The term Kintsugi is a beautiful one (the Japanese word for the art of mending broken pottery) and as the title of Death Cab For Cutie‘s eighth studio album it’s a good indication of where the band stands in both sadness and heartache. 2011’s Codes and Keys, brought an upbeat indie rock style but now, since the many changes over the last year, the band have officially translated all their feelings about everything that’s happened in one record.
“No Room in Frame” conveys an indie/alternative rock sound with blossoming guitar instrumentation. The saddened emotions already start in the beginning but it isn’t to the point where you’ll already feel a heavy sensation in your stomach. It’s refreshing to see Death Cab For Cutie be consistent in their approach when it comes to their music because sometimes, the opening track can either make or break the record. It really all comes down to simplicity and there’s no doubt that their first song off Kintsugi gives a good indicator of that.
Hearing subtle aspects of other genres being fused together in “Black Sun”, it highlights a very experimental approach towards the combination of electronic elements, percussion beats and keyboard instrumentation to the record. The track itself incorporates contemporary elements resonating an ensemble of layered instrumentals, creating a leveled ambiance.
By default, Ben Gibbard’s vocals keeps the listener at ease with reflection of his humbling vocals, bringing a relaxed aura. With more emphasis on the hard-hitting, melancholy lyricism of Ben Gibbard, “Little Wanderer” displays lines of imagery transcendent to the themes of the record. “I hope your absence makes us grow fonder” and “When we kiss in the baggage claim” are lines that showcase heartache and misery.
“You’ve Haunted Me All My Life” and “Hold No Guns” surrender to the altitudes of sad moments in the past. It’s impressive to see soft acoustics being played out with slow build-ups from time to time, highlighting Gibbard’s emotions that resonate in his vocals. “El Dorado” has guitar work that flares in stellar musicianship, displaying undeniable chemistry. It’s excellent to see the guitar work and percussion beats have a moment to shine in the spotlight here.
The consistency of the record is prominent and it doesn’t take away the tranquil ambiance it conveys, however, there’s unfortunately some weaker contending tracks. “Good Help (Is So Hard To Find)” can be easily overlooked as it doesn’t really add much value to the overall feel of the record. It showcases the slow-build up of sound progression but it becomes too cliche-driven through its lack of emotional quality.
“Ingenue” continues the same pattern of structure in “El Dorado” but it doesn’t have any ambition or creativity put together compared to the other tracks. This can also be said of their last track, “Binary Sea” which pulls together the overall sound of the record and yes, it’s a heart-heavy track but it falls into predictability in sound progression. There comes a point where the slow-build ups in instrumentation get a bit tiresome, reaching way beyond its threshold.
Regardless of the imperfections this record has, Death Cab For Cutie always release something of quality and it’d be hard to look past the overall beauty that transcends from Kintsugi. I don’t think people will ever look past Ben Gibbard’s genius lyricism or the overall musicianship of the band. To plug in and listen to Kintsugi has a way of reminding us that yes, life isn’t perfect but we can make the most of its imperfections, and watch it grow into something extraordinary.
Review Score: 7.7 out of 10
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Kintsugi is available now
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