Ben Gibbard is an interesting songwriter. He’s got a clear affinity for ‘60s British pop and old bubblegum music, but he also writes bookish lyrics in complete sentences. Every line has a purpose, even if it takes a while to reveal itself. He’s a clear descendent of meticulous, thoughtful lyricists like Michael Stipe and Robert Smith, walking that tightrope between pop and poetry with a knack for describing characters and scenes in incredible detail. When he’s on, he’s on.
That was never more true than in 2003, when he was involved with two of this century’s greatest, most influential albums – The Postal Service’s Give Up and Death Cab for Cutie’s Transatlanticism. It’s almost unimaginable that both records were released within eight months of each other, and now they’re both celebrating their 20th anniversary!
So, how did it happen?
A few years into their career, Death Cab for Cutie had been working at a pretty insane pace. Between 2000 and 2003, they released two studio albums, a pair of EPs, a non-album single and reissued You Can Play These Songs With Chords – all while touring extensively with bands like The Dismemberment Plan, Pedro the Lion and The Appleseed Cast. This period was full of make-or-break moments, and their hard work was paying off. They had become a pretty big deal on the college circuit, and the perfectly-timed use of “A Movie Script Ending” on The O.C. introduced them to a whole new audience. Big things were about to happen.
But before they could, Ben Gibbard was finishing up another project. A few years earlier, he had collaborated with producer Jimmy Tamborello for a song titled “(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan” that would serve as the lead single for Dntel’s 2001 album Life is Full of Possibilities. Glitchy and sorta danceable, it would be the launchpad for a budding creative partnership that led to more songs. And more. And more.
Once they had a few songs finished, the duo talked to a friend at Seattle-based label Sub Pop about releasing it. He pointed out that, while an EP was fine, a full-length album would be way more likely to get reviews and press coverage. Gibbard and Tamborello agreed and got to work, writing songs by sending burned CD-Rs back and forth between Los Angeles and Seattle via the United States Postal Service. (Yep, that’s where the name comes from.)
Featuring vocals from Jenny Lewis (who everyone still knew as “the singer from Rilo Kiley”) and Jen Wood, Give Up came out on February 18, 2003. It was a late Valentine’s Day gift that came crammed with instant classics. You’ve got the ultimate hipster love song (“Such Great Heights”), an anthem for anyone in a strained long-distance relationship (“The District Sleeps Alone Tonight”) and the catchiest song about nuclear annihilation since NENA’s “99 Luftballons.” (“We Will Become Silhouettes”)
Glowing reviews and word of mouth turned Give Up into a runaway success, quickly becoming Sub Pop’s best-selling album since Nirvana’s Bleach. After a short tour, The Postal Service wrapped things up and everyone went back to their “day jobs.” The timing couldn’t have been better…
Since the release of The Photo Album in 2001, things had been changing in Death Cab. Guitarist Chris Walla was branching out as a producer and mixer, working on projects for the likes of Nada Surf, The Thermals and Hot Hot Heat. Meanwhile, drummer Michael Schorr left the band and was replaced by Jason McGerr. One of indie rock’s great timekeepers (you’ve heard his work with Tegan and Sara, Frank Turner and Matt Nathanson), the way his playing interweaves with Nick Harmer’s bass lines would become a defining feature of DCFC’s sound going forward.
Transatlanticism (you’re gonna hear a lot of people butchering that title, by the way) came out on October 7, 2003. From the opening eruption of “The New Year,” it’s obvious that this wasn’t the same ol’ Death Cab For Cutie. They sounded bigger and more confident than ever before. It was a perfect storm of finding the right drummer, being led by a young producer at the height of his powers and working with some of the best songs of Ben Gibbard’s career. Really, how could they go wrong?
It didn’t take long for standouts like “The Sound of Settling,” “Title and Registration” and “A Lack of Color” to become era-defining alternative hits, and major labels were falling over each other for a chance to sign Death Cab. They went with Atlantic Records and never looked back, kicking off an incredible two-decade run of albums that included Plans, Narrow Stairs and last year’s stellar Asphalt Meadows.
While some artists struggle with their legacies, that couldn’t be further from the truth here. Looking back on their 20th anniversary, Ben Gibbard said “These two records will be on my tombstone, and I’m totally fine with that.” Give Up and Transatlanticism deserve to be celebrated, so be there when Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service perform them live in their entirety at Riot Fest on Saturday!
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