Give Up

Everything about the debut album from The Postal Service showcased overwrought honesty, right down to the electropop act's very name. Dntel beatmaker Jimmy Tamborello and Death Cab For Cutie's bookwormish frontman Ben Gibbard traded vocals and instrumental tracks via the mail for months before Give Up came to fruition. The pair had first collaborated on Dntel's "(This Is) The Dream of Evan and Chan" in 2001, yet did not attain national attention until Give Up took off behind the warm, bubbly single "Such Great Heights." Just as appealing were the billowy, synth-laced "Recycled Air" and the expansive, near-instrumental closer "The Natural Anthem". Give Up's sincerity is both its hallmark and its tragic flaw. Just about every track features a cringe-worthy lyrical moment, with "Nothing Better" perhaps the worst offender: "Someone please call a surgeon who can crack my ribs and repair this broken heart." Though the duo never followed up this one-off experiment, the're fondly remembered by fans, whether discussing rumors of their increasingly unlikely reunion or blaming them for the existence of Owl City. Though the relevance of Gibbard's sensitive indie rocker archetype has faded since The O.C. made him a touchstone for a generation of sensitive teens, Give Up remains a meaningful flirtation between indie pop and electronic music.