Just when I was going to give up on all forms of electronic music (thanks a lot Williamsburg and ElectroCrap!) comes The Postal Service. Fittingly named after the method used to create the record, The Postal Service is a collaborative project between beat-master Jimmy Tamborello (one-man-army behind Dntel) and Death Cab For Cutieís front man Benjamin Gibbard; with some accompaniment and assistance from DCFC band members, including some studio help from their own great Chris Walla, and some vocal tracks from Jen Wood and Rilo Kileyís Jenny Lewis. This album, titled Give Up, is a refreshing work of musical art. It is a beautifully orchestrated album full of fun, catchy beats, riffs, and held together with Gibbardís vocals; lines of sweet nothings for you to dwell on and maybe write down on that little scrap of paper tucked in your pocket so you can read it later and smile. And yet this disc would snuggle in nicely with anyoneís collection of ìmusic you can talk overî – hell, itís probably a great ìmake-outî record too. Close your eyes and dance to it, lay in bed and be lulled to sleep by it, or hang out in a bar and do the ìI-have-never-heard-this-before-but-goddamn-this-is-good-and-I-want-to-pretend-I-own-itî head nod. Whatever your poison, this is a record we can all appreciate… and how often can you say that and really mean it? Go get it on February 18th. Enjoy.
Megan Blackburn

The Postal Service
Sub Pop

1. The Constantines Buy Stock In Duracell To Shine A Light
2. The Constantines Buy Stock In Duracell To Shine A Light
3. Live – The Postal Service Overnight Playful Laptop Excitement To NYC
4. Postal Service, Basement Jaxx & BT Head DanceStar 2004 Nominations
5. Live – Benjamin Gibbard Strips Down At Schubas