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The Postal Service is an electronic indie pop band featuring singer Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie and producer Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel, Headset and Figurine. Several songs on their first LP, Give Up, feature guest vocals from Jenny Lewis, solo artist and the lead singer of Rilo Kiley, a band which was once on the same label as Death Cab (Barsuk Records) and vocals from Jen Wood, an indie rock musician. Chris Walla recorded some of the songs and played the piano on "Nothing Better."

Overview

The way in which the group combines mechanical backing tracks with poppy hooks is somewhat reminiscent of 1980s new wave music as revived by Stephin Merritt on The Magnetic Fields' 69 Love Songs. The group formed after Gibbard contributed vocals for a song on Dntel's album Life is Full of Possibilities called "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan". This song sparked an EP of remixes by other artists, such as Lali Puna, the Flaming Lips, Safety Scissors, Barbara Morgenstern and Superpitcher, and was so well received that the two artists decided that further collaboration was in order.

Their name comes from the manner in which their songs were created, due to the fact that the two of them lived too far away to be able to work together in person. Tamborello would create beats and mail them to singer and lyricist Gibbard, who would then edit them and put his melodies over the tracks and mail them back. Gibbard didn't write any of the lyrics until the tracks were completely finished.

Despite the fact that their main bands are still active, The Postal Service has supported their full-length album Give Up with a successful concert tour and has stated intentions to tour more in the future. The album's most notable single was "Such Great Heights" that has been featured in various television commercials and movie trailers. The album also became the most successful album for the Sub Pop label since Nirvana's debut album Bleach. *

In 2004, the United States Postal Service sent the band a cease and desist letter citing their trademark on the phrase "postal service". After negotiations, the USPS relented, allowing the band use of the trademark in exchange for promotional efforts on behalf of the USPS and a performance at their annual National Executive Conference. Additionally, the USPS website sells the band's CDs. [http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductCategoryDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10152&categoryId=11814

Many of the band's songs have been used for television commercials in the United States. In 2004, the track "Such Great Heights," as performed by Iron & Wine, was used on the Garden State film soundtrack. In 2005, this version of the song was also licensed for use in a television commercial for the Mars Corporation's M&M's candies. "Such Great Heights" has also been featured on Grey's Anatomy and Veronica Mars as well as commercials for insurance provider Kaiser Permanente. In late 2005, the instrumental intro of the song "We Will Become Silhouettes" was featured in a commercial introducing the 2006 model year Honda Civic. As an indicator of their talent and timeliness, an article in Rolling Stone magazine by Stephen Thanabalan also detailed how the band's combination of indietronic with new wave music was set to father a new genre of trends for the decade ahead, much like what the post punk revival and the rise of synthpop in the late 1970s and early 1980s last achieved.

On June 26, 2006 it was revealed that The Postal Service has began work on a new album, though the specifics of the release date are ambiguous with Gibbard stating "We're slowly starting. We're crawling right now, and whether that crawl turns into a walk remains to be seen. But we'll know more towards the end of the year. I've just been touring so much and trying to find time to make it happen and make our schedules line up." Tamborello also added "We're talking about wanting to finish an album by sometime next year, because we have to work with Death Cab's schedule and stuff. I definitely want to do another one." Two songs have been recorded, and the band has speculated that the album will be released in late 2007. *

Music video controversy

A copyright disagreement ensued in January 2006, when directors Josh Melnick and Xander Charity, producers of the "Such Great Heights" music video, created a TV spot for Apple Computer and Intel using almost identical footage. On January 19, 2006, Ben Gibbard stated on the band's website: "It has recently come to our attention that Apple Computers' new television commercial for the Intel chip features a shot-for-shot recreation of our video for 'Such Great Heights' made by the same filmmakers responsible for the original. We did not approve this commercialization and are extremely disappointed with both parties that this was executed without our consultation or consent." The band has not taken any legal action against the film makers or the computer giant.

Discography

Such Great Heights

  1. "Such Great Heights" (4:27)
  2. "There's Never Enough Time" (3:33)
  3. "We Will Become Silhouettes (Cover by The Shins)" (3:01)
  4. "Such Great Heights (Cover by Iron & Wine)" (4:10)

Give Up

  1. "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" (4:44)
  2. "Such Great Heights" (4:26)
  3. "Sleeping In" (4:21)
  4. "Nothing Better" (3:46)
  5. "Recycled Air" (4:29)
  6. "Clark Gable" (4:54)
  7. "We Will Become Silhouettes" (5:00)
  8. "This Place Is a Prison" (3:54)
  9. "Brand New Colony" (4:12)
  10. "Natural Anthem" (5:07)

The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

  1. "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight "
  2. "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (Remix by DJ Downfall)"
  3. "Such Great Heights (Remix by John Tejada)"
  4. "Suddenly Everything Has Changed (The Flaming Lips cover)"

Ego Tripping At The Gates Of Hell (EP) - The Flaming Lips

  1. "Do You Realize? (The Postal Service Remix)" (4:00)

''Wicker Park: Soundtrack Album

14. "Against All Odds" (3:50).

Give Up (Vinyl)

  • LP1: Give Up
    1. "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight"
    2. "Such Great Heights"
    3. "Sleeping In"
    4. "Nothing Better"
    5. "Recycled Air"
    6. "Clark Gable"
    7. "We Will Become Silhouettes"
    8. "This Place Is A Prison"
    9. "Brand New Colony"
    10. "Natural Anthem"

  • LP2: B Sides
    1. "There's Never Enough Time"
    2. "We Will Become Silhouettes (Performed by The Shins)"
    3. "Such Great Heights (performed by Iron & Wine)"
    4. "Suddenly Everything Has Changed (The Flaming Lips cover)"
    5. "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight (DJ Downfall Persistent Beat Mix)"
    6. "Such Great Heights (John Tejada Remix)"

We Will Become Silhouettes

  1. "We Will Become Silhouettes" (4:59)
  2. "Be Still My Heart" (3:02)
  3. "Nothing Better (Styrofoam Remix)" (3:31)
  4. "We Will Become Silhouettes (Matthew Dear's Not Scared Mix)" (5:02)

Be Still My Heart (Nobody Remix) - Single

  1. "Be Still My Heart (Nobody Remix)" (3:53)

Verve Remixed, Vol. 3

  1. "Little Girl Blue (Postal Service Mix)" (5:20)

Some Noise EP

  1. "Grow Old With Me" (2:35) (a John Lennon cover)

Open Season - Feist

  1. "Mushaboom (The Postal Service Remix)" (3:37)

Videography

Trivia

  • The song, "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" was used for the trailer to the 2004 film, Imaginary Heroes.
  • Another song used for a trailer was "Such Great Heights" in the Garden State trailer. A cover of this song, performed by Iron & Wine, also appeared on the movie's soundtrack.
  • The song "Such Great Heights" was written by Ben Gibbard with friend Aaron (last name not mentioned) in 2003, according to an interview with Gibbard in Spin magazine.
  • In 2005, Jimmy Tamborello and Jenny Lewis both contributed to the UNICEF benefit song, "Do They Know It's Hallowe'en?"
  • The song "Such Great Heights" was used on the UPN drama Veronica Mars.
  • The song "Such Great Heights" was also used for the trailer of the hit show The Real Orange County Season 1.

External links

2000s music groups | American musical groups | Washington musical groups | American dance musicians | Dance/Club music artists | Duos | Electronic music groups | Indie rock groups | Remixers | Sub Pop

The Postal Service | The Postal Service | The Postal Service | The Postal Service | The Postal Service

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "The Postal Service".

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