Postal Service is an aptly titled band that represents the collaboration of Death Cab for Cutie's Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello of Dntel. The tunes on this album we're created by these two via the U.S. Mail. Tamborello and Gibbard first worked together on the title track of Dntel's This is the Dream of Evan and Chan EP; Give Up represents the geographically disjointed teamwork, with Tamborello sending electronic pieces and Gibbard adding guitars, vocals and lyrics.

The tracks are, for the most part, light, crisp and up-tempo - courtesy of drum-programming and it's definitely smacks of the synth bands of the New Wave years - most reviews I've read compare them to New Order and Pet Shop Boys, the latter being a better choice, but these comparisons are misleading. The soundscape here is much more akin to the first two Blue Nile records, and the songwriting and overall tone reminds me much more of The New Amsterdams and the sadly deceased Matthew Jay. (Matthew, if you haven't heard, jumped out the window of tall building.) I haven't heard much about the circumstances surrounding his suicide - but it's a little easier to stomach than Elliot Smith's demise.

Gibbard's vocals are subdued, bittersweet and restrained and rarely does he vary from this delivery, which to some might be a positive and others maddening - I'm on the fence on this one. Giving the album a welcome sonic shot in the arm and a little more variety are the backing and intertwining vocals of Kiley's Jenny Lewis, Jen Wood. Sometimes when they chime in it almost recalls Australia favorites The Go-Betweens.

What gives this record it's unique charm is the contrast between the cool, clean synths and Gibbard's all-too-human voice, to poignant and playful effect, particularly on Give Up's first two tracks. "The District Sleeps Alone" bears Gibbard's trademark songwriting, augmented by glitchy electronics and sliced-and-diced strings, while "Such Great Heights"' pretty pop could easily appear on a Death Cab for Cutie album, minus a synth or two. Overall, Postal Service doesn't quite add up to the strength of their respective main gigs, but it's consistently fun and occasionally breathtaking.