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It’s easy to take Death Cab For Cutie for granted, they’ve been so good for so long. Their ninth album “Thank You For Today” continues that string of excellence; bittersweet melodies and lyrics framed by woozy guitars, hazy synths and a pulsating beat.

This is the first full album since co-founder and production whiz Chris Walla left the band. He’s replaced by Dave Depper on guitar and Zac Rae on keyboards and the band as a whole relies on vocalist/lyricist Ben Gibbard for leadership.

The title comes from the way the band finished each day of recording, with handshakes all around and “Thank you for today” uttered no matter how the session went. The good humor is reflected in the airiness and earnest feelings on the album.

The mature themes of the lyrics, with the trademark juxtaposition of sad and beautiful, takes the band further in their evolutionary process and reminds us to savor every moment of one of the best bands ever.