OK, so it’s widely acknowledged that a lot of people don’t care about Death Cab for cutie anymore. I guess I used to be one of them, too.
But because of all the requests and my own curiosity, I figured I’d try out Codes and Keys since it’s been a while since I tried to get into this band’s recent output.

While I wasn’t blown away, I was pleasantly surprised to see Gibbard and the gang still “have it.” Their songwriting is leaner and catchier than ever. Maybe the songs aren’t as emotionally torn as the band’s early work, but I have to admit I was enjoying the positive vibes that this album was giving off. There are so many feel-good moments on here between “You are a Tourist” and “Underneath the Sycamore.”

While many groups have taken the “indie” sound and tried growing it into something flashier, Death Cab is keeping things earnest and honest. If you’re looking for some down-to-earth pop music, there’s no reason not to visit with this album.

Sure, Death Cab is far past the point in their career where they’re mostly break new ground or something like that. But this isn’t exactly what this album is shooting for anyway. This LP appeals to a part of me that positively reviewed that Cake record earlier this year, too. Sometimes, it’s nice to take it easy, lay back, and just enjoy something doesn’t doesn’t require reading into the lyrics or pulling apart every minor subtlety.

With strong drums and Ben’s signature vocals, this is something nice to coast on this summer.

WATCH THE REVIEW