Thank You for Today

It’s not that it sounds like 80s adult rock, but there’s something of artists like Bruce Hornsby and the Range here--something welcoming and accepting that feels awfully appealing.

Thank You for Today marks the stirring opening of a new chapter in this band’s already storied history.

You have Gibbard’s forlorn yet criticising voice, the personal yet accessible lyrics, the melodic yet clashing guitars, which all create an incredibly atmospheric record, brimming with nostalgia, defeat--and hope.

A benchmark DCFC record and, barring a surprise drop from The National, the most immersive alt-rock album you’ll hear all year.

Beautifully low-key, gently life-affirming. [Sep 2018, p.110]

Death Cab For Cutie aren’t changing any time soon, and Thank You For Today is another reliable if unsurprising missive from a band who seem to be settling into middle age comfortably.

Thank You shows that as long as Gibbard feels haunted about one thing or another, he and his bandmates should be able to conjure up an appropriate soundtrack.

This results in an album where the melancholy is bittersweet, not all consuming, which means Thank You For Today is softly reassuring even when its intent is lightly barbed.

Thanks You For Today marks a further shift towards an ultra-plush, synth-laden soft-rock sound. [Oct 2018, p.27]

Here, DCFC cut loose a bit and it's water they're better off swimming in my opinion. Hopefully, there's more energy moving forward but all in all, Thank You for Today is a record we should be thankful has blossomed into existence, especially on the heels of how relatable it can be.

Ultimately, Thank You for Today finds the Death Cab for Cutie of 2018 taking stock of their band, choosing to forge ahead by using the foundation of their back catalogue to harness their core identity and build upon it. The band's shared vision is clear, encapsulated in this collection of songs.

While it, like its three predecessors, fails to reach the near-perfect heights of the group's mid-2000 benchmarks--or even offer material to match later gems like "Stay Young, Go Dancing", "Grapevine Fires", "Unobstructed Views", and "No Room in Frame"--it's still a thoroughly charming and touching collection.

“Summer Years” is the band’s earnest indie-rock sound distilled to its purest essence, and “When We Drive” is an elegiac look at long-term relationships through the metaphor of a road trip--but there’s no “Doors Unlocked And Open” or “Ghosts Of Beverly Drive” to shake things up. It’s another solid Death Cab For Cutie album, but it lacks vitality.