The Postal Service (Ben Gibbard, Jimmy Tamborello, and Jenny Lewis) set the indie music world abuzz yesterday when they teased something new. Fans speculated there would be new music, or that the group was reuniting to help benefit some sort of cause. It turns out the reason for all this is the latter: The group has shared a new comedy video to benefit Headcount’s Make Your Vote Count campaign.
In 2013, to celebrate the 10th anniversary re-release of Give Up, the band teamed with Funny Or Die to make a fake auditions video, in which they gave some famous folks a chance to be in the band. Their new video is a sequel to that, although this time, it all takes place over Zoom.
The band is presented with the idea of going on a reunion tour to help get out the vote, which they aren’t huge on in light of the current state of the world and due to Sub Pop’s insistence they add new band members. Still, they let a bunch of famous music people audition over Zoom anyway: Kenny G, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Slash, Duff McKagan, Rick Springfield, Huey Lewis, Bret McKenzie of Flight Of The Conchords, Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles, Caroline Polachek, Michelle Zauner (aka Japanese Breakfast), Tunde Adebimpe of TV On The Radio, Joe Wong, Ishmael Butler of Shabazz Palaces, Big Freedia, J Mascis, some of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Ronnell Johnson, and Kim Thayil. Others who got in on the fun include Jon Daly, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robinson, IRLrosie, Vanessa Bayer, Patton Oswalt, Aparna Nancherla, Jon Wurster, and Walter Harris.
Even if this doesn’t mean new music is on the way, it’s still nice to see the group members all doing something together again.
Watch the new video above, and revisit the original one below.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.