Sometimes it takes a solo show to feel the full impact of a songwriter’s lyricism. Even for Benjamin Gibbard, one of the clearest and most lauded contemporary singer-songwriters, allowing attendees to almost fully devote their auditory abilities to his songwriting added depth to tunes that have already influenced listeners for several years.
Whether with Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, or the innumerable additional projects that Gibbard has contributed to, the 43-year-old’s songs situate listeners within the detailed parameters his characters exist in, as they adopt emotions stemming from highly specific situations that they might not have even experienced before. That is what makes Gibbard’s art feel as personal as it is timeless.
Here are a few intricate tracks from throughout Gibbard’s evocative career that he featured at his 93XRT set on Saturday.
“Title & Registration”
“Codes and Keys”
“Grapevine Fires”
A devastating tale of impending demise, “Grapevine Fires” was one of the most moving moments of Gibbard’s set. Sprinkling memories of optimistic intimacy between an enlarging fire, Gibbard’s decision to include this track out of Death Cab for Cutie’s wide discographly was warmly welcomed.