Ben Gibbard Breaks From Patented DCFC Formula On New LP

By: Eric Freedlander –

Death Cab For Cutie’s (DCFC) Ben Gibbard new solo album Former Lives takes his fans and critics on a road less travelled, as he reflects on past journeys throughout his career.

Former Lives is Gibbard’s first solo album; his 2003 release “Home Volume V” was a split release with indie legend Andrew Kenny. On Former Lives, long time Death Cab fans finally get what they’ve always wanted, an album of Ben and just Ben. The 37-minute 12 track Former Lives, is short look into the life of one of the brightest singers in North America.

Gibbard strays away from his usual alternative sing-a-long songs. This album leans heavily on a folk and country genre that puts an emphasis on story telling lyrics. While Gibbard hasn’t strayed too far away from his lyrical subject matter of the past in the form of relationships with the opposite sex, Gibbard has expanded to writing about a expanded mix of subjects including Seattle’s Smith Tower on “Teardrop Windows.” The opening track “Bigger Then Love” feels like the opening credits to a movie. The song describes a wide and busy travel schedule, as Gibbard goes all over the world to play to millions of fans.

“Duncan Where Have You Gone” bursts into a John Lennon-inspired piano riff that is remindful of his hits “Mother,” and “Mind Games” and also contains a strong sense of lyrical intimacy that deals with the themes of finding a place the world, and gaining acceptance from others and oneself, as Gibbard sings, “they raised you the best that they possibly could, still you felt unknown and misunderstood and now you’re biggest dream is to be just a stranger to pass on a street.”

On “Bigger Than Love,” Gibbard croons about the often-troubled romance of acclaimed author F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda. With this track Gibbard shares vocal duties with Aimee Mann who provides very introspective and thoughtful vocals that only adds to the already inflated legend that is the Fitzgerald romance.

Former Lives is a accurate title, as it examines how Gibbard is looking back at how far he’s come from the start of his musical career to the present day. Our favourite part in the song was simply the background melody, as the folky harmonics made you feel more mellow than ever before.

Gibbard shows us that whether he’s with Death Cab For Cutie, or is touring on his own, his creativity knows no bounds. Gibbard shows that life in the past, present or looking ahead to the future, can always be astonishing.

Essential Tracks: “Bigger Then Love,” “Teardrop Windows,” and “Lady Adelaide.”