Review Summary: The Open Door EP > Narrow Stairs? I was never any good at math, but for the most part, it turns out to be true.
For all intents and purposes, releasing an EP right after a full-length is most commonly a dirty, dirty cash-grab: bands claiming that they just had
so much material from one recording session that they couldn’t fit it all in one place, so they resort to releasing a small collection of so-so b-sides. Never before in their discography did Death Cab For Cutie pull such a stunt, but that changed with 2008’s
Narrow Stairs, when
The Open Door EP came a year later with leftover material. Claiming it didn’t fit the overall feel of
Narrow Stairs, is the
The Open Door EP a legitimate offering or just another dirty, dirty cash grab?
To my surprise,
The Open Door EP, featuring four new tracks and one demo, turns out to be an overall enjoyable effort. “Little Bribes”, the lead single of the EP, gets things going with bouncy acoustic riffs, background guitar wailings and a catchy, sentimental chorus. Adding to the enjoyment is the terrific “My Mirror Speaks”, another bouncier song with a driving bassline and handclaps, and “I Was Once a Loyal Lover”, which features a choppy piano line in the verses and a static-like guitar tone. The “Talking Bird” demo is a more stripped-down version than the one found on
Narrow Stairs, but I prefer this version, exclusively featuring a ukulele, than the darker-sounding one found on
Narrow Stairs. Besides the dull, go-nowhere “A Diamond and a Tether”,
The Open Door EP is jam-packed with great songs.
What puzzles me about this EP, however, is how some of these songs got cut in favour of some of the ones found on
Narrow Stairs. I understand that the overall tone of the album must be considered when selecting songs, but how on earth did “You Can Do Better Than Me” or “No Sunlight” get the nod over anything featured here? I dare say that songs like “My Mirror Speaks” and “I Was Once a Loyal Lover” are better than most found on
Narrow Stairs, so why they were regulated to a throw-away EP is beyond me.
Like most fans, I have to admit that I was cautious of this release, but I am relieved – and a little bit shocked – that it is an overall more enjoyable listen than
Narrow Stairs. Featuring a handful of great songs and a demo that is arguably better than the original, fans of the band should absolutely give
The Open Door EP a listen, especially if they didn’t care for most of the stuff found on
Narrow Stairs.
