Death Cab for Cutie
The Grammy-nominated quartet Death Cab for Cutie consists of vocalist/guitarist Benjamin Gibbard, guitarist Chris Walla, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Jason McGerr. The indie rock band was formed in 1997 in the bayside college town of Bellingham, Washington.
The band dates its beginnings when Ben Gibbard took a break from his local pop band called Pinwheel, and landed a record deal with Barsuk Records for his first album, You Can Play These Songs with Chords, and so decided to complete the band by recruiting into his circle of friends. Walla joined as primary guitarist and producer then, along with Harmer and drummer Nathan Good. The band name came from the title of a song that was performed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in the 1967 film, Magical Mystery Tour by The Beatles.
The band’s debut was released in 1998, called Something About Airplanes. This album actually included some re-recorded tracks from You Can Play These Songs with Chords. While they were promoting this album, Walla and Gibbard went on and pursued their other projects. Because the quartet was gaining recognition gradually, they decided to do a follow-up album in 2000, entitled We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes, with Michael Schorr replacing Good as the band’s drummer. In this album, the band expanded their use of unorthodox musical instruments, such as organ and glockenspiel. During that same year, the quartet came out with The Forbidden Love EP, and another full-length record, The Photo Album, was released a year later. After three studio albums, Death Cab for Cutie has already established a wide fan base that gathered around their emotional music.
Transatlanticism came out next, and along with it was the replacement of Michael Schorr with Jason McGerr in the drums. With Transatlanticism, the band proved to be a commercial success, and so they attracted the attention of some executives in the music industry. After releasing The John Byrd E.P. which was a live disc, the quartet was then taken under Atlantic Records in 2004.
When the group clinched a record deal with a major label, they released another full-length album, Plans, the following summer, debuting at #4 on the Billboard charts and attaining a platinum status after remaining on the charts for nearly a year. This sensational album included the acoustic ballad “I Will Follow You into the Dark,” as well as similar hits “Crooked Teeth” and “What Sarah Said.” Not only did it top the charts, the album also paved the way for a Grammy nomination, as well as appearances in Saturday Night Live and Spin Magazine.
In May 2008, Death Cab for Cutie returned to the music scene after quite a long hiatus, and released Narrow Stairs, their sixth and latest full-length studio album. The rest of the year as well as the first half of 2009 was spent touring US, Japan and Australia for album promotions. The Open Door EP was also released, which featured some of the tracks which were scrapped off Narrow Stairs as well as a demo version of “Talking Bird.” This EP gained another Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album.
Since they formed, they have released six full-length studio albums and five EPs. Their rise to fame is considered by many as one of indie rock’s greatest success stories.
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