Warmth of the Night
Crooked Teeth - Death Cab for Cutie (Blast from the Past Sunday)
It’s probably due to how close I am to summer break, but I’ve been nursing quite a hankering for Death Cab for Cutie’s Plans lately. This is an album I discovered the summer before eight grade to the best of my memory, and every time I listen to it I can remember leaning against my open window, breathing in the warmth of the night and pondering the topics it brought up. I was drawn to the quieter songs back then, but my last re-listen emphasized a fondness towards “Crooked Teeth” that I hadn’t experienced quite as much before. It’s like how your taste buds change over time — I now couldn’t get enough of something I had been passing over for years!
“Crooked Teeth” is a weird little tune that tells a story that isn’t quite able to be dissected. I realize that makes it sound pretty meh, but I think the incomprehensibility it boasts makes it endearing! The thing I think “Crooked Teeth” does best in the lyrics department is make a clear distinction between the lyrical world and the musical world of the song, and I love nothing more than a tune that sounds one way but speaks in another. In this context, that’s most clear on “you can’t find nothing at all/if there was nothing there all along”, which is delivered in a tone that sounds smiley. How optimistic!! ….Right?
Musically, the tune has a sound that is more upbeat & loud then the rest of Plans, at least to my ears. The vocals remain pretty pure, with harmonies that enhance the lead with gentle support. The drums and guitars both reach their full force in the chorus, and the incessant strumming that’s characteristic of any Death Cab song really fits for this one in particular. To go even more into depth with that, these guitars are some of the most emotional I’ve ever heard, at least as emotional as guitars can get. They just compliment the vocals so well, letting out a shiny pluck to emphasize a certain lyric, or stripping down to acoustic during the questioning pre-chorus. I appreciate a song with little details, and “Crooked Teeth” is full of them. With creative metaphors, a driving instrumental, gentle vocals and a signature Death Cab charm, it is certainly not one to miss, and one that I’m glad my musical taste buds have adjusted to!
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