Death Cab for Cutie have blossomed since first climbing up the indie-rock ladder, discovering initial success as part of the soundtrack for popular TV show The OC. Over the years they have breathed brooding lyrics into our ears over a cacophony of atmospheric strings; a distinct style of music that has won them a place in many of our hearts. They have come a long way from being played on trashy TV series’ and their performance at the O2 Academy in Leeds on November 17th was, as expected, a huge success.
The gig opened with the sounds of, supporting Yorkshire band, ‘Butcher the Bar’, whom set the mood of the evening by playing a delightful wave of indie-pop tunes. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t have the same musical consistency or stage presence of Death Cab, a notably cooler band, but ‘Butcher the Bar’ were fun and lighthearted nonetheless. Codes and Keys, the latest offering from Death Cab, has taken a staggering side-step away from their initial indie-rock sound; a sound which garnered them much critical acclaim. This new album delves into new, questionably stranger depths. A surprising musical tangent has seen Death Cab for Cutie experimenting with heavy percussion which somehow never detracts from Ben Gibbard’s balmy tones and episodic lyrics, which had us hooked all the way back from The OC days.
Yet this new sound received split reception from the fans at the concert, with older songs being greeted wholeheartedly by swaying and singing and new songs being politely received by a minority. Despite this change in style, the band didn’t fail to impress, and gave an energetic performance opening with favourites, ‘We laugh indoors’ and ‘Brothers on a Hotel Bed’, dispersed interestingly with intermittent bursts from the dynamic Codes and Keys. In whole, the night saw a lively, strong performance from the band and fans walked away sporting wry, nostalgic smiles under sweaty fringes; seven albums later and Death Cab for Cutie are still the band we know and love.