100

100. Kintsugi - Death Cab for Cutie (2015)

Alternative

Unlike so many of their mid-2000’s peers, Death Cab have remained relevant, evolving just enough to feel fresh while still showcasing their foundational qualities that made them a hit in the first place. Named for the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with lacquer mixed with precious metals, Kintsugi functions as yet another vehicle for Ben Gibbard’s soothing voice to shine. Thematically, it’s not much of a departure from previous work, with lyrics therapeutically ruminating on loneliness and the pain of past relationships. Musically, it feels familiar, but it’s buoyed by a more developed sense of control and a sharpness that accentuates some of the sting laced throughout the lyrics.

The obvious single, “Black Sun”, is a standout. The recurrent line “there is whiskey in the water” acts as an alliterative and almost humorous way of noting that people seem to be devolving, intoxicated, away from sanity and reason. “There is fear in the eyes of your father, and there is yours and there is mine” suggests a shared acknowledgement of the dangers of that devolution. The album pre-dates some of the more outrageous social-media-spawned madness that has since dug its roots in, but the track is a not-so-subtle warning that seems to have gone unheeded.

*image; cover art for the album Kintsugi by the artist Death Cab for Cutie