Apparently, this is a week for West Coast indie rock pros to throw us old fans some new material. L.A.’s Earlimart release a gorgeous seventh LP, Pinback give us their awesomely idiosyncratic fifth full-length, and Ben Gibbard goes solo full-force for the first time after years of leading a handful of successful collaborations. While I of course love brand new bands breaking onto the stage, I have to admit it’s nice to have a week of new material from some familiar favorites.
Ben Gibbard (@gibbstack) has had quite the career for a 36-year-old indie musician. As the frontman of Seattle’s Death Cab For Cutie, he’s released eight records — throw in The Postal Service, ¡All-Time Quarterback!, and Pinwheel, as well as a handful of wonderful collaborations, and he’s got a discography that rivals some of the greats’ in the music industry. This week marks the release of his first solo LP (he released a split with Andrew Kenny in 2003), entitled Former Lives. My initial impression is that the music isn’t quite as clever and/or boundary pushing as that of Death Cab. The album gives off pretty strong, colorful folk vibes (perhaps he got some inspiration from the ex?), yet it lacks some of the weird, experimental qualities I’ve grown accustomed to from his music. Nevertheless, it’s Ben Gibbard, which means it’s at least worth a listen or two.
Earlimart (@earlimart) are seasoned pros in the business of making thoughtful, beautiful indie rock with an Elliott Smith-esque edge. Hailing from L.A., the band released their seventh full-length album, System Preferences, this week. Their first release in four years, it’s a great follow-up to 2008’s Hymn and Her. The album has a distinct gauzy, beach-rock vibe thrown into Earlimart’s signature brand of rich indie rock. Their sound is slightly bigger this time around, yet still completely genuine. Check out their nostalgic, sun-drenched single, “10 Years,” above.
This week, San Diego’s Pinback (@pinback) put forth their first release since 2007. Their fifth full-length, Information Retrieved is sure to be warmly embraced. The album offers listeners a satisfying helping of the clean, idiosyncratic sound Pinback fans adore. As always, the beats are tight and the melodies are uncommon, yet there’s a definite note of maturity in Information Retrieved. Judging by the album’s killer single, “Proceed to Memory”, the group seems to have lifted the primarily “emo” mood of past records, offering a slightly more upbeat, more optimistic sound.
