Everyone has a first favorite band. Some outgrow them, some forget about them. Luckily for me, my first favorite band still is a favorite. After over a decade of listening to Death Cab for Cutie and watching them gradually enter the big leagues, I can honestly say that they’re still extraordinary. If you enjoy good alt. rock, or just really good melodies, check out Death Cab’s upcoming album Codes and Keys which will be released this May 31st. It has been three years since the band has released their last album (the infectious Narrow Stairs), and I have no doubt that the band’s seventh album will be equally sensational.

The first released single “You Are A Tourist” is evidence of such sensation; like all of the band’s previous songs, this single feels as if it was carefully packaged with just the right amount of sooth and sentiment so that every fan falls right back into love with the band. If you loved the melancholic bittersweetness of the previous albums, then prepare for more, as this single holds all of the same elements Death Cab For Cutie is usually known for. There is the same Gibbard “ooo’s” and echos, the same detached feelings.

But don’t worry, Death Cab For Cute is still innovative. The single begins with a warped guitar and Ben Gibbard’s voice slightly glazed, signally subtle new changes in the band’s style. There’s also more drumming then guitar work, as evidenced in the harrowing end. Alan Moulder, the great mixer who has worked with other greats like Depeche Mode and The Smashing Pumpkins, is probably one reason for this. He was signed on to help produce “Codes and Keys”, and with his skills and Gibbard’s tender voice, there is no stopping this single.

If you, too, sometimes feel like a tourist in the city you were born, well then make double sure you pick up this album.