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Depper toured with the band for about a year-and-a-half before he and Rae were named official, full-time members. In 2017, they entered a California studio with Gibbard, drummer Jason McGeer and bassist Nick Harmer to record Death Cab’s 2018 followup, Thank You For Today.

“I won’t lie to you, it was fairly intimidating,” Depper says. “I had to reset to zero again after touring with them. Joining as a touring member was very intimidating from the get-go. But ultimately I didn’t have the brunt of any creative responsibilities. I didn’t have to give interviews. I just had to get up there and play parts that were either laid out for me or that I could embellish a little bit. As soon as I was used to that and comfortable, we entered the studio and all bets were off once again. We had to figure out what this new lineup sounded like, what our working relationship was going to be like, what I was allowed to say critically about the songwriter of one of my favourite bands; if I could tell him that I didn’t like the bridge he’d written, that kind of thing.”

Luckily, it went well enough that Depper found himself quickly looking forward to future work in the studio. That includes a five-song EP the band has just finished, set for release later this year.

Meanwhile, Thank You For Today was heralded by some critics as a rejuvenation for the band, which will play the Calgary Stampede’s Coca-Cola Stage on Sunday. The ninth album maintains Death Cab’s trademark moody melodies and brooding lyrics, although dresses it with an assured pop shine befitting a band that has been at it far too long to be moping about like 20-something emo kids. One of the more intriguing numbers is Gold Rush, a multi-layered, funky pop concoction that laments the gentrification of Seattle. It’s also the only song on the album co-credited to Gibbard, Depper and … Yoko Ono.