Postal Service-esque Bands?

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papayaninja

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I'm listening to Give Up quite a bit, and I'm looking for similar artists. I'm listening to Pandora right now and so far the ones I like are Bright Eyes (from Digital Ash...,) Metric, The Dandy Warhols, I Am Jen and Au Revoir Simone. I know nothing about these bands beside the one song of each I've heard, besides Bright Eyes who I have a couple CDs of, so they could all be crap.

I am not looking for Death Cab for Cutie sounding bands, I'm looking for similar music, not necessarily vocals. So, what are some good bands in this vein? Is Dntel anything like The Postal Service?

Thanks.
 

neb

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I pulled up the 'Similar to The Postal Service' page over at last.fm to check what other fans of the band have been listening to. There are many bands, which I listen to, listed. I'll pick out some of the highlights for me:

  • The Walkmen
  • The National
  • The Shins
  • Neutral Milk Hotel
  • TV on the Radio
  • Get Him Eat Him
  • God is an Astronaut
  • Venice is Sinking
  • The GO! Team
  • Minus the Bear
  • Radiohead
  • Princeton
  • Yo La Tengo
  • Rattat
  • !!!
I've found it can be a darn useful site when looking for bands who are similar to your favourites. Head over there now for some more recommendation-goodness!
 

bdb

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The Whitest Boy Alive, The Spinto Band, Plus/Minus, Of Montreal, Tahiti 80, (maybe) Imogen Heap, Keane.

A lot of bands have a sound that is generically similar to Postal Service & DCFC, but most don't use electronics as much. It seems like most of the ones that do have some pretty goofy vocals as well.
 
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antiditz

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Broadcast. While the vocals are basically female, the band utilizes an atmospheric, tech-y sound similar to that of Postal Service. Even without the comparison, they're still a pretty good band. Check out 2003's Ha Ha Sound.

I'll also second the recommendation of +/- (Plus/Minus), though not necessary their last release. Great as it is, Let's Build a Fire has the band minimizing on the electronica. (But for when you're not in the mood for TPS-esque sounds, give the album a listen - it's awesome.) 2003's You Are Here might be more in the vein of what you're looking for.
 

papayaninja

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Of Montreal's inclusion in bdb's list gives me the impression that the others are what I'm looking for, and +/- extends to antiditz too, so that's looking good.

As for neb, the bands I am familiar with on that list aren't really a lot like TPS. Neutral Milk Hotel? Seriously? I mean, I like most of the bands on the list, but they aren't particularly The Postal Service related.

Thanks again.
 

Sypher

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Seconding most of the suggestions, also ...

definitely James Figurine/Dntel & Figurine
Cornelius
Magnetic Fields
Kings of Convenience
Broadcast
The Notwist
One AM Radio
 
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habsrock13

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papayaninja said:
I am not looking for Death Cab for Cutie sounding bands, I'm looking for similar music, not necessarily vocals. So, what are some good bands in this vein? Is Dntel anything like The Postal Service?

Thanks.
Dntel is what spawned Postal Service. It was Jimmy Tamborello's solo project. If you have Last.fm downloaded search in the tag for "Ben Gibbard". You'll like what you hear.
 
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enjoilax

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Well the thing is why Postal Service is so special... is because no one else really does um... "pop"-tronica.

But here are some very similar bands.

Ms. John Soda - No P. or D
Matt & Kim (sorta)
Bat For Lashes (sorta)

Mostly you'll tend to enjoy ambient techno though so I highly suggest listening to:
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime
 

papayaninja

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habsrock13 said:
Dntel is what spawned Postal Service. It was Jimmy Tamborello's solo project. If you have Last.fm downloaded search in the tag for "Ben Gibbard". You'll like what you hear.
I know, I just wasn't sure if the music sounded the same. Primus, Phish and The Police don't sound much alike, but all three have members in Oysterhead, so side projects don't always sound like the original. And I like Ben Gibbard a lot, and DCfC is great, but it's just not what I want right now.

This should definitely give me enough tunes for a while. All good suggestions so far, I love Figurine.
 

Sypher

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papayaninja said:
I know, I just wasn't sure if the music sounded the same. Primus, Phish and The Police don't sound much alike, but all three have members in Oysterhead, so side projects don't always sound like the original. And I like Ben Gibbard a lot, and DCfC is great, but it's just not what I want right now.

This should definitely give me enough tunes for a while. All good suggestions so far, I love Figurine.
Sick. also defo get another side project: James Figurine - Mistake Mistake Mistake Mistake

Lots more electronica-goodness can be found on that website... maybe straying too far from what you originally wanted into.. glitchy IDM or something, but Khonnor, Dabrye, Four Tet, Flying Lotus, The Flashbulb, Lukid, Matthew Dear, Wisp, Chris Clark, Outputmessage, Venetian Snares..are all well worth checking out (IMHO :D)
 

neb

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Well pardon me for trying.

I explained where I went to get those recommendations. Admittedly they are impersonal; truth me told, I haven't heard anything by the Postal Service. I can, however, vouch for last.fm.
 

papayaninja

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I definitely didn't mean that to be personal or harsh, and it was nice of you to help, if there was any criticism at all it was for last.fm's recommendations, which seem to be indie pop-rock, Radiohead and electronica, just not indie pop-rock electronica which is what the Postal Service is. I really can't criticize you for their recommendations, so sorry if it came out that way.

But really, listen to them some time :D
 

Ethan120

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Dntel may be what spawned The Postal Service but that type of sound pretty much ends at The Dream Of Evan And Chan.
I have been unsuccessfully been searching for bands similar to The Postal Service for quite a while but have thankfully discovered other bands who I enjoy more like Battles, Kid 606, Dntel and James Figurine's solo project.
Watch out for Anges Of Rome, which is a synth-pop band coming from Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu and Freddy Rupert of This Song Is A Mess But So Am I.
It will most likely be far more dark than The Postal Service but is still probably "indie pop-rock electronica"
 

antiditz

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The more I listen to them, the more I think Au Revoir Simone has that Postal Service sound. I'm not that particularly fond of the vocals, but the style seems quite similar. 'Sad Song' off this year's The Bird of Music is a good example - it reminds me a lot of 'Nothing Better' from Give Up.
 
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