Benjamin Gibbard - ＂Teardrop Windows＂

What this video is

Released November 1, 2012 as the lead single from Benjamin Gibbard's debut solo album Former Lives (October 8, 2012), 'Teardrop Windows' arrived at a moment when Death Cab for Cutie's frontman was establishing an independent artistic identity beyond the band. The song itself personifies Seattle's historic Smith Tower — once the tallest building on the West Coast until surpassed by the Space Needle in 1962 — as a…

Why it matters

Represents a key artifact of the early-2010s indie rock solo breakout moment — a period when established band members (Gibbard via Death Cab for Cutie, also known for The Postal Service) tested solo personas. The video, directed by Tom Scharpling, typifies the era's comedic DIY music video…

The director

Tom Scharpling (born February 9, 1969), born Thomas John Giuliano II, is an American comedian, television writer, producer, music video director, voice actor, and radio host. He is best known for hosting The Best Show with Tom Scharpling and as the voice of…