Benjamin Gibbard

Former Lives (Barsuk)

The Skinny: He seemed to have it all: as adorkable a wife as any wife ever (Zooey Deschanel), a commercially successful band of tasteful gents (Death Cab for Cutie) who, at the very least, most folks respected. Well, Benjamin (not "Ben"!) Gibbard actually still has all that (minus the wife after a divorce late last year), so here he steps out on his own for a solo album of tuneful, regretful pop-rock spurred by his move from Seattle to Los Angeles. Says Gibbard, while also stressing that Death Cab is far from finished: "These songs span eight years, three relationships, living in two different places, drinking, then not drinking. They're a side story, not a new chapter."
Worth noting:Gibbard also recently wrote a tribute song, "Ichiro's Theme," for the Seattle Mariners' perennial all-star outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who was traded to the New York Yankees in late July after 12 years with the Mariners. A.B.

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