All-Time Quarterback "All-Time Quarterback!" - This is so amazing!!! I haven't been this excited about an indie pop record in a long time. This is a reissue/compilation of out-of-print sessions from Ben Gibbard (of Death Cab for Cutie). Track #2 was previously unreleased, #8 is a Magnetic Fields cover, all the lo-fi tunes were recorded onto a walkman, and the rest were on a 4-track. All the songs on here are just pure and simple pop bliss. Great lyrics, nice rhythms, and different instruments all blending wonderfully to create a great sense of emotion and mood. Primarily he sticks with guitar and keyboard (and uses keyboard to also be the percussion). I completely lost myself in this album. Every single song is great. Play this!!
My Picks: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8
Katie P. 9/6/02

1) Starts as a cute pop waltz with blippy keyboard drums and fuzzy guitars. Great vocals. Nice lyrics too.
2) Midtempo bouncy pop tune. Nice vocals and backups. Wow, sad lyrics.
3) Very lo-fi! Just an acoustic guitar (although it almost sounds like synthetic strings or something, not metal) and intimate vocals. Beautiful!
4) Also very lo-fi with sounds of turning on the recorder at the beginning. Again just guitar and vocals. Cute bouncy tune. Then you hear him turn off the recorder at the end.
5) Blippy keyboard drums. Slow midtempo with keyboards and guitars playing off each other. Nice clear vocals with funny lyrics.
6) Cute keyboards with a bouncy tune. Oooo, nice percussion in this one. Nice bass line too. Really great.
7) Very lo-fi again. Just acoustic guitar and vocals. Lyrics about a rock-star on tour. Wow.
8) Magnetic Fields cover. Wow, it really sounds like them too with the heavy drum machine and keyboards that sound like bells and guitar. High pitched vocals on this one. This is quite beautiful.
9) Again lo-fi with just guitar and vocals. So nice.
10) Lo-fi with just guitar and vocals. Cute bouncy tune.
11) Slower strumming guitar. Very sad lyrics.