#9 – Thank You for Today (2018)

Let me just start by saying that this was the album was the first that introduced me to Death Cab. Eighth grade me found it on the iTunes store, thinking it was a Christian album, and I decided to just play the first song. I immediately fell in love with their sound. For the next year, I would not shut up about Death Cab for Cutie. Ask any of my friends, I’m serious.

In hindsight, this album is kind of garbage. 

Thank You for Today was the first ever Death Cab album to not feature any musical contributions from their long-time guitarist and producer, Chris Walla. Walla had been with the band since it formed as a full group in 1997, and his absence on Thank You was definitely felt, sonically at least. It was obvious that Death Cab was trying to move away from the sound that Chris had produced in their previous records; Walla was replaced with two additional band members – Dave Depper (guitar) and Zac Rae (piano). Despite these new additions, Thank You feels like too sharp of a stylistic switch that definitely turned off some old-school Death Cab for Cutie listeners. The album’s first track, “I Dreamt We Spoke Again” is arguably one of the worst opening songs on a Death Cab album. However, Thank You does have some memorable tracks, such as “When We Drive” and “60 & Punk.”

For a group that had just lost a long-time band member, this album is decent.

In the grand scheme, it’s pretty forgettable. 

Best Song: When We Drive

Worst Song: Your Hurricane