stairs, and intended to maintain their popularity throughout the subsequent retreat to the recording studio -- Open Door is also a strong display of Death Cab's literate, poetry-major pop, with fast tempos and bright melodies that sometimes contrast Narrow Stairs' autumnal moments. These once-discarded tracks don't sound any less tuneful than the band's recent output; "Little Bribes," in particular, could have bumped a lesser song off of the Narrow Stairs track list with its power pop bounce, while "My Mirror Speaks" wields a winsomely ascending chorus that finds Ben Gibbard reaching into his falsetto. Such tunes may not have suited the bittersweet beauty of Stairs, but they're quite good in their own right, making The Open Door EP something more than a fans-only release. The only arguable misstep is the demo version of "Talking Bird" (the only song to appear on Narrow Stairs, albeit in different form), whose bare-boned arrangement lacks the shifting dynamics of Death Cab's best material. ~ Andrew Leahey, All Music Guide
more albums by this artist
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- Plans
- Released 2005
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- Narrow Stairs
- Released 2008
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- Transatlanticism
- Released 2003
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- You Can Play These Songs With Chords
- Released 2002
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listener reviews
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[This] Will Possess Your Heart
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- By DistanceBoy
- 8/7/2009 08:19:10
- Just to toss my two cents, this EP is definitely a keeper. Even with only five tracks I find myself starting this release over and over. If you're familiar with Death Cab you'll definitely enjoy Gibbard's usual melodic voice and creative lyrics, and if you're not well versed, you're in for a treat! It's not everyday you get an EP of leftovers this great. Each song is incredibley catchy (maybe with the exception of Talking Bird) and is full of the goodness that Death Cab has brought us in all their previous albums.
- 2 out of 2 people
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A Must Have
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- By pdub317
- 5/3/2009 21:42:58
- Any fan of Death Cab will no doubt love this EP. Although 4 of the 5 songs on here were axed from Narrow Stairs, they certainly deserve their place as great DCFC songs (personally, I like a few of these better than some of the songs on Narrow Stairs). It starts out with the extremely catchy Little Bribes, and continues to flow with the excellence that is Death Cab for Cutie. Gibbard's ingenious metaphors are scattered throughout, and the lyrics of each song will stick with you. Even if you're not a huge fan, I would highly recommend this EP to anyone. 5/5
- 1 out of 1 people
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