Death Cab for Cutie to Release EP Benefitting Georgia Voters’ Rights
Death Cab for Cutie will release on Friday “The Georgia E.P.” — a five-track E.P. of covers of songs by artists from the state of Georgia, with all net proceeds going to Fair Fight Action, Stacey Abrams’ voter’s rights organization that promotes fair elections around the country through voter education, election reform, and combating voter suppression.
The EP will be exclusively available via Bandcamp on Friday, Dec. 4, and like many benefit releases on Bandcamp, will be available for just 24 hours, beginning at 12:01 a.m. PT.
The tracklist for the EP includes new covers of songs by Georgia-spawned artists TLC, R.E.M., Neutral Milk Hotel, Cat Power, and Vic Chesnutt (full tracklist below) and seeks to recognize and support the organization leading up to the Georgia runoffs and in honor of their work throughout the entire 2020 election cycle.
The project was recorded remotely over four days in the band members’ respective home studios and mixed just a couple days later. “In a year where so much of what we love to do has been put on pause,” the band wrote in a note to fans, “it felt so good to be making music together again.”
Speaking on the inspirations behind the project and their partnership with the organization, Ben Gibbard says, “We created this exclusive e.p. of songs by some of our favorite Georgia artists for our friend Stacey Abrams and all the hard-working people at Fair Fight Action. We strongly believe in the work Fair Fight has done to assure free and fair elections in Georgia and beyond and have been honored to assist them throughout the 2020 campaign.”
The band recently supported Fair Fight Action via their participation in the multi-artist compilation “Good Music to Avert the Collapse of American Democracy,” another Bandcamp Fridays 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 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 many more.
On Thursday, Gibbard will participate 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 include John Legend, Common, Ant Clemons and Justin Timberlake, Monica, Indigo Girls, Earthgang and more. The ticketed show is set to air online beginning at 9pm ET, with tickets available for purchase here.
In August, Death Cab for Cutie held a fundraising auction called “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. He has also released two new singles during this time: “Promixa B” and “Life in Quarantine,” with the former debuted in April during the Smithsonian’s National Air & Space Museum virtual concert Space Songs: Through the Distance and the latter composed for Seattle alt-weekly The Stranger’s A Message to the City series in late March. Net proceeds from the release of “Life in Quarantine” benefitted the homelessness-support services nonprofit Aurora Commons, a welcoming space for unhoused Seattle residents to rest, prepare a meal, connect to resources, and collectively create a healthy and vibrant community.
The Georgia E.P. TRACKLISTING
Waterfalls (TLC cover)
The King of Carrot Flowers, Pt. 1 (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
Fall On Me (R.E.M. cover)
Flirted With You All My Life (Vic Chesnutt cover)
Metal Heart (Cat Power cover)
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