It’s funny really – for me Death Cab have always been one of those bands on the periphery, in that I’ve always been aware of how huge they were over the pond but never really equated that as meaning anything to me. I got Plans when I was living in America, way back in 2005, mainly because of the stand out single from that album, Soul Meets Body. Despite the hype their 2008 release Narrow Stairs received from critic and blogger alike, it wasn’t anything that really moved me.

Strange then, that a five track EP should open up the mental door to some really rather lovely music. Little Bribes is the lead single and stand-out track from The Open Door, a release that offers at least as many hit-bound tracks as any of Death Cab’s long players. An appearance on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien (one of my favourite shows, incidentally)  really sold the EP to me – up-tempo, well put together pop music with a little hustle and zest to go along with it.

There’s the inevitable Brian Wilson comparisons, as has always been the case with Death Cab. In this bite-sized EP though (just seventeen minutes form start to finish) there’s more than enough to get your teeth into. Yes, I actually did just say that. It’s the joy in the music, I can’t do anything about it.