Death Cab for Cutie released their eighth album, “Kintsugi,” on March 31, 2015. It has been a long wait since their last album, “Codes and Keys,” which came out in 2011.

“Kintsugi” rings of all the same motifs a Death Cab for Cutie album has. This is not to say that “Kintsugi” is not unique from the other Death Cab albums, but that it is a continuation of the unique sound that only Death Cab for Cutie can provide.

The specialty of Death Cab can be traced back to their lead vocalist, Ben Gibbard. Gibbard has a special voice that can not only be associated to the alternative genre but to Death Cab for Cutie itself.

More recently Gibbard’s voice can be related with his other band, Postal Service, but the true champion is Death Cab for Cutie.

“Kintsugi” feels like a sequel to “Codes and Keys.” The songs ring of similarity, but the difference is in their pace and tone. “Codes and Keys” was a slower and more somber album, reflecting more on emotions of nostalgia and inner torment. “Kintsugi” is faster and has more songs that have the rock n roll element. “Kintsugi” is a extension of the band’s character development. In “Codes and Keys,” the band was more reserved and depressed, hiding behind a slight smile.

In “Kintsugi,” the band has grown in maturity with the understanding that life is beautiful, even through the hard times. The band still sings of troubles, but they sound more comfortable with dealing with them.

The first single that they released for “Kintsugi” was “Black Sun.” This was a nice taste of what was to come. “Black Sun” gave Death Cab fans an exciting teaser from a band that had been away for some time.

The album opens up with “No Room In Frame,” which starts off a little slow but picks up as Gibbard sings to us about his place in world. By this point the album has you hooked, which is perfect because the next song is “Black Sun,” which gives fans familiarity. Like most singles, “Black Sun” is definitely not the most impressive song on the album.

The song that makes the album rememberable against their other albums would have to be their song “Good Help (Is So Hard To Find).” The song still has that distinct Death Cab sound, but it has a strange feeling of joyful hope mixed with repressed sadness. This mixture of emotions make the song an anthem of confidence and optimism that the band seems to have gained since “Codes and Keys.” The album is one of the best the band has ever made, and could probably only be rivaled by “Codes and Keys.”

It is a perfect album for graduating college students and a must-listen for all that enjoy alternative music.