Death Cab for Cutie have been around for a LONG time, yet is
it possible that Thank You For Today
is their best record yet? Long-time fans may scoff at the idea, whilst critics
will surely always fight for Kintsuigi,
for sure one of Death Cab’s greatest achievements, but Thank You For Today feels different. The reigns have been taken off
and Death Cab, like many others bands still battling on from the 2000s, have
stopped focusing on every little detail and started being more ruthless with
their songs, the result of which is an album that’s imperfectly perfect, that
ebbs and flows, that covers the widest range of sounds ever in a Death Cab
record. ‘Gold Rush’ sees chart-pop choruses meet a Yoko Ono sample as Benjamin
Gibbard comments on the changing nature of his beloved hometown and the impact
it has on his fond memories. Elsewhere, ‘When We Drive’ is a dreamy journey
that sees Gibbard pour his heart out a top of simple yet thorough layers of
drum beats, splashes of guitar and waves of synth. Yet despite the modern
influences and the changes Death Cab have made, there’s still an old-school
feel to the record, that stays true to their origins. It’s a proper album, not
a collection of singles, not an album full of fillers led by two huge singles,
it’s meant to be listened to from start to finish, and it’s an absolute
pleasure to do so.