Death Cab for Cutie released their most polished and amicable album yet. Songs like “Good Help (Is So Hard To Find)” and “Near/Far” do well for shoulder dancing, not being taken too seriously. But “When We Drive,” “Autumn Love,” and “Your Hurricane” feel like the moment of relief after you bolt awake from near-sleep to realize you weren’t falling to your death: you’re safe. Overall, the album displays pulled back strength, like a Lennie finally not squishing a mouse in his hands. More than any of the other albums the band has produced, Thank You for Today doesn’t feed the emo with haunting sadness; it feels smooth, calming, beautiful.
9/10
