Death Cab For Cutie Explores Their Jammy Side

It’s not every day we can compare and contrast Death Cab For Cutie and Phish, so we’re gonna take our shot while we can. We were shocked when DaveO forwarded us a copy of Stereogum’s review of Death Cab For Cutie’s new single. The author compares the beginning of I Will Possess Your Heart to a Phish jam, and he wasn’t that far off. The first few minutes of the track kinda sounds like an outtake from the Vermonter’s The Siket Disc.

Here’s the blurb from Stereogum:

You guys had fun with our game building jokes out of Death Cab’s new record title Narrow Stairs (e.g. Ned said: “How do you confine an obese person to the lower floors of a house?” — and that’s the most politically correct one) … but we think you’re gonna find even more to love out of the record’s first listen, “I Will Possess Your Heart.” Walla’s back on production of course, setting the scene instrumentally for almost two minutes with a groovy bass vamp, a little piano, and atmospheric guitar chatter. Actually, it’s not too far from a Phish jam (that’s not a joke), until Gibbard starts in with the earnest requests to spend time together and the threats of heart possession. This is the bass line that soundtracked that video preview last year. We’re liking it.

While most in the jam scene aren’t that into Death Cab, I love Gibbard’s voice and gentle songwriting. Plus many modern rock bands feature musicians who just don’t have the skills on their instruments. You won’t find that problem with the members of Death Cab, who all are extremely talented players. Our interest is piqued, and we look forward to the Narrow Stair’s leak release date on May 13. Now they just need to work on changing their setlist each night, extending This Is The Sound of Settling to a twenty-minute jam and make an appearance at the Jammys on May 7.

Check out I Will Possess Your Heart, and let us know what you think: