Death Cab For Cutie - Thank You For Today

Death Cab For Cutie is the long-time Indie Rock band fronted by Ben Gibbard.  Now, the band's sound over the years may have gotten a little stale and overplayed, but in the late 90's when these guys showed up on the scene they had a really revolutionary sound.  Their 1998 debut "Something About Airplanes" is a solid debut.  I love just how genuinely fiery Ben was in his young age with tracks like "President of What?" and just how calming and reflective tracks like "Sleep Spent" and "Your Bruise" were.  And yes, some of the later tracks here got a little drawn out, but still, Death Cab had plenty of room to grow, which they did. In 2000 they returned with the much cleaner "We Have The Facts and We're Voting Yes".  This album was practically meditative at times, with very soothing backing melodies that complimented Ben Gibbard's very charming performances wonderfully.  No, his performances we're nearly as fiery here.  But there was just so much to like about tracks like "405" and "For What Reason".  Death Cab cleaned up their sound even further with the release of 2001's "The Photo Album".  And honestly, it's not a terrible album, and it contains some of the band's first forays into a more Alternative sound.  With tracks like "A Movie Script Ending", it actually sounded like they were on to something too.  But some of the lighter tracks here had me not nearly as interested, and just wanting a little something different.   However, Death Cab went on to make they're first truly great album in 2003 with "Transatlanticism".  This album was an emotionally deep and inviting album that got the best of all sounds for the band.  There were deep, heavily bruised tracks like "Passenger Seat" and "Transatlanticism",  but there were also some of the band's most genuinely great ventures into Alt Rock yet with tracks like "The New Year" and "The Sound of Settling".  Now, the production here was much more glossy, and if you prefer the band's early days trust me I get it.  But for me, this was a truly defining moment for the group.  But with 2005's "Plans", I started to have less and less nice things to say about Death Cab.  Tracks like "Soul Meets Body", "Crooked Teeth" and "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" were fantastic singles, some of the best tracks the band had ever released.  But almost every other track here just had me scratching my head.  These weren't necessarily bad tracks, but I had little to nothing to say about any of them.  Death Cab continued down their downward spiral with 2008's "Narrow Stairs".  Now, I actually dig some of the tracks here, more than most.  Like, I'm actually totally into the 9-minute monolith "I Will Possess Your Heart".  But this is barely a Folk album.   No, this is more Alt-Rock then ever, and Ben Gibbard most of the time just sounded not nearly as fiery.  Things got even blander for Death Cab on 2011's "Code and Keys".  By this point, there was no Folk influences insight, and this was just straight up Alternative Rock.  Which wouldn't be a bad thing, if Ben hadn't become a true shadow of his younger self and his performances weren't completely lifeless.  However, there were one or two solid tunes, like "Doors Unlocked and Open".  But overall, what had even become of Death Cab?  With 2015's "Kintsugi" it seemed like Death Cab were more of an Alternative Rock band than ever.  But honestly, at least they were writing catchy tracks like "The Ghosts of Beverly Drive" and "Black Sun".  But in this case, some of the Folk tracks seemed phoned in, and just plain goofy.  Again I ask, what the hell happened here?  So Ben and the boys are back, with some of their worst singles in years as well as one of their best, shall we dive deeper friends?

(I'm a sucker for this one let me tell you)

This album starts off with “I Dreamt We Spoke Again”, and let’s start with some positives.  I know I may have badmouthed this album at first, but no joke, let’s talk positive.  I actually really don’t mind the production here at all.  It’s light and gives this track a seriously airy and Pop-centered vibe.  So honestly, this track isn’t completely a wreck when you dissect things.  I love the bass that pops in for the chorus, and surprisingly I think the focus on a more Synth-driven chorus is actually really classy.  But it’s Ben’s vocals and lyrics here that bring this down.  His vocals and lyrics are some of the cheesiest and uninspired he ever wrote, end of story.  This one does have plenty of potential deep down, but it’s dragged down by all of the same issues that have plagued Death Cab since “Plans”.  On the other hand, “Summer Years” has a much more upbeat and urgent feel to it.  I literally haven’t said that in seemingly forever with this band.  I love the playful guitars just how breezy this one is.  Hell, even Ben’s very sweet vocals come off so much more alive here.  I feel like Death Cab are finally starting to wrap their heads around the fact that their brand of Indie Folk has run it’s course.  And honestly, hearing them put that aside for a more Indie Pop sound is absolutely refreshing.  And clearly, Ben can still write a really snappy, sweet Pop tune.  And those distant guitars and continued focus on synths and Piano melodies is all very classy.  “Summer Years” is just a great song.  On the other hand, I know I just got done saying how this production really isn’t that bad, and the band was progressing by moving away from an Indie Folk sound. But “Gold Rush” is too much for me, and honestly made me want to toss this album aside before it was even over.  This production is just way too squeaky clean for my liking.  And this instrumental is frustrating, I don’t know when this became a Bluesy album but it sounds atrocious.  And no, Ben’s very uninspired performance is not doing anything for anyone.  Ben and company may be on to something with a more Pop-oriented sound.  But with “Gold Rush” they set themselves back in a big way.  On the other hand, “Your Hurricane” is actually really pleasant.  I mean, if that first track here was going for this emotional, longing song about death and loved ones, this comes off so much better.   Ben here reminds us just how good of a Pop tune that he can write when he tries.  Here, he legitimately sounds heartbroken and completely lost, and these throwback synths end up giving this more of a human feel than anything.  As far as from a songwriting perspective goes, this may just be my favorite track here.  It’s sweet and tender, and I honestly wouldn’t mind coming back to it.

The throwback synths continue to be a major player for this album with “When We Drive”.  This is another dreary, emotional ballad.  And no, it’s not as strong as the last track sadly.  The shimmering synths here detract a little, and Ben’s songwriting isn’t nearly as pristine.  But to be honest, as far as a sound goes, this actually has grown on me.  And from an album standpoint, this is easily Ben’s best-written album in probably 15 years.  If they can iron out some of these kinks, they could easily make another modern classic.  Now, of all of the singles released, “Autumn Love” is by leaps and bounds the best thing going here.  In an album filled with loved ones and emotional ballads that tug at your heart, this track is the most genuinely positive of the bunch.  Damn you Ben Gibbard, when your Pop Song hat is on, you can do it better than half of your contemporaries.  I love the carefree and sunny vibe to this, and it’s times like this that just make me beg Ben to stick with this more Pop direction they’ve been going with.   Then we have “Northern Lights” and I still can’t believe just how well some of these more Synth driven songs are coming off.  Like, there are some seriously snappy tunes here, that show Death Cab really pushing out into areas I never thought I would have heard.  Ben i back to his more emotional and personal writings, and here within these more upbeat synths just make him sound so urgent.  Once again, this new focus on a more Pop-oriented sound is doing nothing but big things.  And funnily enough, they don’t end up sounding like they’re dating themselves at all.  Just the opposite, they sound youthful as hell and I honestly love this track.  With “You Moved Away” Death Cab continues to sound completely determined.  I do dig the distant pounding drums here, as well as the dreamy synths that seem to be haunting this one from a distance.  But sadly, this is my least favorite of Ben’s performances in quite a while.  Here, he doesn’t sound nearly as focused or as genuinely heartbroken as he does in other moments here.  Instrumentally, I do like some of the grooves here and it’s got a real interesting tone.  But let’s be real, this doesn’t hold up nearly as well as some of the catchier tracks here.  However Ben cheers to you guys for trying out a more abrasive sound, I hope it gets only better. 

Death Cab clearly has more tricks up their sleeve.  I wasn’t expecting to get another track that puts me in Death Cab’s good graces, but that’s just what “Near/Far” does.  If other tracks here went for an upbeat and positive sound, this one rules over them all.  I love just how determined this one is, even though Ben’s very solemn lyrics do bring this down a little.  It’s a seriously classy jam though, one that’s actually really impressive.  There’s still a massive throwback vibe to it, and I actually do really love the atmosphere the synths usher in.  No, this track isn’t bad at all.  This album ends off with “60 & Punk”, and ohhhhhhhhhhh nooooooooooo, I’m practically screaming at Ben to get the hell away from that Piano.  After all the genuinely great tracks here, this is the sort of track I was hoping would stay long gone.  I do like the dreamy instrumentals that pop in eventually, those actually come off much more emotional than anything Ben is doing here.  But this is just so weak and toothless after some of the fantastic progressions Ben has made here.  I do commend him for writing this track as far as lyrics go, but outside of that, this is so boring. 

Rating: 7.2/10


Give A Listen To: “Summer Years”, “Your Hurricane”, “Autumn Love”, “Northern Lights”

Least Favorite Track: “Gold Rush”

Genre: Indie Pop / Indie Rock / Alternative Rock

Overall Thoughts:  While the teaser tracks to this album may go down as some of the worst tracks Death Cab for Cutie has ever produced, as an album, this is the strongest material Ben Gibbard and company have thrown at us since “Transatlanticism”.  The band have finally seemed to realize that the sound they made themselves famous with has quite frankly been done by so many artists, that they needed to switch things up.  In it’s place we get shimmering synths and a focus on Pop hooks, and most of them are pretty good!  This album has a sloppy start and an even sloppier ending.  But for the first time in like, 15 years, I actually have some positive things to say about a Death Cab for Cutie album.