Clancy

Will Clancy free the citizens of Dema?

Clancy by Twenty One Pilots serves as the final installment of a dystopian, heavily metaphorical journey that turns inner struggles into a powerful force that traps its victims. Our champion is Clancy, a self-insert for the band’s lead Tyler Joseph, a man who, in this album, struggles with his past. He seems to wonder: how can I lead them out of their own darkness when I cannot overcome mine.

Twenty One Pilots albums work because Joseph is writing about struggles that reflect our own. This album, stripped of its lore, relates to listeners. To me, the core of this album is about looking back at the person you once were. Some tracks look back at a troubled young-adulthood, others outline a fear of falling back into old habits, and some describe dark memories that keep us trapped. The variety this album offers in terms of sounds, genre, and tone, make it a compelling listen front to back. I dance. I cry. I scream. Best of all, it stands strong with an age-old Twenty One Pilots mission: stay alive.