What to Wear During an Orange Alert?: Band of the Week

Friday, March 09, 2007

Band of the Week

Jimmy Tamborello (aka Dntel)

It was recently suggested to me that I might consider using a pen to publish various writings that I have done, and after listen to Jimmy Tamborello's latest release under his "pen" name Dntel, I've started to consider that option. The beauty of an alias or pen name is that it allows the artist to create something completely separate for any of their existing work. For musicians, they can explore different aspects of their sound, and really delevoped multiple styles while not being tied down by any of them. Jimmy has really mastered this art while working under three separate identities, Dntel, James Figurine, and as one half of The Postal Service.

His latest work will be released under the Dntel name, it will be his first release as Dntel on Sub Pop Records, and it will be release on April 24th. On this album he collaborates with some very talented artist (Grizzly Bear, Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis, Lali Puna, and more), but it is his arrangements that seem to take center stage. Dntel has always been a moniker that explores sonic landscapes and then develops the smallest corner of a sound into an epic adventure in your head. This album contains some of his most intimate work to date, the arrangements have such depth and warmth, they extremely detailed, but he has had six years to create this album. It was on 2001's "Life is Full of Possibilities" that we first heard the sounds of Dntel, and his amazing partnership with Ben Gibbard on "(This is) The Dream of Evan and Chan". It was that union that would result in Jimmy's most successful work to date, 2003's "Give Up" with Ben as The Postal Service. In a September 2006 interview with Pitchfork, Jimmy relieved the he, Ben, and his neighbor Jenny Lewis had been working on the next Postal Service album. Until then you can enjoy the beauty of Dumb Luck and wait patiently.