Okay, I got to get something off my chest…

I spent hours last night trying to find the new Postal Service album, since I kept hearing a new song by them on the radio. After hours of looking, I figured out that the song I heard was not Postal Service, it was Owl City…

I can’t tell you how confused I am. Owl City isn’t just “in the genre” or “in the style” of PS… they are EXACTLY THE SAME. In fact, the Owl City guy’s voice sounds so much like Ben’s, that I’m still convinced that it actually is Ben, playing an elaborate prank, or else the entire internet is mistaken.

Now I’m really torn in my music brain. If this Owl City ablum just said “Postal Service” across the top, I would love it, and have bought it already. As it is, I don’t think I want to buy it… it’s so weird that someone would copy a band so directly. And I know some of you are thinking I’m just being an elitist or whatever, but allow me to explain.

Look at 70’s blues-based rock bands as an example. Led Zeppelin, The Who, ZZ Top, Clapton, Jeff Beck, etc etc etc. All these bands are of the same genre, the same style even. They are, for the most part, doing the same basic idea. But there are little differences. Jimmy Page has little things that set him apart stylistically from Townsend, who has a slightly different style than Clapton, etc. It’s the same basic sound, but approached by different people, so you get some diversity. And the singers are all pretty unique, even though they use similar construction and writing, etc.

And Postal Service is doing this “electronica pop” thing, which a lot of bands are doing. PS wasn’t the first, and were far from the last to do this genre or style… and most of those bands have their own idiosyncrasies, too… but Owl City has copied Postal Service exactly, down to the last detail… the same sound banks, the same samples, every little vocal nuance and inflection, everything about the song writing, arrangement and execution are exactly the same… and I find that kindof disturbing. It sounds like a really good cover band, not a new artist. I feel like PS should be getting royalties off this, or atleast a licensing fee?

I honestly don’t know how to respond to this. I like the song, but I can’t ENJOY it, because I can’t get over how much of a direct copy it is.

Maybe I’m being Music-Jerk-Dude but I can’t wrap my head around this one. I’m really torn.

And no, Owl City, I won’t buy your album. I just can’t, really… it just doesn’t seem right…