My relationship with Death Cab has been turbulent. I started off hating them -- as many of my woefully ignorant students still do. ;) The tracks I heard in passing sophomore year sounded whiny and depressing. They were a Radiohead ‘homework’ band that I was supposed to listen to. It did not matter that my ears hurt afterwards; the stimulation of my brain would make up for it! They were not meant to be liked; they were meant to be appreciated!
Then I heard “Title and Registration.” The scratching/swaying rhythm, the baffling images, the soaring melody change two-and-a-half minutes into song....I couldn’t get it out of my head. My interest was piqued further when James Porter, Sara Rutter, and a few of the TDX pledges included Death Cab songs on their lists. “A Lack of Color” was poignant, “I Will Follow You Into The Dark” was haunting, and “Marching Bands of Manhattan” was something I never would have expected – upbeat! (Alright, so ‘upbeat’ might not be the best word to describe a song that ends with “your love is gonna drown”…but the tone and rhythm of the song were encouraging. How about ‘upbeat for Death Cab’? There – that’s better…)
In the weeks before the concert, I listened to Plans, Transatlanticism, Something About Airplanes, and all the Postal Service singles. I also scoured Songmeanings.com to get an idea of what some of the more puzzling lines meant. This was not dutiful concert prep; I genuinely enjoyed what I was listening to / researching about and couldn’t wait to hear them live.
So What Went Horribly Wrong at Merriweather Post Pavilion?
Well, there’s a thing called ‘stage presence.’ And it turns out, Ben Gibbard does NOT have it. It’s not that he didn’t try. He did pluck at his guitar forcefully; he did try to infuse life into most of the melodies. It was just…awkward. Remember that Simpsons episode where Bart and Millhouse get vocal aid mics that enable them to go on tour as this popular boy band. It’s the one where at the end, their mics accidentally get yanked out, and everyone can hear that they’re just tone deaf 12-year-olds? You should never have to think of that episode at a rock
concert.
I was not even expecting a ‘ROCK CONCERT.’ I mean, if Gibbard went on and started roaring at the crowd, sliding across the stage, and smashing random guitars, that would be equally strange. I expected him to use vulnerability as a strength – to deliver the type of tender, show-stopping ballad an American Idol contestant delivers once a season (Bo Bice’s “In A Dream,” David Archuleta’s “Imagine,” Katherine McPhee's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow.") Death Cab’s style is certainly suited for it: impeccable vocals, elegant arrangements, poetic lyrics….The audience would have to be moved.
Sadly, though, it seemed that most weren’t moved because Gibbard made a fundamental mistake: he tried to go “bigger.” He recognized that he wasn’t in a studio or in a coffee shop (his ideal environment), so he compensated by shouting and pounding in parts where he needed to whisper and strum. You felt for him, but you didn’t like what you were hearing. You came for Death Cab, not a well-meaning Death Cab cover band.
GIANT EXCEPTION: “Transatlanticism”
The one giant exception to this rule was “Transatlanticism.” The first reason this song was an exception was that it didn’t suck. There was that. ;) It also went against the idea that he should steer clear of “big” moves. The whole song was one big move – a nine-minute crescendo complete with piano, guitar, synthesizer, and triangle.
It worked brilliantly, though, because it wasn’t just Gibbard – the melody and instruments took center stage. If you listen to the linked studio version, you should be able to feel some of emotion/atmosphere. It is more stirring live obviously, but unless you’re one of my hopelessly misguided students ;) it should still be powerful.
Overall: C
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