Death Cab For Cutie – You Are A Tourist

Death Cab For Cutie divide opinion amongst my pals. In many ways, you could say I’m writing this just to annoy some of them. But whatever they say, I will always love them. Death Cab, I mean.

I’ve been trying to work out whether I’m pleased or disappointed with You Are A Tourist, the first single from Death Cab’s new Codes and Keys LP. I’m a bit concerned by the cute introduction, but I do like that guitar riff. I like it a lot actually. So, yeah, ok I’m in.

But heck, it’s a free world, you can make up your own mind:

It’s all academic though, because there’s something about Death Cab which means I’ll always have a place in my heart for them. The other day I bought tickets for their show at Brixton Academy in July without thinking twice (I’ll be the good looking one half way down on the right, as usual, come say hi), and I’ll buy Codes and Keys the same way. Because they, along with a host of others, have been the soundtrack to so many important bits of my life.

For me, Death Cab are never better than 1min 50sec into We Looked Like Giants, from Transatlanticism LP, when they open up the traps and succinctly sum up the excitement of adolescent intimacy in a few bars of noise:

Or on Cath… from their last Narrow Stairs LP which is, well, it’s just a fine record all-round:

Let’s see what the LP has in store for us. Not long to wait, it’s coming on Atlantic May 31st. It better be good because, you know, I’ve got my ticket already.