Death Cab For Cutie Guitarist's Solo

Grammy-nominated indie band Death Cab For Cutie is taking a collective breather in 2007. But fear not, you will still be able to find new material from guitarist Chris Walla when he releases his first solo album, It’s Unsustainable, sometime this fall.

According to Billboard, Walla hopes to finish recording in his newly built Alberta Court studio in Portland, Ore., by May. He has promised fans that the record will sound similar to what they’re used to, saying the "production and sound [will be] very similar to a Death Cab album." So it doesn’t sound like such a dramatic departure for him. At the very least, Death Cab fans will have something to tide them over until the band’s next release.

While recording, Walla will play all the instruments himself, except for the drums. He has delegated the all-banging responsibilities to former and current Death Cab drummers Nathan Good and Jason McGerr, respectively, for various tracks.

On top of that, Walla is also contemplating a solo tour, where he would play at club-sized venues for the first time in a number of years. No tour dates have been announced yet, but once he completes the album, we will be happy to report any scheduling.

Thanks for the info to CM Music.

Comments

[Kalle89]

Should be fun to see how his album turns out....

[yatahaze]

i reeeeeallly don't like this band and i don't understand all the hype around them...they sound like a cross between medieval music and The Smiths. i really can't stand his voice, it gets annoying pretty quick.

[electric7]

Kalle89 wrote:

Should be fun to see how his album turns out....

yeah.

[no1misfitfan]

Are they any good.. never heard of them?

[Thin-Lizzy]

tbh, i love death cab but i cant see this being great. Isnt brothers on a hotel bed the only dcfc song hes co-written? Youd think going solo he'd have more experience

[TiredOfSex]

no christopher has co-written many songs for death cab and also a few for the postal service. he also produced the decemberists new album so im guessing this solo project will be quite good.

[silent caution]

i thought this was going to be about him trying to play solos in the next album

[aloveforenemies]

Now, Death Cab is a band for people who have an open approach to music.

Name one band that sounds anything close to Death Cab For cutie.

And if any other neanderthals critisize a band cause they're not metal or don't shred, you are simply going to prove what a moron you are.

[ThomasMills]

Rosencrantz wrote:

What the hell.....?

Oh, it's a joke! HAHAHAHAhhahahaha! H-he thinks, he can p-play the GUITAR!! AHAHAHAhahah WHAT A LOSER! Get a haircut you moron!

Cunt?

[Paroxysm]

Rosencrantz wrote:

What the hell.....?

Oh, it's a joke! HAHAHAHAhhahahaha! H-he thinks, he can p-play the GUITAR!! AHAHAHAhahah WHAT A LOSER! Get a haircut you moron!

Of course if you think you can do it better than him, you have every right to go out and do your own solo record. What's holding you back?

[\m/(--_--)\m/]

The title comfused me. I thought he was gonna make a raging solo for a Death Cab For Cutie song. Forgive my ignorance if they have solo's in their music already, as I have never heard one of their songs before.

[Tin_man]

Wow. How unoriginal. Death Cab is alright, but if this guy's album is gonna be pretty much the same sound as Death Cab, why make it? Why not use it FOR Death Cab? Going solo and doing the same thing you do with your band is lame and unoriginal. Also,

Of course if you think you can do it better than him, you have every right to go out and do your own solo record. What's holding you back?

Just because someone has a recording contract or the ability to record music and release it to the masses does NOT mean that they are talented. I'm not saying this necessarily about Walla, but just in general. Ashlee Simpson, Paris Hilton, Green Day. Now, before you bash me for that Green Day comment, I am not saying that some of their music isn't "good", but are they really very TALENTED?

This should be fun.

[Rosencrantz]

You guys don't get it do you? Im not laughing at him cause I think Im better than him, or because he isn't metal or doesn't shred. When you guys grow up, you'll see what Im saying.
1. He doesn't do anything on their songs; he just hits several simple chords and fades into the background. So how can he make a solo act.
2. I can name tons of bands that sound like them: Stabilo, David Gilmour's solo act, Fairport Convention, and many others. The difference being these bands use their brains and put MUSIC into their "music".
3. The ONLY reason this guy has a record deal, is becuase little pre-teen girls like you guys think he is hot. He is only following what the media tells him is cool.
4. His music isn't intelligent. It's mentally drawl, and gets boring cause there's nothing to captivate you.
I'll bet you this guy know's nothing about compostion, or theory. Take Mr. Ludwig Van Beethoven or our more modern Joe Satriani. These two geniuses knew/know music. They knew where and when certain intervals would sound good or how to build tension (For example: with minor dominant 7th chords which leave a distinct ringing of foreboding in the back of your mind, but Chris Walla didn't know that he just stums random stuff till he says "hey that sounded cooool.")
5. Yes, I have heard lots of DCFC; I'm not speaking in naivity.
6. Um, Paroxysm... You obviously don't know me (which is good cause than I'd have to add one more idiot to my list of people that are dumb), nothing is holding me back. I just moved and am already famous at my new school in all grades (im grade 12) for my musical abitlity. I'm in Band, Choir, I was my old school's guitar teachers favourite student where i got a 97%, I play on the school's worship team (It's a christian school), I am on my schools exclusive Jazz quad, in which we are highly acclaimed and play for money around the city, I sometimes play for my choir at performances (last time was in front of 2000 people), I've been in three hobby type bands with friends, played in my church, was in my youth group band, and am soon to start recording a new album with my brother.
7. No, I'm not a metal-head, I am currently listening to Dire-Straits' Private Investigtions, which actually if you like DCFC you'd probably love Dire Starits.
8. Look at that joke, he looks my dad if he tried to go emo.
9. There is a difference between "playing" guitar and "making it sing". Everyone "plays" guitar, everyone knows a few chords and dusts off the family guitar once a month. Anyone could write a DCFC song with those skills. Steve Vai is the exact example of why indie music is lame. Vai is famed for his intensive 10 hour guitar workouts. He can play faster or slower than anyone but even when he's playing fast he has more melody and emotion in a single note than any of Chris Walla's entire songs. When writing "For the Love of God" he spent many days in emotional, and mental preparation to give every second soul. Listen to Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd for an example of soul in music.
10. The arguements you children make are pathetic. To Paroxysm: Their are thousands here on UG that could make a much better solo album, unfortunately the popular media frowns on anything that is different.
11. "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" is basically acapella and the music video is just creepy and depressing, I will admit though that the video for "The Sound Of Settling" is freakin hilarious but this is about the music.
12. A rather irrelavant point but hey you're all irrelavant people: Their name is just gay.

I laugh at Chris Walla and Death Cab for Cutie becuase musically their just a joke to me. You can have your opinions and your tastes it ain't my problem if you like to taste poo though, so don't come crawling to me when you look like morons.

[Rosencrantz]

^Sorry, I don't know how that smiley got in there? I hate smileys.

[Havenspear]

Thin-Lizzy wrote:

tbh, i love death cab but i cant see this being great. Isnt brothers on a hotel bed the only dcfc song hes co-written? Youd think going solo he'd have more experience

Actually, he has recorded quite a bit of solo stuff, and a lot of it's really good. But his voice is kind of weird. :x Not bad, just sort of. Not as good as Gibbard.

[Havenspear]

Man, it's pretty sad reading these comments. His stuff does sould like Death Cab, but that's because he writes most of the more memorable riffs from their songs.

And Rosencrantz. You're soooo damn cool.
Get a life.

[JohnnyAre]

I cant wait. It will be interesting to see what he can do.

[adslam3]

rosencrantz, you are a joke. you've successfully made yourself look like a total jerkoff with your 12 page rant. shouldn't you have homework to finish up, little high schooler of the esteemed grade 12? or is that too much what the media has told you to do? and did you do a backgroud check on this walla guy to know whether or not he's studied music? go back to choir...pathetic.

[vincentgrey]

I love Walla and i cant wait for his solo album. "Brothers On a Hotel Bed" was one of the best songs theyve ever made.
Musical knowledge and proficiency doesnt mean anything, just because you know the guitar like the back of your hand or can sing god know how many octaves high doesnt mean you can make good music. Music doesnt need anything, music doesnt have rules, good music is jsut good music, you can play one chord and sing like shit and you could still make a great song, its creativity, and no knowledge of guitar alone will make you ever create anything worthwhile. Go work on your "talent" and come back when you write a song ill give a damn about and not just dismiss as boring self absorbed crap, technical loser.

And oh yeah, Rosencrantz, it seems like youre only good at playing others music and not actually making your own.. lame. Back to the basement with you, fatty.

[Rosencrantz]

adslam3 wrote:

rosencrantz, you are a joke. you've successfully made yourself look like a total jerkoff with your 12 page rant. shouldn't you have homework to finish up, little high schooler of the esteemed grade 12? or is that too much what the media has told you to do? and did you do a backgroud check on this walla guy to know whether or not he's studied music? go back to choir...pathetic.

You guys make my day, you're so funny, if you get right down to it basically I was only ranting to see what you would say. So technically you're not even people to me, just responses. Why would I care if I've made myself look like a jerk, Im talking to little 12 year olds who I'll thankfully never meet. Speaking of which I think I'll go do something worth my time.

[pumpkins_rule]

The fact that you reference soul with an example of Comfortably Numb shows how generic you are. That's probably the most over-used example of soulful guitar their is. I don't see why you're comparin DCFC to Steve Vai either. They play completely different songs. Personally I quite like DCFC, not for their technical work but because they have clever lyrics and fund, bouncy melodies. Just because you're an eletist douche doesnt mean you should act like one, especially when your music taste is the same as every other kid who bashes pop-punk and indie-pop.

[E V H 5150]

I find it funny that they just call him the "Death Cab for Cutie's Guitarist" in the headline.

[Rattlehead_Z]

Death cab for Cutie is SOOOO HOT RIGHT NOW ... or for shot DCFC...oh and they are pop punk I just read...cool maybe i'll get my 9 year old sister their cd!!

[el drew]

rosencrantz, you just compared Ludwig Van Beethoven to a guitarist thats in an indie band... Which makes you look like such an ass. The point is, he is a successful muscician branching off, and you're on the jazz squad at your christian highschool. Oooh lets not forget, you were the band teachers favorite student!!! Go sit on a flute you virgin band nerd

[bo123456789]

death cab wow..
funny
good band
but he is gonna ruin his life going solo...

[axiom]

aloveforenemies wrote:

Now, Death Cab is a band for people who have an open approach to music.

Name one band that sounds anything close to Death Cab For cutie.

And if any other neanderthals critisize a band cause they're not metal or don't shred, you are simply going to prove what a moron you are.

I second that. If you don't like them, get on with your metal head life. Death Cab have been one of the greatest bands in the past 3-4 years, whether you chose to admit it or not. I can see them all going solo eventually, Gibbards been doing stuff by himself since the beginning.

[LynchMobster]

umm, yea. you guys are morons. Rosencrantz is one of the few people here with any common sense. i completely agree with him. if you seriosly think walla is good, your obviously f*cked in the head

[prsrobster]

I personally agree with Rosencrantz. Im in a similar position he is. What I think is pretty funny, is if you dont like a "Hip" band that automatically makes you a Metalhead. Where do you people come up with this stuff? Rather than saying what you see everywhere, try coming up with something halfway creative or clever!

[GuitarSymphony]

Now, now Rosencrantz. Let me shed some light on something here...

I abosolutely hate you. Why? It's not because you've compared a musical mastermind (Beethoven) to DCFC and Vai. It's not because 1/3 of your 12 points are irrelevant and show how much your just trying to show how much more of an ass you can be.

Here's why I hate you:

You know your Jazz, and you know your theory. Shoot, you may be good at everything you do musically. That's great, man! Assuming you're Christian (I am too), God has blessed you with an incredible gift. Here's one thing you don't ever seem to understand: At the very smallest of levels, music is a blip of sound that can barely be heard. The thing about music is that it does not function like a food chain where the weakest are dominated by what is stronger (or in this case, better) then it. All forms of music should be treated equally. Music is art. I will not have you define music for me, and I absolutely refuse till' the end of time to accept the idea that a much simpiler form of music has no quality compared to a virtuoso. Music at it's roots is not about how good or creative you are - it's how you present it.

The fact that you think you can act cocky on here only shows that you're into music for the music. You're in it entirely for your ego. If this is how you treat people online, I wonder how you treat people in real life.

[cpasixstring87]

GuitarSymphony.. Thank you.. for being the first person to actual make a valid point. At least someone is mature on this site.. Also, one of the best definitions of music I've seen.

[ZiggyZiggify]

Here, here, GuitarSymphony!

[poona]

I agree with GuitarSymphony, that was the most grown up post I've ever seen on the net.

I haven't heard any songs by DCFC so I don't know what they sound like, but I do know that simple doesnt equal to 'dull', and that music isn't about how much you know, its about the enjoyment of playing and listening.

[thecameronator]

Rosencrantz :
You guys don't get it do you? Im not laughing at him cause I think Im better than him, or because he isn't metal or doesn't shred. When you guys grow up, you'll see what Im saying.
1. He doesn't do anything on their songs; he just hits several simple chords and fades into the background. So how can he make a solo act.
2. I can name tons of bands that sound like them: Stabilo, David Gilmour's solo act, Fairport Convention, and many others. The difference being these bands use their brains and put MUSIC into their "music".
3. The ONLY reason this guy has a record deal, is becuase little pre-teen girls like you guys think he is hot. He is only following what the media tells him is cool.
4. His music isn't intelligent. It's mentally drawl, and gets boring cause there's nothing to captivate you.
I'll bet you this guy know's nothing about compostion, or theory. Take Mr. Ludwig Van Beethoven or our more modern Joe Satriani. These two geniuses knew/know music. They knew where and when certain intervals would sound good or how to build tension (For example: with minor dominant 7th chords which leave a distinct ringing of foreboding in the back of your mind, but Chris Walla didn't know that he just stums random stuff till he says "hey that sounded cooool."
5. Yes, I have heard lots of DCFC; I'm not speaking in naivity.
6. Um, Paroxysm... You obviously don't know me (which is good cause than I'd have to add one more idiot to my list of people that are dumb), nothing is holding me back. I just moved and am already famous at my new school in all grades (im grade 12) for my musical abitlity. I'm in Band, Choir, I was my old school's guitar teachers favourite student where i got a 97%, I play on the school's worship team (It's a christian school), I am on my schools exclusive Jazz quad, in which we are highly acclaimed and play for money around the city, I sometimes play for my choir at performances (last time was in front of 2000 people), I've been in three hobby type bands with friends, played in my church, was in my youth group band, and am soon to start recording a new album with my brother.
7. No, I'm not a metal-head, I am currently listening to Dire-Straits' Private Investigtions, which actually if you like DCFC you'd probably love Dire Starits.
8. Look at that joke, he looks my dad if he tried to go emo.
9. There is a difference between "playing" guitar and "making it sing". Everyone "plays" guitar, everyone knows a few chords and dusts off the family guitar once a month. Anyone could write a DCFC song with those skills. Steve Vai is the exact example of why indie music is lame. Vai is famed for his intensive 10 hour guitar workouts. He can play faster or slower than anyone but even when he's playing fast he has more melody and emotion in a single note than any of Chris Walla's entire songs. When writing "For the Love of God" he spent many days in emotional, and mental preparation to give every second soul. Listen to Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd for an example of soul in music.
10. The arguements you children make are pathetic. To Paroxysm: Their are thousands here on UG that could make a much better solo album, unfortunately the popular media frowns on anything that is different.
11. "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" is basically acapella and the music video is just creepy and depressing, I will admit though that the video for "The Sound Of Settling" is freakin hilarious but this is about the music.
12. A rather irrelavant point but hey you're all irrelavant people: Their name is just gay.

I laugh at Chris Walla and Death Cab for Cutie becuase musically their just a joke to me. You can have your opinions and your tastes it ain't my problem if you like to taste poo though, so don't come crawling to me when you look like morons.

..wow...

this band...i thought the title ment something about a cool guitar solo or somethin...otherwise i wouldnt of looked at it...

..as for Rosencrantz...i see ur point and i agree but some of those comparisons were well...unessascary....excuse my bad spelling

[_Alec]

Rosencrantz wrote:

You guys don't get it do you? Im not laughing at him cause I think Im better than him, or because he isn't metal or doesn't shred. When you guys grow up, you'll see what Im saying.
1. He doesn't do anything on their songs; he just hits several simple chords and fades into the background. So how can he make a solo act.
2. I can name tons of bands that sound like them: Stabilo, David Gilmour's solo act, Fairport Convention, and many others. The difference being these bands use their brains and put MUSIC into their "music".
3. The ONLY reason this guy has a record deal, is becuase little pre-teen girls like you guys think he is hot. He is only following what the media tells him is cool.
4. His music isn't intelligent. It's mentally drawl, and gets boring cause there's nothing to captivate you.
I'll bet you this guy know's nothing about compostion, or theory. Take Mr. Ludwig Van Beethoven or our more modern Joe Satriani. These two geniuses knew/know music. They knew where and when certain intervals would sound good or how to build tension (For example: with minor dominant 7th chords which leave a distinct ringing of foreboding in the back of your mind, but Chris Walla didn't know that he just stums random stuff till he says "hey that sounded cooool."
5. Yes, I have heard lots of DCFC; I'm not speaking in naivity.
6. Um, Paroxysm... You obviously don't know me (which is good cause than I'd have to add one more idiot to my list of people that are dumb), nothing is holding me back. I just moved and am already famous at my new school in all grades (im grade 12) for my musical abitlity. I'm in Band, Choir, I was my old school's guitar teachers favourite student where i got a 97%, I play on the school's worship team (It's a christian school), I am on my schools exclusive Jazz quad, in which we are highly acclaimed and play for money around the city, I sometimes play for my choir at performances (last time was in front of 2000 people), I've been in three hobby type bands with friends, played in my church, was in my youth group band, and am soon to start recording a new album with my brother.
7. No, I'm not a metal-head, I am currently listening to Dire-Straits' Private Investigtions, which actually if you like DCFC you'd probably love Dire Starits.
8. Look at that joke, he looks my dad if he tried to go emo.
9. There is a difference between "playing" guitar and "making it sing". Everyone "plays" guitar, everyone knows a few chords and dusts off the family guitar once a month. Anyone could write a DCFC song with those skills. Steve Vai is the exact example of why indie music is lame. Vai is famed for his intensive 10 hour guitar workouts. He can play faster or slower than anyone but even when he's playing fast he has more melody and emotion in a single note than any of Chris Walla's entire songs. When writing "For the Love of God" he spent many days in emotional, and mental preparation to give every second soul. Listen to Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd for an example of soul in music.
10. The arguements you children make are pathetic. To Paroxysm: Their are thousands here on UG that could make a much better solo album, unfortunately the popular media frowns on anything that is different.
11. "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" is basically acapella and the music video is just creepy and depressing, I will admit though that the video for "The Sound Of Settling" is freakin hilarious but this is about the music.
12. A rather irrelavant point but hey you're all irrelavant people: Their name is just gay.

I laugh at Chris Walla and Death Cab for Cutie becuase musically their just a joke to me. You can have your opinions and your tastes it ain't my problem if you like to taste poo though, so don't come crawling to me when you look like morons.

I guess you've got time to spare...I agree that DCFC isn't as innoative as the work of satriani or someone simular, but it's easy listening.
and i'll just point out that you don't have to suck just because you play simple things in a band

respect to GuitarSymphony

[crfowler_09]

Eh.
The Decemberists have a nice guitarist, he riffed on Colbert Report not too long ago.
But I think that GuitarSymphony has a great point.

[crfowler_09]

Also, I hate DCFC. They're a bit more eclectic than I like, and his voice is alittle to robotic.

[Rosencrantz]

Hey, it's that jerkoff again, I don't know if anyone's going to read this but whatever...

To all of those DCFC fans and people who hate me: I want to say sorry about my huge, stupid, and pointless rant. It was actually way out of character for me. I posted because I truly hate the way the media imposes on our culture and in some cases chooses our tastes for us; and well DCFC is a really "in" band right now.
However I know/knew that many people would like DCFC without the media anyways, like yourselves. Basically I just wanted to vent about teenage culture/popularity issues, as I've seen a lot of its downsides lately, and this seemed like a decent place to do it, I see though that I was wrong and you guys know what you like. I had no right to impose my tastes on you and I know that your tastes are your own.

The other reason I wanted to post: GuitarSymphony.
You make a good and I respect you. I actually agree with everything you said. Im not at all a one genre kind of person. Mainly though your (and others) evaluation of who I am, although a good assumption because of what I said, was way off what I'm actaully like. So I figured I should be sure that what I say refelcts me in the future. Normally I would've took your side in this arguement even though my tastes would be different. Im not arrogant; music is my life not my ego.

Sorry about all that crap.

To me music is, whatever intelligent sounds/noises played with soul/emotion, through consideration, when used in conjunction, I find I like to hear. It is a beautiful thing that is both simple and complex and the same time.

PS: If you don't accept the apology I understand; after all this is just the internet and we don't know eachother so who really cares?

[GuitarSymphony]

Rosencrantz wrote:

Hey, it's that jerkoff again, I don't know if anyone's going to read this but whatever...

To all of those DCFC fans and people who hate me: I want to say sorry about my huge, stupid, and pointless rant. It was actually way out of character for me. I posted because I truly hate the way the media imposes on our culture and in some cases chooses our tastes for us; and well DCFC is a really "in" band right now.
However I know/knew that many people would like DCFC without the media anyways, like yourselves. Basically I just wanted to vent about teenage culture/popularity issues, as I've seen a lot of its downsides lately, and this seemed like a decent place to do it, I see though that I was wrong and you guys know what you like. I had no right to impose my tastes on you and I know that your tastes are your own.

The other reason I wanted to post: GuitarSymphony.
You make a good and I respect you. I actually agree with everything you said. Im not at all a one genre kind of person. Mainly though your (and others) evaluation of who I am, although a good assumption because of what I said, was way off what I'm actaully like. So I figured I should be sure that what I say refelcts me in the future. Normally I would've took your side in this arguement even though my tastes would be different. Im not arrogant; music is my life not my ego.

Sorry about all that crap.

To me music is, whatever intelligent sounds/noises played with soul/emotion, through consideration, when used in conjunction, I find I like to hear. It is a beautiful thing that is both simple and complex and the same time.

PS: If you don't accept the apology I understand; after all this is just the internet and we don't know eachother so who really cares?

I accept your apology! Heh.

We all learn

Thanks to those who commented about my post. I'm glad there where others who understood where I was coming from.

[TiredOfSex]

rosemcratz obviously doesnt know how hard death cab worked to get where they are at right now. it wasnt cause of teeny-boppers, it was the result of making good music and touring your ass off non-stop

[Tin_man]

Now, Death Cab is a band for people who have an open approach to music.

Name one band that sounds anything close to Death Cab For cutie.

And if any other neanderthals critisize a band cause they're not metal or don't shred, you are simply going to prove what a moron you are.


I second that. If you don't like them, get on with your metal head life. Death Cab have been one of the greatest bands in the past 3-4 years, whether you chose to admit it or not.

Well, you're both morons. Just because you don't like Death Cab For Cutie doesn't mean that all you listen to is Metal. That is about the stupidest assertation that I have ever heard in my life. How did you even draw the line between those? I'd like to know the logic you're using, there...

[Tin_man]

Now, Death Cab is a band for people who have an open approach to music.

Name one band that sounds anything close to Death Cab For cutie.

And if any other neanderthals critisize a band cause they're not metal or don't shred, you are simply going to prove what a moron you are.


I second that. If you don't like them, get on with your metal head life. Death Cab have been one of the greatest bands in the past 3-4 years, whether you chose to admit it or not.

Well, you're both morons. Just because you don't like Death Cab For Cutie doesn't mean that all you listen to is Metal. That is about the stupidest assertation that I have ever heard in my life. How did you even draw the line between those? I'd like to know the logic you're using, there...And DCFC is NOT one of the best bands in the last 3-4 years. Maybe good. NOT one of the best.

[Max.]

Rosencrantz : if you don't care, then why bother to write so much about them? Theyr'e a great band, and just because the guitar is usually easy to play, that doesn't mean it's bad.

[I_Collect_Picks]

Coo'
Death cab For Cutie are Pretty Good

[Tijy]

if you hate them...why are you here in the first place? dcfc is indeed easy listening and not complex like steve vai, most similar to the decemberists. and the solo album should be interesting to see if its comparable to anything ben puts out.