Death Cab To Issue ‘The Georgia EP’ on Vinyl

Death Cab for Cutie just released its The Georgia EP to all DSPs. Originally released in December as a 24-hour Bandcamp exclusive, the project — featuring covers of iconic artists from the state of Georgia — raised over $100K for Fair Fight Action, Stacey Abrams’ voting rights organization promoting fair elections around the country through voter education, election reform, and combating voter suppression.

After last week’s runoff elections flipped the state blue and giving Democrats control of the Senate, the band chose to celebrate by making the EP available across all platforms.

“Fair Fight is grateful for the support of Death Cab for Cutie in our fight for free and fair elections in Georgia and nationwide,” says Fair Fight founder Stacey Abrams in a press release about the EP. “The Georgia EP helps tell the story of Georgia just as their contributions have helped us write the next chapter.”  

The project — recorded remotely over just four days in the band members’ home studios — will also be made available as a limited-edition peach-colored vinyl.  

“Because we are so happy with the results of the recent Georgia runoff elections, we have decided to release our EP The Georgia EP — originally released on Bandcamp for 24 hours in early December — today on all streaming services, so that everybody can take a listen to it,” says the band in a statement. “It will also be available soon on peach vinyl, which we’re all very excited about. It’s an EP of covers of acts from Georgia including Neutral Milk Hotel, Vic Chesnutt, R.E.M., TLC, and Cat Power, and we had a blast making it. We raised over $100,000 for voting rights organization Fair Fight, which we’ve always been big supporters of; we’re really stoked. So, we hope you enjoy it and we hope to see you guys in person very soon!” 

The band previously supported Fair Fight Action via their participation in the multi-artist compilation Good Music to Avert the Collapse of American Democracy — another Bandcamp Friday initiative whose net proceeds benefitted the organization. A recording of “The New Year” live from Seattle’s the Showbox and a demo of “Only Love Will Save This Place” (a collaboration between Ben Gibbard and Tycho) were featured alongside previously unreleased recordings from artists including My Morning Jacket, Hayley Williams, Phoebe Bridgers, the National’s Matt Berninger, Fleet Foxes’ Robin Pecknold, Rostam, Best Coast and others.  

In December, Gibbard participated in Rock the Runoff, a virtual concert curated by Fair Fight featuring local and national artists, with net proceeds going towards the non-profit’s voter mobilization efforts leading up to the upcoming runoff elections. Other performers included John Legend, Common, Ant Clemons and Justin Timberlake, Monica, Indigo Girls and Earthgang.  

In August, Death Cab for Cutie held a fundraising auction We Have The Facts And We’re Voting 2020, raising over $50,000 to help support voter rights and combat voter suppression ahead of the general election. Donations benefitted both Fair Fight Action as well as the organization Future Now. Auction items ranged from exclusive merch, signed test pressings, one-on-one music lessons, and even a grand prize of a private acoustic concert with the band.

Throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gibbard has helped raise over $250,000 in donations and supplies for various Seattle-area relief organizations via his series of at-home livestreams. A highlight of the early days of quarantine for so many, the shows included songs from throughout his career with Death Cab for Cutie, the Postal Service and his solo material, along with covers and other surprises.

Gibbard has also released two new singles during quarantine: “Promixa B” and “Life in Quarantine.” Net proceeds from the release of “Life in Quarantine” benefitted the homelessness-support services nonprofit Aurora Commons. Gibbard performed the song live on both The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and MSNBC’s Morning Joe.

Photo: Eliot Lee Hazel