Aural Pleasure, The Fifth Day of Xmas

On the fifth day of Xmas my AP gave to me ... five octothorpes ... no that's not right, there's only one octothorpe that I know of. What's an octothorpe you ask? That's a great question, I have no idea, all's I know is there's a big one stamped on the front of today's album, take a look and see.

Codes and Keys - Death Cab For Cutie

So okay, I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting all that much when I first heard that Death Cab had dropped a new album this year. I was kind of disappointed with their last effort Narrow Stairs, and even Plans, as good as it was, lost some of the indie magic that Death Cab had built up into the masterpiece of Transatlanticism (God that's hard to spell).  Boy did these guys do a complete about face with Codes and Keys. Not only is this a great and catchy album, but, to my ears, it's almost a complete reinvention of their sound. This is a happy album by God, actually genuinely happy, can you fucking believe that? For those not in the know, Death Cab is traditionally known for making genuinely sad albums, and to turn the mood around like this so deftly and still not lose what makes them good, well it's a wonderful surprise.

God, this year I swear: Eisley makes the saddest album ever while Death Cab turns around and puts out a happy album, my world is all askew ... happily askew, but askew all the same (I love saying "askew" don't you?). This is not to say Codes and Keys is all lollipops and hello kitty clouds. There's still the pensive introspective lyrics that look into things that are less than flattering, but it's from a far more positive perspective than Ben Gibbard has ever had (as far as I can tell anyway). Marrying Zooey Deschanel will do that to a person huh? What I think is just fantastic, is that for years when talking about Death Cab I've said that Ben Gibbard is always honest and brave enough to cast himself as the villain in his songs. In many of his songs about lost love he's the bad guy, the guy we hate (Especially in "Tiny Vessels" my God). Low and behold on Codes and Keys he actually spits out these lyrics:

Cause when you find yourself the villain
In the story you have written
It's plain to see
That sometimes the best intentions
Are in need of redemption
Would you agree?
If so please show me

which is from "You Are A Tourist." I don't really have much of a point with sharing this, I just find it fascinating that he's used the same exact language I have used myself to describe his lyrics in the past. I guess it just means it's obvious, who knows. Anyway, I'll leave the lyric interpretations to you, but they're certainly smart and always interesting (par for the Death Cab course really). Speaking of interpretations, "Monday Morning" is about Zooey, and "St. Peter's Cathedral" is my favorite song. It's so good to have Death Cab back, also, mad props on sporting the octothorpe.