In Death Cab for Cutie's new album "Codes and Keys" much of their inspiration seems to be drawn from indie band The Postal Service and shows a definite evolution in their sound. "Codes and Keys" is a crowd pleaser, delighting old fans and making new ones in the process.
"Home is a Fire" shows the heavy influence of The Postal Service's distinctive indie pop sound. Fans will be pleased by the tracks that follow.
"Codes and Keys," the song from which the album takes its title, is a perfect example of the classic Death Cab style and holds up the rest of the album.
The songs "Some Boys" and "Doors Unlocked and Open" deviate from the original style – melodic indie pop with resonant vocals – that made Death Cab for Cutie so popular but at the same time invite new fans into the fold with their catchy lyrics and upbeat sound.
The album seems more instrumentally driven since it relies on the tune over the lyrics. The heavy baseline used in many of the songs is an interesting choice and helps make the album a marketable one.
Since the band seems to focus on the sound more than the lyrics, the repetition of some words may seem unusual and may even be unwelcome to some of Death Cab's oldest fans.
Perhaps the most disappointing of all of the tracks on the album is "Underneath the Sycamore," which offers a cliché message and endlessly repeats it. Fans fed up with the frequent use of repetition should skip it entirely and more towards the end of the album, which is more promising.
Few fans will be able to resist "Stay Young, Go Dancing." Its light subject and upbeat tune will have fans singing along.
Overall, the album presents a couple of gems that will keep old fans listening and will invite new fans to listen to their new sound.
Andrea Aguirre can be reached at andrea.aguirre@student.shu.edu.
