Album Details

• Artist: Death Cab For Cutie
• Album: Codes And Keys
• Label: Atlantic
• Year of Release: 2011
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: digitalbath on 2011-05-28

Media

            Ben Gibbard has done it again, better this time.  Death Cab for Cutie has definitely had a time evolving their sound since getting signed to Atlantic Records for their 2005 release Plans. While Plans was certainly one of Gibbard's best works, the release that followed it, Narrow Stairs, did seem a bit contrived.  Understandably so, Death Cab for Cutie is becoming a pretty big name and they've got a lot of people to impress.  However, Gibbard has finally found his niche within mainstream indie/pop (that almost sounds contradictory) on their 2011 release, Codes and Keys.

            There are so many reasons that this album has been on repeat on my Macbook since I got it.  Though I do have to say first and foremost, the first single that Gibbard put out to represent this album, "You are a Tourist," sounds more like the song that Atlantic needed them to put out than what Codes and Keys is truly all about.  Thankfully, "Home is a Fire" saves the day as the second single, released on Youtube just a few days before the album drop.  Apparent on "Home is a Fire" and "Some Boys", Death Cab has been putting Jason McGerr to work.  There are a lot of great things to listen for in relation to the percussive aspects of Codes and Keys.  This isn't just limited to acoustic percussion though.  There is also a lot of electronic percussion throughout Codes and Keys.  The greatest song on Codes though is, hands down, "Underneath the Sycamore."  The track truly brings a long time DCFC listener back to the days of Transatlanticism.  It's still evident that the album is produced by a big name record label, but perhaps finally that's not so much of a bad thing!

            All in all, Codes and Keys is classic Death Cab.  Many fans became frustrated with Narrow Stairs but 2011 sees Gibbard going back to his roots.  Codes and Keys is exactly what every long time Death Cab fan has been looking for since Plans.  The only reason I didn't rate this album a 5/5 is because "You are a Tourist" truly is regrettable but hey, big names such as these have to accommodate a wide range of listeners, including the less educated.  The album drops May 31^st, don't forget to grab your copy!

User Reviews and Comments

on 2011-10-22 hstisgod Said:

http://itunes.apple.com/album/you-are-tourist-the-2-bears/id469852437?o=a&v0=ITS-Artist%20Alert
Not Rated

on 2011-10-22 hstisgod Said:

DCFC's new version -The 2 Bears Remix- of release, You Are a Tourist, is not getting great reviews from their loyals.
Not Rated