7. Codes And Keys (2011)

Codes And Keys was the last time we heard from Death Cab and it seemed they were beginning to suffer from exhaustion. When you never cease evolving your sound (and props to the group for the continued drive to grow), it is not uncommon to hit a rough patch. Codes And Keys is a great departure from the band’s static-laden origin point, influenced heavily by Brian Eno, according to the band. If the intention was to sound like an Eno record, then the band failed; if it was to approach the songwriting and recording processes with innovation, then they get an honorable-mention ribbon. What the album really sounds like is Death Cab implementing bits of previous recordings through the lens of a failed experiment. With opening track “Home Is A Fire,” there are hints of what listeners love about Death Cab — deliberate melodics, Gibbard as a soothsayer of tough emotions, but presented with an unsettling jitteriness, like a nervous plagiarist. It’s the theme of the album. A track like “Monday Morning” recalls Death Cab of the past but with a gloss of newness (in this case, vocal effects) that feel slike an unnecessary advancement given Gibbard’s vocal prowess. It’s also their least lyrically impressive effort, the writing tending toward the anthemic instead of their usual illustrative work. That a song called “You Are A Tourist” is its biggest hit is at once telling, not necessarily in a good way for longtime listeners of the band.