Ben Gibbard: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

by STEPHEN THOMPSON Ben Gibbard has spent so much time at the head of various bands Death Cab for Cutie, The Postal Service, AllTime Quarterback that it s easy to forget how well his sweetly brainy songs work in a solo acoustic setting. His melodies are sturdy enough to withstand skeletal arrangements, and though his persona is unassuming by nature, he remains a charismatic and charming live performer. Gibbard just released a solo album, Former Lives, which he s said is a repository for material that