WATCH: Death Cab For Cutie Release New Video For “Black Sun”

Death Cab For Cutie have revealed a new video for their upcoming single “Black Sun”.

Death Cab For Cutie have been under a lot of scrutiny over the last few years, as their overall sound has shifted in a gradual but dramatic shift from their earlier records, which could be described as a mix of emo, alternative, and indie pop. They’ve been renowned for a rather peculiar mix of instrumentation that wasn’t a common factor in their particular genre. Since the release of their 2003 record Transatlanticism, however, Death Cab has slowly but surely progressed to a more commerical sound, utilizing a bit more conventional series of production and mixing techniques that have in turn begun to gradually distance the band from their core fan base. As a result, Death Cab For Cutie are more or less betting the farm on their upcoming record, Kintsugi, the first release since the departure of Chris Walla.

Fresh off of the upcoming record is the reveal of the video for the single “Black Sun.” The video shows a stunt man being run over and over again by an old school Mustang. The red herring of the video seems to be a beautiful blonde actress on the set, whom the stunt man is constantly looking towards or around for. In terms of plot, though, this video is rather hard to track. There seems to be no real connection between the stuntman and the actress, and yet the video cuts between the two of them quite frequently. There is a parallel, though, between the stuntman, the car that keeps running him down, the blonde, and the following lyric: “How could something so fair be so cruel/When this Black Sun revolved around you.” It’s a lyric that clearly points to heartbreak of some kind that has happened to the band, perhaps even alluding to the departure of Walla, who was a significant creative force behind the group.

Regardless of whether one feels that their music is a regretful departure from their previous records, “Black Sun” is a fantastic song. It’s sparse in comparison to some other Death Cab singles, but the rhythm, vocals, and lyrics make “Black Sun” a Death Cab single that stands shoulder to shoulder with all of their other records. Kintsugi is due out on March 30. A tour is anticipated in support for the record and a supporting series of shows to pair alongside their Hollywood Bowl performance.