BY TESSA SOLOMON
A true Pacific Northwestern musician from the seething metropolis of Bremerton, Washington, Ben Gibbard is again touring the U.S. solo. Best known of course for fronting indie rock darlings Death Cab For Cutie, Gibbard first began releasing music in 1996. His first band Fledglings fizzled after a titular debut album, and the following year he formed Death Cab. As its only member at first, he offered the raw You Can Play These Songs with Chords in 1997, a bedroom cassette of primarily acoustic ruminations. Its success and subsequent record deal with Sub Pop paved the way for the generation-defining 2003 Postal Service classic Give Up, yet Death Cab remains Gibbard’s signature project, having released eight studio records to date. On his own, the singular elements he contributes to each band (lyrical style, unconventional instrumentation, and of course his distinct voice) are as essential as they are unmistakable.
