Not sure where the internet is going to weigh in on this new DCFC album yet, but if it’s anywhere on the side of decent, I’ll be up in arms and mystified. I realized that not everyone has had the pleasure of listening to them since before this century began. A lot of people don’t even know that they have any albums besides Plans. Both of these things are a shame because most of their best music was made prior to that album. So in an attempt to help out the lazy and uniformed about DCFC’s back catalogue, I’m going to give you my ‘expert’ opinion on the Top 10 Death Cab for Cutie songs of all time. Listen up.
[In no particular order. All these songs are equally superb.]
1. Photobooth - Forbidden Love EP - 2000
I would argue that the Forbidden Love EP is probably the strongest DCFC album ever. It’s made up of 5 songs, each one superb and unstoppable. Granted, two of them are alternate versions of previous songs (’405 [acoustic]’ and ‘Company Calls Epilogue’), but it doesn’t change that the fact that the EP is solid from start to finish.
2. 405 - We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes - 2000
‘Misguided by the 405 ’cause it lead me to an alcoholic summer.’
Classic Death Cab for Cutie. Soft, somber and melancholy. One of the best.
3. Fake Frowns - Something about Airplanes - 1999
‘I can’t drive straight, counting your fake frowns’
Taken from their first album, one of the strongest songs they have ever written. Full of energy, Gibbard stressing his vocals, singing about his usual topics of love or the lack there of. Vintage Death Cab. One of the songs that started my interest in the band.
4. The Sound of Settling - Transatlanticism - 2003
“I’ll sit and wonder of every love that could have been, if I only thought of something clever to say.”
5. For What Reasons - We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes - 2000
“In the end I win every time, because ink still remains”
6. Company Calls - We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes - 2000
“Synapse to synapse: possibilities will thin or fade. Your wedding figurines: I’d melt so I could drink them in. and drink them in, and drink them in… ”
7. Company Calls Epilogue - We Have The Facts And We Are Voting Yes - 2000
“Crashing through the parlor doors, what was your first reaction? Screaming, drunk, disorderly: I’ll tell you mine. You were the one, but I can’t spit it out when the date’s been set. The white routine to be ingested inaccurately. ”
These two songs play back to back on the album and appropriately so, finishing the story of the relationship gone wrong, and moving to a wedding that pains him to ingest.
8. Tiny Vessels - Transatlanticism - 2003
“I wanted to believe all the words that I was speaking, as we moved together in the dark.”
This is one of the harshest songs that DCFC has ever made. With a chorus like, ‘You are beautiful but you don’t mean a thing to me’. It’s easy to see what Ben Gibbard is trying to get at. It’s not all love and longing, sometimes he doesn’t give a fuck.
9. Styrofoam Plates - The Photo Album - 2001
“Just cause he’s gone, it doesn’t change the fact he was a bastard in life, thus a bastard in death.”
An ode to a horrible father. The highlight of this album, although it had some tough competition with ‘We Laugh Indoors’ and ‘A Movie Script Ending’.
10. I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Plans - 2005
There most recent album was definitely a grower. ‘Soul Meets Body’ screamed radio single and it did a great job of garnering them new fans. ‘Crooked Teeth’ was the other single that made a splash, but I had to go with this track, for it’s quiet acoustic strumming and message of death and companionship. Ben Gibbard has never been so accessible.
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So I’m sure your opinion, if you have one, might differ a bit on these top songs. Death Cab have about a bill worth of awesome tracks. By my count, 31 of their current 87 songs are worth repeated listens and mix-tape inclusions. It was extremely hard picking just ten, so there were definitely a few runner ups that could have made this list, depending on the mood I was in when this was compiled. No matter your feelings though, nothing on their new album can get anywhere close to any song on this top 10. I’ve listened to Narrow Stairs a few times through and ‘No Sunlight’ feels like the only standout track to me. I’m sure there are a few other sleepers on there that will pique my interest the more I listen, but they seem kinda boring right now. People will still love Narrow Stairs when it’s released, and Death Cab will make a ton more money and good for them. They deserve it. I just want to encourage people to go check out some of their older jams because they are hands down better and deserve some love.
Here is a little video that details some insider info on the making of Narrow Stairs. Check it.
i think the new album is fantastic - it’s like a crunchier transatlantacism.
pity and fear is pure gold - you must agree on that at least?
Sorry I can’t really agree with that. The song starts with some throw-away Postal Service loop and a single guitar strum over and over, trying to build to something that never really arrives. The rhythm of the song never even changes and then it ends with some weak sauce 1:30 guitar outro. No gold here.
AND Don’t get me started on ‘Your New Twin Size Bed’. Are you fucking kidding me. A song about getting a new bed. I don’t care if its some lame metaphor for a relationship. Ridiculous. I cannot wait for this song to become the new theme song for Sealy or Serta mattresses. Trust me, that day will come.
‘Long Division’ is pretty good though.
Where are the QuickTime videos in Amazon links?
Sorry Ant, I guess those links should really say Mp3 or Amazon or something. I’m on it.
lovely list.
i completely agree with you on all accounts concerning DCFC’s older catalog. it’s so much better than what they’ve done of late (Plans & Narrow Stairs). Plans was great and i loved it, but i think your list reflects the truth that it just didn’t have the incredible qualities found on their earlier releases… Narrow Stairs is (to use an industry term) lame. I can already tell you I’m going to get very agitated with those who are going to insist on its greatness (because that’s inevitable)
i also agree with you on the Forbidden Love Ep being their strongest, despite its size and
inclusion of alternate versions. In fact, that line sounds very, very familiar…
My two cents:
My personal feeling is that most of Death Cab’s older songs are possibly stronger overall than their newer stuff, but I still feel that Plans succeeded in being a full, holistic “album” better than most of their earlier works. EPs notwithstanding, I fell the early stuff was hit or miss, great songs and horrible songs, while Plans moves pretty flawlessly from start to finish.
And I’d say the mainstream train started with Transatlanticism and that New Year song (which personally I can’t stand) being on the OC or whatever, not with Plans.
I’ve yet to sit down with Narrow Stairs so I’ll reserve judgement on that one.
Sorry i disagree. Anything prior to The Photo Album is toilet paper to wipe my ass with.
great post - i have for whatever reason kind of avoided them altogether - i will take time now to investigate your top ten list - cheers
Thanks Brian.
I really enjoyed this post (although I disagree with your thoughts about Narrow Stairs).
If I can make my own list, it would maybe look like:
1. Coney Island
2. Transatlanticism (the song)
3. Photobooth
4. Brothers on a Hotel Bed
5. Company Calls Epilogue
I have trouble with the older albums, probably because I didn’t get into DCFC until “The Photo Album.”
Thanks everyone for enjoying the post. Those are all top choices Gabeq.