Results tagged “bengibbard”

Every band has a Utopian vision for their music, a Sangri-La of lyrics, melody, and structure.The leaner, meaner version of Ben Gibbard and his band Death Cab for Cutie took the red-carpeted stage on Friday night to prove that marrying into Hollywood and the pressures of major label success hadn't marred their vision with the afflictions of ambition and greed. While Gibbard's frame has become more svelte the band's sound has actually increased in both weight and aggravated edge. Throwing his guitar to the stage during the intro to "I Will Posses Your Heart" Gibbard stalked to the keyboard to take out his frustrations on the keyboard. A transition that is a natural part of the album version was made to feel like a moment of angry frustration at at a broken string, a dose of theatrical awareness from a band known more for introspective romanticism than guitar-hurling dramatics.

In one of the most anticipated shows of the year, two of this generation's most beloved singer-songwriters and one young up-and-comer are gonna be strumming the night away this evening at Emo's. Ben Gibbard, the bespectacled teddy bear that fronts Death Cab for Cutie has teamed up with David Bazan (aka Pedro the Lion, going by his own name) and mussy-haired crooner Johnathan Rice (Jenny Lewis' beau, lucky stiff...)

While Jenny Lewis still has her day job in the form of Rilo Kiley, the singer/songwriter/crush magnet also released the solo disc Rabbit Fur Coat in early 2006. Rabbit is a low-key, gospel and soul influnced late-night record with ruminations on parents, God, and of course love, and features cameos from M. Ward and Conor Oberst. The album is a departure from Lewis' traditional indie-pop, and features bluegrass duo The Watson Twins to set a southern and haunting tone to the proceedings. Most of the record's attention was (perhaps unfairly) directed to the cover of the Traveling Wilburys "Handle With Care" featuring Ward, Oberst, and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie, but that track doesn't really reflect the pretty but somber mood of the album.