Day for Night (International Version)

From the stunning opener, “Grace, Too” to the devastating centerpiece “Nautical Disaster,” Day for Night is a superbly paced album bursting with atmosphere and emotional bite. It features more acoustic, lower-key songs than the three preceding hard-driving albums, but the overall intensity is hardly diminished. And while there’s still plenty of volume here, as “Daredevil” and “Fire In the Hole” prove, the emphasis is clearly on dynamics and flow, and the songwriting is excellent throughout. Their lyrical themes are particularly interesting and almost always cryptic and mysterious; the songs unfold like short stories, intertwining murky metaphors and grand themes with what seem like intimate personal details (though certainly may not be). There are many great lines spread across the 14 songs, and listeners can revel in the beauty and playfulness of the language; lyricist and lead vocalist Gordon Downie is an intense singer with a poet’s ear for phrasing and subtlety, and he’s a master at bringing a song to life. Cohesive and enigmatic, Day for Night is a thrilling ride.