The Postal Service plays the Fox Theatre at 8 p.m. June 6.
Combining the words “indie-rock” and “supergroup” creates a bit of an oxymoron, since the understated DIY ethos of the former is essentially a rejection of the arena-rocking implications of the latter. But if ever there was a true indie-rock supergroup, the Postal Service is it.
The band formed after Ben Gibbard (best known as frontman of Death Cab for Cutie) collaborated with electronic music artist Jimmy Tamborello (aka Dntel) on a song for the latter’s 2001 album, Life Is Full of Possibilities. That song, “(This Is) the Dream of Evan & Chan” ultimately sparked an EP of remixes by artists such as the Flaming Lips, inspiring Gibbard and Tamborello to launch their side project.
Originally a duo, the Postal Service was named after their long-distance songwriting methodology: Tamborello would create the basic instrumental tracks, then mail the digital audiotape to Gibbard, who was free to edit and add vocals as he saw fit. Jenny Lewis, the singer-songwriter for indie band Rilo Kiley, lived in the same apartment complex as Tamborello and would occasionally record temporary vocal tracks for some songs during the demo stage. Eventually, she became a full-fledged member of the electro-pop power trio.
With co-production by Death Cab’s Chris Walla (who also added guitar and piano on several songs), the band released its debut album, Give Up, to widespread critical acclaim in 2003. The Postal Service immediately became a favorite among the indie-rock set: The single “Such Great Heights” was covered by Ben Folds, Amanda Palmer and Iron & Wine (whose version was featured in the influential film Garden State); “We Will Become Silhouettes” was covered by the Shins. Give Up ultimately became the Sub Pop Records label’s biggest hit since Nirvana’s debut.
But then a funny thing happened … or, more precisely, didn’t happen. In 2007, the Postal Service started working on a second album, with Tamborello hinting that its release would come sometime before the end of 2008. Later, Gibbard became more circumspect about the subject: “Jimmy and I are still throwing ideas back and forth, but, as time goes on, we find ourselves busy with our own music,” he said. “I’d love to finish it at some point and maybe even do some performances. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be.”
By the end of 2008, Rolling Stone was calling the album the indie-rock version of Guns ‘N’ Roses’ Chinese Democracy — an eagerly awaited recording that might never happen. Last November, Gibbard tweeted that there were no plans to produce another Postal Service album, indicating that fans regularly ask him about it.
Finally, in January of this year, the Postal Service gave followers hope. The trio’s long-dormant website was updated to read “The Postal Service 2013,” leading to much speculation about a new album and possibly a reunion show. But the truth was bigger and better than most fans dared hope.
In April, the band released a 10th anniversary edition of Give Up, which included a 15-song disc of rarities. It included two new songs — the trio’s first in more than a decade — “A Tattered Line of String” and “Turn Around,” co-written by Lewis. Postal Service also launched its most ambitious and extended world tour ever, including high-profile performances at California’s Coachella Festival in April, Washington’s Sasquatch Music Festival in May, and Houston’s Free Press Summer Fest in June.
Will all this renewed activity bring Postal Service fans the sophomore LP they’ve been craving? At this point, it’s anyone’s guess. But you can bet it’s a question that Gibbard and company will get at every single stop along their reunion tour.
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Bret Love is co-founder and editor in chief of Green Global Travel, a web-based magazine devoted to ecotourism, nature/wildlife conservation and the preservation of global culture. He’s a longtime freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, a number of travel industry publications and, of course, Encore Atlanta.
