[News] Could The Postal Service Be Reuniting for Coachella?

The Postal Service was one of those shortlived collaborations that stands out distinctly in many people's minds, a cherished memory that lives on through our digital libraries. Could it be that Death Cab for Cutie frontman Benjamin Gibbard and DNTEL are reuniting, perhaps for a performance at this year's Coachella? A post on Brooklyn Vegan suggests through title alone that a reunion is "in the works", along with a tag for Coachella. As no other information was given, all we can say is that this is pure speculation.

Gibbard has been rather dismissive of any chance of reuniting the shortlived collaboration, stating as recently as October that "[t]here are no plans to make a second record … I can’t say that enough.” He states further, "I really enjoyed doing that record with Jimmy", but "making music in computers involves a lot of mouse time … I don’t have an aesthetic for that. Keeping up on new software technology, I'm not particularly interested in that... I’m much more interested in playing music than creating it" (via Spinner).

What do you think about a Postal Service reunion? Let us know in the comments below.

[Listen] Ben Gibbard - "Teardrop Windows"

As previously reported, Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard will be releasing his debut solo LP Former Lives in October, and today he has let loose the first listen from the upcoming album. "Teardrop Windows" is a rather straightforward Gibbard affair, with a feeling of melancholic happiness enveloping the song as a whole. It's fairly similar to what he has done with DCFC, so we'll just have to wait and see if the final product is more of a departure from the classic DCFC sound. It's still worth the listen, though. Stream and download the song below.

Former Lives is out on October 16th via Barsuk, and after the jump you can take a look at the full tracklist for the album.

Former Lives Tracklist:
01. Shepherd’s Bush Lullaby
02. Dream Song
03. Teardrop Windows
04. Bigger Than Love
05. Lily
06. Something’s Rattling (Cowpoke)
07. Duncan, Where Have You Gone?
08. Oh, Woe
09. A Hard One to Know
10. Lady Adelaide
11. Broken Yolk in Western Sky

[News] Ben Gibbard Announces North American Tour

Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard, now known formally as Benjamin Gibbard, announced last month that he will be releasing a solo album later this fall, his debut solo full-length. In support of the release of Former Lives, Gibbard has announced a brief North American tour. Following individual shows in late September and mid-October, the DCFC frontman will trek across the continent performing 10 shows in 14 days. Check out his full tour itinerary after the jump.

Pre-sale tickets for the tour are now available for members of the Death Cab for Cutie fan club, and the official artwork for Former Lives is pictured above.

Ben Gibbard 2012 Tour Dates:
09/26 – Big Sur, CA @ Henry Miller Library
10/14 – Toronto, ON @ The Danforth Music Hall
11/01 – Minneapolis, MN @ Assembly Hall at The Women’s Club *
11/02 – Chicago, IL @ Athenaeum Theatre *
11/04 – Somerville, MA @ Somerville Theater *
11/05 – New York, NY @ Town Hall *
11/07 – Glenside, PA @ Keswick Theatre *
11/08 – Washington, DC @ Sixth & I Historic Synagogue *
11/10 – Saxapahaw, NC @ The Haw River Ballroom *
11/11 – Atlanta, GA @ Variety Playhouse *
11/13 – San Francisco, CA @ Palace of Fine Arts Theatre #
11/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Wilshire Ebell #

* = w/ Advance Base
# = w/ Damien Jurado

[Listen] Ben Gibbard - "Ichiro's Theme"

For any baseball fans out there, more specifically Seattle Mariners fans, the big news this past day has been the trade of fan favorite Ichiro Suzuki, who is now a member of the New York Yankees' roster. Death Cab for Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard, who recently announced his debut solo LP, is a well-known fan of the Mariners, and today released a tribute track for the departed right fielder titled "Ichiro's Theme". Stream it below, and here's what Gibbard said about the song and the trade on his Twitter:

Totally okay with this trade. Thanks for your best years, Ichiro. We will always look back on them fondly. #Mariners #Ichiro I wrote this song a few years ago. Today seems like the best day to share it with you. Thank you so much, Ichiro.”

(via 107.7 The End).

[News] Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie Announces Debut Solo LP

Ben Gibbard, the frontman of Seattle indie outfit Death Cab for Cutie, has announced that he will be releasing his debut solo LP on October 10th via Barsuk. The album, titled Former Lives, was recorded at Aaron Espinoza's (of Earlimart fame) studio The Ship, and comprises of 12-track. The songs that form the album is previously unreleased material that has been reworked, many of which feature guest appearances from Jon Wurster, Mark Spencer, and Aimee Mann. When speaking about the solo effort to Stereogum, Gibbard has this to say:

It wasn’t a goal and it certainly wasn’t a reaction to any sort of dissatisfaction to recording with Death Cab or anything like that. In the past whenever I’ve put out any solo recordings it’s just been of a function of the time in which I was in. I’m a songwriter and that’s my job, and with every record that we’ve made there would always be a couple of tunes that just didn’t seem to fit in with the band."

Expect more news regarding the solo album to arrive in the coming months.

[News] Death Cab for Cutie Announce Summer Tour Dates

While Death Cab for Cutie are currently on tour with Magik*Magik Orchestra and Youth Lagoon, they've announced even more tour dates in support of last year's Codes and Keys. Following a European tour, the band will perform in Ontario on Canada Day weekend alongside The Tragically Hip, after which they will tour throughout the Midwest and East Coast of the States throughout the month of July. Check out DCFC's full tour itinerary after the jump.

Death Cab For Cutie 2012 Tour Dates:
05/01 – Knoxville, TN @ Tennessee Theatre *
05/03 – Dallas, TX @ McFarlin Memorial Auditorium
05/04 – Austin, TX @ Austin City Limits Live *
05/06 – Mesa, AZ @ Mesa Arts Center *
05/07 – Los Angeles, CA @ Disney Hall *
05/08 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater *
05/09 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater *
05/10 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theater *
05/11 – Portland, OR @ Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall *
05/13 – Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theatre *
05/28 – Paris, FR @ Trianon
05/29 – Lyon, FR @ Epicerie Moderne
05/30 – Toulouse, FR @ Le Bikini
05/31 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
06/02 – Hässleholm, SE @ Siesta Festival
06/03 – Dublin, IE @ Forbidden Fruit Festival
06/04 – Milan, IT @ Alcatraz
06/05 – Zürich, CH @ Komplex 457
06/07 – Bordeaux, FR @ Krakatoa
06/09 – Porto, PT @ Optimus Primavera Sound
06/30 – Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON @ The Commons ^
07/01 – Barrie, ON @ Burl’s Creek ^
07/03 – Cleveland, OH @ Jacobs Pavilion !
07/04 – Rochester Hills, MI @ Meadow Brook !
07/05 – Milwaukee, WI @ Summerfest
07/07 – Des Moines, IA @ 80/35 Music Festival
07/08 – Lawrence, KS @ Liberty Music Hall
07/09 – Springfield, MO @ Gilloz Theatre
07/10 – Tulsa, OK @ Cain’s Ballroom
07/12 – Chicago, IL @ “The Taste of Chicago”
07/13 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Stage AE #
07/14 – Charlottesville, VA @ nTelos Wireless Pavilion
07/15 – Cincinnati, OH @ Bunbury Music Festival
07/17 – Nashville, TN @ Ryman Auditorium
07/19 – Montclair, NJ @ Wellmont Theatre
07/20 – Holyoke, MA @ Mountain Park
07/21 – Cooperstown, NY @ Ommegang Brewery
07/22 – Dover, DE @ Firefly Music Festival
08/18 – Tokyo, JP @ Summer Sonic Festival
08/19 – Osaka, JP @ Summer Sonic Festival
08/22 – Honolulu, HI @ The Republik

* = feat. Magik*Magik Orchestra, w/ Youth Lagoon
^ = w/ The Tragically Hip
! = w/ City and Colour
# = w/ Andrew Bird

[Watch] Death Cab for Cutie – “Underneath the Sycamore” (Official Video)

"Underneath the Sycamore," one of the more love-filled lullabies featured on Death Cab for Cutie's latest LP Codes and Keys, now has an official video, and it's might not be what you would expect. The visuals, created by Walter Robot, takes the song to a dark, noir world full of crime, P.I.'s, gritty locales and a search for a woman. With no desire to spoil the exciting tale, I suggest you put on some comfortable headphones, sit back, and watch this fantastic animated homage to the crime-noire genre, via Wired.com.

[Watch] Death Cab For Cutie Visit Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Last night on the telly boxes of many in the US, people were treated to a couple of performances from Death Cab For Cutie on Jimmy Kimmel Live! To be more precise they played two tracks from their album Codes & Keys, first up at the top of the page you can enjoy "Underneath the Sycamore" whilst after the jump you can enjoy the single "You Are a Tourist".

Codes & Keys is out everywhere now so if for some reason you don't have it in your life yet go grab it after the performances. It's well worth a listen. Honest.