The economic downturn has persuaded many bands to join forces in an attempt to draw larger crowds.
Music fans in the Los Angeles area can benefit from the misery of others as two recently announced shows at the Hollywood Bowl feature a star studded indie lineup that consists of Death Cab For Cutie, Tegan and Sara, Blitzen Trapper, and the incomparable Jenny Lewis.
Death Cab for Cutie frontman, Ben Gibbard, is a bit of an enigma, everything about him screams “Please, punch me in the face”, but for some strange reason you can’t help but like the guy.
Veganism, social activism, and whiney narcissism aside, Gibbard taps into an endless reserve of teenage angst and hipster pretention on The Open Door EP, which features B-sides from last years’ stalker friendly Narrow Stairs.
The effervescent “Little Bribes” radiates with boundless energy and finds our perpetually scorned troubadour amongst the aimless wasteland of a city that never sleeps , “Pretend every slot machine is a robot/Amputee waving hello/The people stare into their eyes/And they feed them little bribes.”