This EP is quite a surprise. All 5 tracks are of such high quality, they would be standouts on any Death Cab album. I'm not sure these could be considered "Narrow Stairs" leftovers due to their slightly different production values (but the artwork seems to suggest its a companion to the album, so maybe they are.) Maybe the next album is too far off and they wanted us to get some new tracks, but these would be highlights in ANY bands catalog, so to toss them off on an EP is quite impressive.

"Little Bribes" is one of the most upbeat songs Ben has ever composed. "A Diamond and a Tether" could be a single. It's a real knock out track. "My Mirror Speaks" is maybe the least memorable of the 5 tracks here, but it's still a very good song. Reminds me of another DCFC song I can't quite put my finger on. "I Was Once a Loyal Lover" sounds like a fleshed out All-Time Quarterback song. Really catchy. "Talking Bird" is supposedly a demo, but sounds much better than the album version. The instrumention here really brings out the melody, which is primarily a vocal melody anyways.

A very strong EP that should be purchased by all fans of this outstanding band.

Death Cab has been on a roll for sure. Their "Narrow Stairs" album crashed in at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 album chart last May, and they have toured a lot since then, with great acclaim. Now, almost a year later, the band comes back with an EP.

"The Open Room EP" (5 tracks; 17 min.) brings 4 new tracks that the band recorded at the sessions of the "Narrow Stairs" album but somehow felt where not worthy of/compatible with the rest of the album. "Little Bribes" crashes in as if you were in the middle of an album, and it sounds great. "A Diamond and a Tether" is unremarkable, if pleasant. By far the best track on here is "My Mirror Speaks", an irresistible hum-along, with clapping hands, and the EP is worth buying just for this. "I Once Was a Loyal Lover" is equally great. It's hard to see why most of these tracks were deemed "unworthy" of or "incompatible" for being included on the "Narrow Stairs" album, frankly. The last track is a demo-version of "Talking Bird", just Ben Gibbard and his guitar, and it's actually much better than the album version on "Narrow Stairs".

In all, this is a great companion release to the great "Narrow Stairs" album. I saw DCFC in concert again just this past weekend, and they were in fantastic form. They played 3 of the 4 new songs from this EP and it sounded great. In all, "The Open Door EP" is a must-have for any DCFC fan.

The Open Door is a great addition 5 songs that continue Death Cab's amazing progression in becoming an amazing musical talent. Four of these five songs are ones that didn't make it onto Narrow Stairs, but don't let that fool you! These are excellent songs; this EP is surely worth it to pick up if you are a fan of Narrow Stairs.

This album is a good showcase of what Death Cab for Cutie is about. A definite must have for any Death Cab fan.

First, I give this the full five stars in comparison to contemporary music in general. On a Death Cab only scale, it would receive a three. All of the tracks have high potential, yet none comes to full fruition. "Bribes" changes pace for the better at about 1:30 and should have kept to this theme; "Tether" pauses brilliantly to mirror the protagonist's tense observance of that door; "Mirror" is my standout but should not have stripped down to vocals near the end; "Loyal" gets nice and punchy with the bass and piano, but--and here, I think, is my biggest overarching problem with the EP--Ben shoots too high on his vocal range. "Talking Bird" was not a track I particularly liked on Narrow Stairs, but I think it lends itself well to this ultra-gentle rendition. One more comment on "Mirror": many have written that it sounds like Plans and I must disagree. Ben's voice is 100% Narrow Stairs here, and the other elements of the track recall Photo Album with a less interesting beat. One thing is for sure, Death Cab is not the same, and I admit that I prefer the older works (and by the way, Facts is horribly underappreciated)--but how can anyone expect them to remain the same forever? Maybe the glory days are over, but they're still one of the best bands out there.