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Narrow Stairs (2007–2008)

Walla claimed on October 18, 2007 that the new album was "in full swing" and that they had six songs completed.^[17] He went on to call the new music "weird", "spectacular", and "creepy", saying that it contained "lots of blood".^[17] He noted that the album had a "Can jam" that lasted 10 minutes, which Walla said that he would have never imagined doing in 1998.^[17] In a Billboard piece in January '08, the band promised the album to be a "curve ball", and said that although it would have slower songs, there would be some surprises. Walla said, "I'm really excited about it. It's really got some teeth. The landscape of the thing is way, way more lunar than the urban meadow sort of thing that has been happening for the last couple of records."^[18] Walla added that the album was "louder and more dissonant and... abrasive." They claimed that they were influenced by "synth-punk band Brainiac."^[18] The album, titled Narrow Stairs, was released on May 12, 2008.

The band released the first single,"I Will Possess Your Heart" from the album on March 18, 2008.^[19] The radio edit version does not include the extended introduction. In an album review, MTV writer James Montgomery said "Narrow Stairs is a great album, one that could make them very famous, but could very well also kill their careers," and although "Death Cab for Cutie had gone insane," he believed the LP could be "an early contender for the best album of 2008."^[20] Indeed, Narrow Stairs was nominated for "Best Alternative Music Album" and "I Will Possess Your Heart" received a nomination for "Best Rock Song". The band won in neither category, but prompted debate after appearing at the ceremony sporting blue ribbons to protest against what they view as the excessive use of Auto-Tune in the music industry.^[21] Narrow Stairs was their first album to reach #1 on the Billboard 200 chart on May 31, 2008. "No Sunlight" is the third single from the album.^[22] On March 31, 2009, the band released The Open Door EP, containing tracks left off Narrow Stairs as well as the "Talking Bird" demo. When purchased on iTunes, the package also includes the music video for "Grapevine Fires".