Year in Rock 2011 Nominee: Death Cab for Cutie

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
You Are a Tourist

From: Codes and Keys
Released: May 31

Much was made of the fact that Codes and Keys was the first Death Cab for Cutie album to be released after mainman Ben Gibbard's marriage to indie darling and eternal hottie Zooey Deschanel; it was hypothesized that married life would bring out Gibbard's sunnier side. Indeed, Codes and Keys finds Gibbard in a much more pleasant, stabilized mood compared to previous releases. Sadness replaced with content, despair with hope. And the music follows suit; not that DCFC were ever really considered a guitar rock band proper, but on Codes and Keys they're becoming extinct, the melodies more often painted with keyboards while guitars laze about unnoticed in the background.

On You Are a Tourist, however, they're front and center; there are no power chords in sight, but the strings do spit sparks of positive energy that propel the track from just your standard indie rock tune to your indie rock summer anthem. Don't get too used to it, though; as much fuss was made about the marriage, Gibbard and Deschanel announced their split on November 1. Something tells me it's a win-win for the indie kids; Gibbard can go back to strumming his guitar and singing about depressing topics, and Deschanel is back on the market.

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