Rolling Stone (p.72) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]hese are resplendent songs, the sound of a sad-sack acquiescing that life might be pretty awesome after all."

Spin (p.98) - "Gibbard mostly dispenses with his trademark jitters, leaning into Death Cab's tuneful guitar-band thrum with a confidence that eventually sells CODES AND KEYS' moments of eager-beaver optimism."

Entertainment Weekly (p.111) - "The album's centerpiece, the breathtaking 'St. Peter's Cathedral, 'builds gradually on an echoing Eno-esque guitar and great waves of organ buzz..."

Alternative Press (p.108) - 4 stars out of 5 -- "[T]his quietly experimental album ends up being Death Cab For Cutie's great leap forward -- an achievement of pop formalism wrapped inside a beautiful cacophony."

CMJ - "This is Ben Gibbard's album....A neat production trick for CODES AND KEYS is employed on his voice -- it is moved back and forth in the mix repeatedly, creating a filter-like effect that combines with some of the best lyrics the band has written."

Billboard (p.52) - "[T]he subtle experimentation within the set provides a welcome new flavor....The standout cut 'Some Boys' manages to emit a darker, eerie vibe without any maudlin emo."

Paste (magazine) - "Throughout the back half of the album their trademark emotion, omnipresent throughout their oeuvre, seems self-assured, backed by a fuller and more confident sound."