Brand New Colony: Genuine Share Full-album Hardcore Cover of The Postal Service’s Give Up (The Witzard Interview)

Genuine’s Give Up promo photo (SOURCE: Aaron Edge)

Genuine recently shared Give Up, taking Give Up (2003) by The Postal Service in its entirety from first riff to last re-imagined, re-defined, and presented with a much heavier approach, while keeping the devotional delivery of this 20-year old album's melodies/harmonies. It’s been fittingly described as “all the hooks and harmonies, just a Heck of a lot heavier.” This very release, another solo project of multi-instrumental and American musician/producer Aaron D.C. Edge, who has been writing and recording music since the mid-80's in over 50 different musical endeavors including, but not limited to, Autumn (with Nick Remondelli, later of Bound,) Black Bible Tyrant, Brothers of The Sonic Cloth, CHRIST (with Brandon Wallace of SUNSTROKE, Memorial Day, I HATE YOU.,) Grievous, Grip, Harkonen, Hauler, Hellvetika, Himsa, Iamthethorn, Lumbar/The Lumbar Endeavor, Man of Multnomah, Minor Fret, Process Black (with Tim Singer of DEADGUY, NO ESCAPE,) Ramprasad, Swallowing Swords, The 6-Minute Heartstop, The Horde, Yama-Uba. Give Up was, of course, the first—and still, unfortunately, last(?)—album from Death Cab for Cutie frontman Benjamin “Ben” Gibbard, producer Jimmy Tamborello (Dntel, Figurine. Headset, Strictly Ballroom,) and sometimes member Jenny Lewis of Rlo Kiley, Jenny & Johnny with Johnathan Rice, and Nice As F**k fame.

Demos, song ideas, parts, and pieces for what would eventually become Give Up were famous sent back-and-forth via the mail, hence, “The Postal Service,” in-between Gibbard & Tamborello on burned CD-R’s. Give Up was released on renown Indie label Sub Pop Records and was a hit amongst both endearing fans and critics and was a major hit on the then-newly emerging iPod/iTunes Store. Its widespread success also yielded unique remixes and covers from the likes of The Shins, Iron & Wine, The Flaming Lips, DJ Downfall, John Tejada, Nobody, Matthew Dear, and Styrofoam. For Give Up’s 10th anniversary, Sub Pop compiled a sprawling 25-track deluxe edition of Give Up collecting the aforementioned covers and remixes along with Live On KEXP radio sessions, bone-chilling Phil Collins & John Lennon covers, and all sort of odds and ends, essentially, compiling the entirety of The Postal Service’s discography. So, now, Aaron D.C. Edge—by way of Genuine—has added yet another unofficial selection to The Postal Service discography. We recently got a chance to speak with Aaron D.C. Edge about Genuine’s Give Up, recent efforts by his other project, The Lumbar Endeavor, and much, much more within an interview now transcribed below. It has been lightly edited for general clarity. Genuine’s Give Up is now available to stream and purchase exclusively on Bandcamp.

I. So, what inspired you to do a full-album Hardcore Punk re-imagining of The Postal Service's iconic 2003 album, Give Up?

Aaron Edge: 1.) it's an impressive record with great hooks [and] 2.) it shouldn't be done, which makes it a great choice, as I love a good dare.

II. Have you done any similarly-minded covers projects with any of your other groups/solo bands in the past? If so, what artists or groups have you covered?

Edge: Indeed, my project known as The Lumbar Endeavor has tackled AC/DC, Chelsea Wolfe, and Queens of The Stone Age and soon, A Perfect Circle.

III. What did your (re-)recording, production, etc. processes typically entail while creating your version of The Postal Service's Give Up?

Edge: First, I [purchase] the digital album from an artist, thus supporting them directly. Second, I look up the beats per minute [B.P.M.] of each of the artist's song. Third, I start a new recording session with the first song's B.P.M. and import the original song. Fourth, adjust the original track to that B.P.M. template (not every drummer or even drum machine is exact,) that alignment makes my version that much easier to work with moving forward. The fifth step, recording all [of] my drums and bass [guitars], using the artist's original song only as "bones" for the [songs]. Sixth, all guitars, MIDI instruments, and vocals are added. Once each of my versions [are] done, I mix and master each.

IV. Aside from and/or in addition to The Postal Service, who or what else would you readily cite as primary sources of inspiration and influence that helped dictate the sound heard across your version of Give Up?

Edge: Anything that SHOULDN'T be made heavy haha. The reason to do these renditions is to push the original songs into a different style, always heavier, sometimes similar, sometimes vastly different, but keeping all the harmonies and melodies that make the well-known songs memorable. Often, because I'm screaming (not singing,) I'll use guitars to keep the artist's vocal melodies [intact]. My listeners often say they don't "miss those singing parts because the guitars keep the mood."

V. Can you tell us a little bit about the album cover re-creation for Genuine's Give Up and your inspirations behind your stylistic choices employed for it?

Edge: Honestly, I had zero [plans] from the beginning. I just opened a track in a new recording session and chose its direction/style on-the-spot. By not planning too much ahead, things are kept fresh and fun. Some songs lend themselves more to a Hardcore sound, some Heavy Rock, some Stoner vibes, and some a more upbeat, D-beat approach. Spontaneity is key with my cover projects.

VI. Now, let's just be completely honest here for a minute: what aspects did you find most difficult or challenging about attempting to morph The Postal Service's Give Up into a proper 10-track Hardcore album?

Edge: The hardest part is keeping the original melodies and harmonies. Changing them from vocal parts that the original band or artist has created into guitar or MIDI instruments is challenging. I don't want them to be too audible in the mix. Rather, the "feeling" should be there, so that the listener "feels" a semblance to the original, but might not realize it.

VII. What is/are your personal favorite track(s) from The Postal Service's Give Up and why?

Edge: I think that "Such Great Heights," "Clark Gable," and "This Place Is A Prison" came out particularly well.

VIII. What are some of your personal favorite characteristics, qualities, and sonic attributes from throughout The Postal Service's Give Up?

Edge: That's the toughest question! I feel that you should ask Ben Gibbard haha. Curious what his reply would be. Perhaps just, "I should sue the guy for covering, posting, and ruining our material."

IX. So, for Ben Gibbard (for argument's sake) and/or someone entirely new to the genre or Hardcore Punk, what would you recommend as your Top 5 favorite or starter kit albums, EP's, or projects to help introduce them to the genre(s)?

Edge: 1. Modern Hardcore: BANE
2. D-beat: Wolfbrigade
3. Stoner Rock: Sleep, Kyuss
4. Metal: Converge
5. Heavy Rock: The Bronx 

X. So, have you tried sending Genuine's Give Up over to Ben Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello, Jenny Lewis, The Postal Service, and/or their teams? I'd be curious to hear what they thought of your full-album cover!

Edge: I don't know any of those folks personally, so I'm crossing my fingers that a random listener knows them and might send them my stuff.

XI. How involved were you in the behind-the-scenes processes of or relating to Sky Valley Records' super-deluxe/expansive 2xLP vinyl re-issue of your old, now-defunct(?) band, CHRIST'S full discography packaged together as Complete?

Edge: I art directed the project, played rhythm guitar, and sang. A wild project to dig up from the grave it was buried soooooo many years ago! Fun to see it finally on vinyl though, for sure. In this process, the band members all re-connected in a positive way... that's the most heart-warming part for me.

XII. What's planned next for Genuine and/or any of your other active projects?

Edge: [Full-album covers(?) of] Hot Water Music's Caution, Jawbreaker's Dear You, [and] The Cramps’ Bad Music for Bad People. [Thanks] again for the interest in what I do, Matt; much appreciated!