life before the postal service

Everyone and their emo-rock mom knows about the freaking Postal Service and their white-washed New Order Lite these days. That presence will become even greater now that they're going to be on commercials for the USPS and for sale on the post office website?! This can't be real. It has gotta be a dream. But its not. And I am not sure why I care to much. That's not true. I know exactly why.

Once upon a time, there was a great CD put out by Jimmy Tamborello (Figurine) and featuring vocals of Ben Gibbard (Death Cab for Cutie). This CD was NOT The Postal Service. It is called Dntel. A few years ago the Dntel CD came out on Plug Research and it was great. Also featured were guest vocals from Mia Doi Todd, Rachel Haden (Charlie's daughter, formerly of That Dog), Meredith Figurine, and Chris Gunst (Beachwood Sparks, The Tyde). Its a really great album. And the initial meeting and pairing worked obviously so well that an entire album was made with Ben and Jimmy. I guess its not that surprising to be so generic, after all, DCFC just signed to Atlantic, too.

... the debut album of Dntel is a gorgeous, mostly ambient journey into moody, poetic electronic sounds. One imagines these ten songs would make for a delightful, if feverish, score to a kaleidoscopic dream. Though Life Is Full of Possibilities is centered on somewhat standard clicks & cuts, textured sound washes, and cut-and-paste electronic dynamics, Dntel's music contains such pristine melodies and is so effective in its stimulation of one's emotions that it makes for a refreshing, fascinating hour. It's the kind of music Kevin Shields has been threatening to unleash since the collapse of My Bloody Valentine. - AMG

Anyway, here are some of the great tracks from the album that started it all, Dntel's Life is Full of Possibilities.

Dntel - Anywhere Anyone (feat Mia Doi Todd)
Dntel - Why I'm So Unhappy (feat Rachel Haden)
Dntel - (This is) The Dream of Evan and Chan (feat Ben Gibbard)