| Author | Message | ||
     kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 188 Registered: 05-2005 |
I know absolutely nothing about this band, but have seen the name bandied about mainly on American music websites. from what i can remember they have had very little coverage in the British music press. Anyway, Im listening to Translantacism just now and it sounds not bad, although its not knocking me out. my problem is should I persevere with this band given that I have so much other music to listen to? Its obvious there are lots of really knowledgeable folks on this board so I look forward to hearing any opinions | ||
| spence Member Username: Spence Post Number: 246 Registered: 05-2005 |
I bought their album Kev, Plans. Its OK, its a bit this a bit that! A bit John Lennon. It really is music for the lovers of OC. I suppose the real trouble is it has no balls!! Now, a counterpart to this would be their stable mates, Nada Surf. Their new album, The weight is a gift, is a real gem. Nice n poppy, and not TOO serious, jus the way me like it! | ||
| gareth w Member Username: Gareth Post Number: 55 Registered: 05-2005 |
Persevere, Kevin. Their most recent album ‘Plans’ is my favourite. A little over-produced and smooth at times but some great songs on there. ‘Brothers on a Hotel Bed’ is such a great, great song. Initially I thought the album was a let down but it’s really worked its way under my skin. I recommend the spin off project ‘The Postal Service’ too. | ||
| Kurt Stephan Member Username: Slothbert Post Number: 178 Registered: 04-2005 |
Death Cab are local favorites here in Seattle, but I've never managed to warm to them, although maybe Ben Gibbard is as clever a songwriter as his rep indicates. I like him a bit better with Postal Service; that fly-away voice of his seems to work better with electronic blips and beats. In the Northwest pop-indie vein, I think the Shins and New Pornographers are the bands to beat, but Death Cab has eclipsed them commercially. Like Spence said, it must be an OC thing. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 61 Registered: 03-2006 |
I join the club of not particularly into Death Cab..not that they are bad, there's just something too wan, too self congratulatorily cool about them...They do, in fairness, have a way with a melody and even have some decent lyrics...perhaps I need to hang in there, too, Gareth...Soul Meets Body is a very cool song, I must confess... The Postal Service disc is serviceably decent too, though I question the Phil Collins cover...Though I've whinged on a bit on this site about how music should be a matter of subjective personal taste, I dunno, might have to make an exception for PC...He really is the Anti-Christ! The show, The OC, may feature that kind of ultra-hip clever fanboy alterna-pop, but here in the actual OC (nobody, by the way really calls it the OC) it seems like what's popular amongst the local shaven-headed, tatooed local cognoscenti is what I call "date rape rock"... all that Limp Bizkit-y bullshit...we twee GB fans are forced to hide indoors and sip our tea and knit cardigans! | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 37 Registered: 05-2005 |
Well, true, Gibbard's songs could be said to lack "balls." A matter of taste. But I find the lyrics a bit more introspective than other stuff one might listen to, and somewhat prescient, even. Phil Collins cover??? (I wouldn't recognize such, 'cause I have none of his solo stuff in my collection). Which song is that? I just pulled out my copy of Give Up, and the only song not credited to the band (Tamborello / Gibbard) *isn't* credited to Collins (the song, suddenly everything has changed is credited to Drozd, Ivins & Coyne, which sounds like The Flaming Lips)? Also no mention of Collins on the Such Great Heights and We Will Become Silhouttes singles... Enquiring Minds want to know...? | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 64 Registered: 03-2006 |
Ooops...that song in question, Against All Odds, was not on the album. It was on the soundtrack to the (abysmal) movie, "Wicker Park", but still performed by PS ...A thousand pardons...musta been that big bowl of crack I smoked this morning... Balls shmalls...doesn't the PS record contain the deluxe vocal stylings of the fetching and talented Jenny Lewis? Nobody who could round her up could be all bad, or totally lacking in cojones  | ||
| gareth w Member Username: Gareth Post Number: 56 Registered: 05-2005 |
Postal Service did a version of 'Against All Odds'. Think its a download, not sure if it's on 'Give Up' or not. Worth having if you have the rest of the stuff. There was a great scene in 'Six Feet Under' when they played 'Translanticism' for about 2 minutes. A great scene from a great show. | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 38 Registered: 05-2005 |
And I confess to watching very little TV (have a couple favorite shows, amounting to a couple hours a week). And zero radio. So I'm oblivious to any "poisoning" of music because it's slipped into the mainstream. Long ago, in my "yoot," it was fashionable to start to "hate" a band because they'd gone 'mersh. Well, gonna happen sooner or later to about every good band, probably. I mean, who'd ever thought we'd see Sid's "My Way" or Johnny T.'s "You Cant Put Your Arms..." out there (as espoused by Goodfellas and The Sopranos, respectively)? Seen the new TV commercial with the classic song "Not Like Everybody Else?" I said to my wife, "pretty soon, every song is gonna be on a commercial, and ruined." So, make a choice: gotta stop watching TV, or else give up the pleasure of hearing great songs... Gareth, thanks for the tip. (It's not on Give Up, either the CD or vinyl - which is a double album - versions.) I'll try and check it out! | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 39 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hardin, wanted to comment on your follow-up also. I haven't seen Wicker Park. (But I remember the ads for the film.) When I lived in Chicago, Wicker Park was an old Polish immigrant neighborhood. Used to go and get good czarnina there. The waitress *always* said, "do you know what that is?" I would say, yes, it's duck blood soup. Wicker Park was Chicago's arty bohemian enclave of the late '80s, like the East Village of NYC was a decade earlier. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 67 Registered: 03-2006 |
Cool...I've been to Chicago a few times and have always enjoyed it. One of the great American cities - clean, safe, friendly...I pondered the idea of moving there, but realized I couldn't hack the snow...I've become hopelessly wimpy about the cold. Here, in Orange County, it doesn't get below about 50 degrees and that's only for a few days a year. It so rarely rains, that I sometimes miss it...But I need to go back to Chi-town though...the Art Institute alone would make it worth it... | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 40 Registered: 05-2005 |
Hardin, I'd like to add to your comments: New York is way safer than Chicago - because in Chicago, you can wander into a bad neighborhood (or drive onto the "wrong" expressway exit) without realizing it. It's a bit difficult to describe, but there are weird sociological "borders" in NYC's neighborhoods, that are absent in Chicago. Another way to put it is that LA is much more like Chicago than NYC. That also goes for the outlying towns. Been to Gary, Indiana? (shudder) And actually, it don't snow all that much in Chicago, compared to the other side of "the lake." Different story there altogether. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 71 Registered: 03-2006 |
Never been to Indiana, thanks...hmm, fascinating. Don't know that much about NYC, but I am given to understand it's fairly safe... Most of my brief time in Chicago was spent in whatever you call it, the Loop, the Miracle Mile area...didn't venture to the South Side... | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 41 Registered: 05-2005 |
"Most of my brief time in Chicago was spent in whatever you call it, the Loop, the Miracle Mile area...didn't venture to the South Side..." Talkin' about the projects on the west end (the Cabrini Green and Robert Taylor Homes projects). The southside was tame by comparison (but still had its scary pockets). Now, those areas might have improved since the 80s. I dunno. I wandered into the edge of Cabrini Green by mistake during an exploration (on foot). And once again, about 10 years later, in a car. Backed away, best I could, like one does when facing a big old dog baring its teeth. Basically, you get messages along the lines of what the f*** are you doing here. Most of Indiana is pretty tame: plain ole milquetoast middle americana. Pleasant. I'm just referring to the city of Gary, which is part of the "rust belt" that extends southward from Chicago. Not quite the town espoused in the play "the Music Man." Not currently, anyways. | ||
| julia motzko Member Username: Julia Post Number: 15 Registered: 05-2005 |
I don't like Death Cab for Cutie either, though I love The Postal Service. And another really good recent album involving Ben Gibbard is his "HOME EP" together with Andrew Kenny from American Analog Set. | ||
| Matt Ellis Member Username: Matt_ellis Post Number: 76 Registered: 11-2004 |
I loved The Postal Service record - what a brilliant piece of 'electronica'. I've only heard 'Plans' so I can't really comment fully on DCFC but I think its a very good record. Does anyone have any ideas on the likelyhood of another Postal Service record? Talking of good side projects, is anyone a fan of Brad (a fantastic Pearl Jam spin off)? | ||
| Jerry Clark Member Username: Jerry Post Number: 200 Registered: 08-2004 |
I recently heard an itunes exclusive, it was so bland I presumed they were Canadian. Not far off! | ||
| kevin Member Username: Kevin Post Number: 195 Registered: 05-2005 |
yeah, the guys vocals are a bit weedy and definetely suit the postal service album better. dont think i'll persevere with DCFC, but the postal service album is a good pop record. didnt know the singer sung with both bands - the things you learn on here | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 82 Registered: 03-2006 |
Yes Matt - I have the Interiors record. Great stuff, I meant to pursue more by them...Shawn Smith is a great, mighty and soulful singer...They featured some of his solo stuff, to great effect I might add, in an episode of the Sopranos (the one where Adriana got whacked) that I meant to chase down, but alas, limitations of time, money, attention span, etc... Are there any other Brad discs you particularly recommend? | ||
| Matt Ellis Member Username: Matt_ellis Post Number: 77 Registered: 11-2004 |
Interesting Hardin'..It always amazes me how many seemingly obscure bands are also known or liked by folks on this board. I'll have to check out some Shawn Smith solo stuff at some point. Funnily enough 'Interiors' was the Brad album I could never get into - slightly more poppy than their other records. I will dig it out again. I much prefer the debut 'Brad' - The first and only album I've heard that could be described as funky and melancholy at the same time - outstanding! Brad's 3rd record I found initially dissapointing but its a huge grower - Smith's vocals are superb throughout. I just checked out www.allmusic.com (my favourite website ever!)...apparently Brad released a 4th record last year which I don't have called 'Brad Vs Satchel' it features compositions by Brad and Smith's first band Satchel. Confusingly most of the musicians from Brad are also members of Satchel but with the omission of Stone Gossard. I would have love to have seen Brad live but sadly they rarely come to England. With the re-emergance of Pearl Jam I don't think we'll see any more Brad material for a few years. | ||
| XY765 Member Username: Judge Post Number: 33 Registered: 01-2006 |
Never heard of Brad but if Pearl Jam are re-emerging then I'm all for more Brad material instead... | ||
| Randy Adams Member Username: Randy_adams Post Number: 241 Registered: 03-2005 |
Thanks, everybody. You've saved me the bother of Death Cab for Cutie. A friend of mine loves them but I know his tastes can wander into the dull zone. And, stupid as it sounds, I always objected to somebody copping an old Bonzo Dog Band song title for their group name. | ||
| Hardin Smith Member Username: Manosludge Post Number: 98 Registered: 03-2006 |
One of my real weaknesses is great singing, particularly that in the R&B, "Soul" vein...in that regard, Shawn Smith really has "it" - one of those unique, unforgettable voices...and I'm not talking about that phony, constipated Michael Bolton grunting, either. SS is the real deal.... SS also sang with Greg Dulli on, I think , the first Twilight Singers disc...Any "Whig-nuts" out there? At their peak, they put on some of the best shows ever...and "Gentlemen" is a twisted little classic... | ||
| Rob Robinson Member Username: Rsub8 Post Number: 45 Registered: 05-2005 |
Julia, thanks for the tip. I finally tracked down a copy of the Ben Gibbard "HOME EP" together with Andrew Kenny. I have it (“it” being a 12” vinyl disc) in my hands, but haven’t listened to it yet. Actually, I was a bit surprised by your remarks about DCFC. It made me reflect a bit. True, the instruments and approach are somewhat different... but the “message,” being great songwriting, is still the same, with Gibbard’s plaintive voice delivering the message. I guess I focused on that (I heard TPS first a couple years ago, then DCFC). The same message / picture rendered with watercolor on cotton rag paper instead of oil on canvas... a good composition is a good composition regardless of the medium. TPS used watercolor, DCFC oils. Or vice-versa, depending. Bottom line, though, I respect your opinion (and look forward to listening to the album you mentioned)! |