Grunge can admire its progeny with smiles and sighs. Over a couple of generations, it has evolved into a new beast — one that has inherited its forebears' dark moods and anti-establishment tendencies. In recent years, much of its trademark melancholia has been tinged with surprisingly shimmery aftertastes (see Death Cab For Cutie, born in Bellingham, Washington, 1997).

As a teen, Ben Gibbard lived across Puget Sound from Seattle, where he voyaged to explore its burgeoning music scene, thick with sub-popular music like Nirvana and Mudhoney. In the mid-'90s, while he played in a band called Pinwheel, Gibbard simultaneously recorded solo under the name All-Time Quarterback. As Death Cab For Cutie (named after a song performed by the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band in The Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour film), he self-released You Can Play These Songs With Chords, produced by Chris Walla. The EP gained Gibbard a good bit of indie cred, which led him to convince guitarist/organist Walla, bassist Nick Harmer and drummer Nathan Good to form a full-fledged band. A pair of spunky albums — Something About Airplanes and We Have The Facts And We're Voting Yes — and a few EPs were eclipsed by their spectacular fourth release, Transatlanticism, in 2003. DCFC jumped to the majors with Plans, released on Atlantic in 2005, followed by Narrow Stairs in 2008.

The members of DCFC keep busy outside their group, too. Gibbard paired with Dntel's Jimmy Tamborello in the side-project The Postal Service, to release Give Up, in 2003. Walla owns his own studio, the Hall of Justice, in Portland, and has produced bands including The Decemberists, Tegan and Sara, and Nada Surf. In addition to underground recordings under the name Martin Youth Auxiliary, Walla released a solo effort, Field Manual, in 2008.

Provenance: Bellingham, Washington

Latest release: Narrow Stairs (2008)

© 2008 Nigel Music Media LLC. Used by permission.

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