The Postal Service
In the proud tradition of two-man electronica comes experienced duo The Postal Service. The group is comprised of two guys who usually spend their time on other projects, with singer Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie) and producer Jimmy Tamborello (several indie projects). The first album from the band includes several songs with guest singers who are also well-traveled along the indie circuit.
The Postal Service offers an introspective look at life and American on their album Give Up, a trend which continued throughout their EP releases and their appearances on other artist’s projects (such as with the Flaming Lips). “Sleeping In” is a cross between a modern day “Imagine” and the folk song “The Strangest Dream”, wherein Gibbard ponders what the world would be like if everything actually was “just like it seems”. Historical references abound, including ponderings on the JFK assassination and the war in Iraq. In other work, such as “Pick Up the Phone”, the duo emphasizes a relationship that just can’t seem to go away.
Despite heavy schedules with other projects, the Postal Service have indicated that they are working on a new album (begun in summer of 2006). When this will arrive is still in question, as Gibbard and Tamborello appear in no hurry to rush the creative work. Fans of electronica will no doubt find the caution and the final project well worth the wait.
I really love The Postal Service. They are a little bit different from every other band out there, though I can definitely see influences and inspirations from other bands, which is not a bad thing. I really like the more poppy version of “Such Great Heights”. I first heard them on the Garden State soundtrack by the way, which I loved.
Didn’t this band once have issues with the real United States Postal Service because of the name chosen by Jimmy Tamborello and Ben Gibbard? They must have come to some sort of understanding, no?
Anyway, yeah. This is a band worth listening to, sincerely, even though my favorite song happens to be “The District Sleeps Alone Tonight.”
I didn’t really like “District Sleeps Alone Tonight” but I really got into “Such Great Heights”. I wish they had more songs uploaded thought, because those two songs alone isn’t enough for me to run out and grab their c.d. They do have potential though; I just wish I could hear more of their tunes.
“Such Great Heights” isn’t too bad, really. I might have listened to “The District Sleeps Alone” on a day when my mood seemed to be more receptive to that song’s message, so at the time it seemed a tad better.
I do agree with you in that the two songs here don’t exactly make me want to head out and buy their CD, even though The Postal Service isn’t a shabby band at all.
“The District Sleeps Alone” is a decent song, definitely not my favorite song by The Postal Service though. I did not know that they had issues with their name, but then again, I really do not know much about the band in general, except for the fact that they make some great music.
While it does sound rather silly, the U.S. Postal Service did, indeed, issue what is called a “cease and desist” order for the band to not use its current name. Cooler heads prevailed, and the mail service now has a collaborative deal with The Postal Service, using cross-promotions and even selling the band’s compact discs at the http://www.usps.com site.
That’s a really interesting bit of trivia about the bands, thanks for sharing that information. I think it is so funny that they have collaborated in some ways. Who starts a band thinking that they might get the US Postal Service involved like that?