An attempt at a new feature wherein – in an effort to shake off the ‘lapsed’ status of postings – I proffer up five songs from an artist / band. Not a ‘Top Five’ as such more a potted selection should you be so inclined to check said act out….
Hailing from a Bellingham, Washington and undoubtedly influenced by the emo scene in nearby Seattle, Death Cab For Cutie have been putting out records for (gulp) 21 years now.
I got into them, like so many I guess, on the back of their widely acclaimed Transatlanticism. But then I stopped listening after the overexposure of Plans on the back of, I think, it featuring on some of those overly sappy, treacly, cheesier than a cheddar factory US teen-sitcom shows. However, in 2011 my wife surprised me with tickets to a DCFC show. I was expecting a lot of quiet acoustic numbers. Instead it was one of the best live shows I’ve seen – new material (the then-new Codes and Keys album) vastly more upbeat and superior to anything on Plans and songs that I didn’t know that meant I quickly went and picked up Narrow Stairs. The quality of those two albums (and the connection to a great night out) meant that Death Cab went up the play count list. Here’s five of those heavy rotation tunes that don’t sit in Spotify’s Top Five for DCFC:
Why’d You Want To Live Here
Title And Registration
This is the one that first got my attention and I still thoroughly enjoy it and Transatlanticism. That nagging little guitar line… I was quite chuffed when I sussed that one out.
I Will Possess Your Heart
Narrow Stairs is all too often dismissed and this song is immense with its build up of layers and pulsing rhythm – it kills live too.
You Are A Tourist
Viewed in retrospective, Codes and Keys is actually an intense break-up / pre-divorce album. Frontman Ben Gibbard had been married to Zooey Deschanel for a couple of years and was living the healthy life…. everyone labelled it his ‘happy’ album. But then the couple announced their seperation a few months later and lyrics like “If you feel just like a tourist/ In the city you were born/ Then it’s time to go/ And define your destination/ There’s so many different places to call home” take on a different meaning. Either way Codes and Keys is a bloody good album.
Little Wanderer
From their last studio album, Kintsugi. Not their strongest but a good effort and also the last to feature guitarist / occasional songwriter Chris Walla who’d been with the group from the start. With a new album strongly hinted at for this year, I’m looking forward to more.
Mumbling About... 
I actually really like Plans. ‘You Are A Tourist’ is definitely one of my favourites from Codes and Keys, although I’ve never thought about the connection to his personal life.
Bellinghaaaaam! My hometown!
Great five picks. I love this band, though often forget that I do until I listen to them again. And I’m with Mr Aphoristical, I really liked “Plans”, though I can certainly understand your issues with the sappy bits.
Thanks. Yeah … Plans…. I should’ve said that I have since softened and enjoy a fair few of its tracks nowadays. It was more a case that, at the time, I wasn’t taken by it. Then again I’d be less impressed had they just made a Transatlanticism 2
I understand how it can be when you’re expecting something different. I was the same way with Arcade Fire for albums 1 and 2. It took me a while to really appreciate Neon Bible.
My brother had these guys on heavy rotation, but I didn’t really get into anything other than Transatlanticism (which is great). Strangely enough, I just recently looked out the albums for a revisit, so this is a timely reminder of how good the are.