New Arrivals/Restock

Other cities, other plans; different friends, different dreams; former loves, former lives. After fifteen years in Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Gibbard didn't make his first solo album in search of a new beginning; instead, it closes a door. "These songs span eight years, three relationships, living in two different places, drinking then not drinking" he says of the dozen tracks that comprise FORMER LIVES. "They're a side story, not a new chapter."

A Ben Gibbard solo album might not be completely redundant, but even though Former Lives is the first album branded with this indie singer/songwriter's given name, it's not his first solo endeavor. Gibbard operated solo for a while under the All-Time Quarterback moniker and even Death Cab for Cutie grew out of his solo acoustic songs into a full-fledged band. This album gathers together 12 songs written over an eight-year period, and the spaced-out nature of the writing shows in how varied the songs are from one another stylistically. The album starts out with "Shepherd's Bush Lullaby," 47 seconds of a cappella preciousness that quickly gives way to acoustic strums, slick '70s-style basslines, and character sketches of lovesick insomniacs on "Dream Song." Moments later there are the mariachi-themed Western flavors of "Something's Rattling (Cowpoke)" and pedal steel on the '90s alt-rock recall of "Broken Yolk in Western Sky." Aimee Mann shows up to grace "Bigger Than Love" with her smoky vocals, trading verses with Gibbard about nostalgia for lost chances in different big cities. It's one of the album's more dynamic moments, with a big, hooky chorus and some legitimate tension during the verses. The soft rock pocket symphony of "Duncan, Where Have You Gone?" shines with multi-tracked vocals and a borrowed chord progression from any number of '60s AM radio soul-pop ballads. ~ Fred Thomas, Rovi

Performer	Ben Gibbard
Music genre	Rock
Music release type	Album
Media format	CD
Original release date	2012
Language	English
Number of tracks	12
Has parental advisory label	N
Number of discs	1
Track listing	Shepherd's Bush Lullaby, Dream Song, Teardrop Windows, Bigger Than Love, Lily, Something's Rattling (Cowpoke), Duncan, Where Have You Gone?, Oh, Woe, A Hard One to Know, Lady Adelaide, Broken Yolk in Western Sky, I'm Building a Fire
Record label	Barsuk
Composer	Ben Gibbard
Songwriter	Ben Gibbard
Track name	Shepherd's Bush Lullaby, Dream Song, Teardrop Windows, Bigger Than Love, Lily, Something's Rattling (Cowpoke), Duncan, Where Have You Gone?, Oh, Woe, A Hard One to Know, Lady Adelaide, Broken Yolk in Western Sky, I'm Building a Fire
Digital audio file format	CD
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N