MUSIC NEWS: Be still our hearts! Ben Gibbard announces solo album!
A year after the band’s last album Codes and Keys was released, frontman Ben Gibbard announced to Stereogum that his first solo effort Former Lives, to be unleashed October 16th on Barsuk Records (home of Death Cab as well as other indie notables like Nada Surf and Mates of State).
The record’s title couldn’t be more appropriate: it’s been almost a decade in the making. It comprises Gibbard’s lyrical odds and ends from the past eight years, including collaborations with alt-country pioneers like Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo. Don’t think of this as the next Plans, however; think of it more as a musical map charting eight years’ worth of band, media, and personal ups and downs. As with most famous-band’s-lead-singer-gone-solo records, the songs on it might not necessarily find a home under Death Cab’s name, nor would it fit with any of his other side projects like the Postal Service or Pinwheel. Gibbard has admitted this, saying Former Lives will sound more like 90’s power-pop groups Teenage Fanclub and Big Star. But the album will also provide an interesting glimpse into Gibbard’s personal songwriting process without the influence of a full ensemble, something fans rarely get to see.
So get pumped, because this collection is guaranteed to both shine all by itself and to tide you over until the next Death Cab release. And keep an eye out: though no dates have been confirmed yet, Gibbard will be embarking on a solo tour, which promises a perfectly intimate setting showcasing this musical phenom’s talents.
-Kelsey Butterworth
Photo Credit: Dustin Whitlow
