Bad Suns is a four-piece American indie rock band from Los Angeles, California. The band consists of Christo Bowman (lead vocals/rhythm guitar), Miles Morris (drums), Gavin Bennett (bass), and Ray Libby (lead guitar). They released their debut album, Language & Perspective, back in 2014, followed by Disappear Here in 2016. The band released their third album, Mystic Truth, a little over two and a half years later, and it is definitely nothing short of amazing.
Away We Go: This is the first of the three singles to be released for the album and quite an opening track, if I do say so myself. The song is super upbeat and was a phenomenal choice for the first song to be released after their break. The drums hold a steady beat throughout, perfect for headbanging. The bridge slows down considerably and the background instrumentals quiet as Christo’s voice transitions the song smoothly, with the drums picking up once again before an amazing guitar solo. The lyrics are simple and catchy, making it easy for me to picture crowds singing along. Imagine driving through sunny California with the windows down in the middle of the day with all your friends. This is the song that would be blasting through the speakers.
One Magic Moment: The third and final single that was released for the album. The song starts out with a rather funky, techno beat immediately setting it aside from the previous song. The piano in the background that matches the vocals is a key component to the song, adding another layer of depth that isn’t as noticeable but still contributes immensely to the overall dreamy effect that the song holds. The bridge transitions effortlessly, making it hard to miss if you aren’t listening to the change in lyrics. Another amazing guitar solo follows before the song closes off with a repeat of the chorus and the beautiful piano that was seen throughout the song.
A Miracle, A Mile Away: The transition between this song and "One Magic Moment" is so smooth if you aren’t paying close attention you might not realize the song has changed. The song starts out with another funky beat, this time making you feel like you’re in space. The vocalization in the background makes you feel like you’re far away from the actual sound. This goes on for a while before picking up to a more upbeat pace. The verse is very sharp and catchy and I can imagine these parts being fan favorites. The chorus is very dreamy like the previous songs were, giving the song an overall positive sound. The bridge is so different from the rest of the song, with a variety of different sounds going on, it threw me off for a second. I love the effect it has on the song though, setting it apart completely from the other songs on the album. The song closes off beautifully with more vocalization, and it can probably pass as one of the most unique Bad Suns songs to date.
The World and I: The song starts out silent for a couple seconds followed by an immediate start straight into the verse. You can feel the upbeat tempo and the urge to start jumping hits almost instantly. The lyrics are once again very catchy and simple, making it easy to pick up and sing along by the end of the song. The bridge is one of my favorite parts of the song, still very upbeat but still different from the rest of the song. When it jumps back into the chorus, the instruments cut out and the vocals steal the show. I can imagine this also being a fan favorite to sing, especially live. The song closes out very smoothly and almost immediately transitions into the next song. This song felt like such a classic Bad Suns song to me, very familiar but still different.
Love By Mistake: The transition into this song was very quick, but it is very clear that this is a different song. The little chimes at the beginning of the song remind me of something that would be in a children’s show or nursery rhyme of some sort. However, when the guitar picks up it makes it clear that it’s going to be a love song. This is probably one of my favorite songs on the album. It’s such a simple love song, the lyrics catchy and makes you want to sway your body to the beat. It’s still got a bit of an edge to it, but it’s so whimsical and dreamlike. The line “I fell in love like the rain” stands out to me. I’m pretty sure they mean something like slowly, then all at once. I love the way this song makes me feel. This is what falling in love sounds like.
Darkness Arrives (And Departs): The song starts with a very mellow, but whimsical tune. The vocals are very smooth, and the guitar in the background compliment them perfectly. This song isn’t as upbeat as the other ones but it still has an edge to it, the guitar riffs after the first chorus demonstrating that flawlessly. This song has a more classic rock feel to it. You get the urge to headbang during the chorus or throw your hands up and scream the lyrics at the top of your lungs. The song closes with the instruments almost completely cutting out, leaving just the vocals to maximize the effect of the words, the final lyric as the title of the song.
Hold Your Fire: Another classic Bad Suns song. This is the second single to be released for the album. This is one of the catchiest songs on the album. Ever since the song was released, I caught myself singing it to myself all the time. The lyrics are simple and easy to learn, making it even more fun to sing along to. The verses start out quietly but then pick up gradually throughout the song, the chorus building up to the point where you’d feel weird if you weren’t screaming the words. The drums keep a steady beat that I can imagine would make jumping along to this song live all the better. The song closes out with the chorus as well as the same instrumentation that was used at the beginning of the song.
Howling At The Sun: As soon as the song starts, you know you’re in for a ride. Unlike the other songs on the album, they start with the chorus, then move into the verses. The vocalization in between the chorus and the verses gives off a summertime beach vibe. The bridge is the perfect transition before they cut off the instruments right before the chorus. This is definitely a song that makes you want to be outside with your friends. It almost sounds like it's straight out of a summertime teen movie.
Separate Seas: When the song begins, you’re not sure what you’re going to expect as it’s not very upbeat or slow. This is definitely one of the slower songs on the album. The verses give off a melancholic feeling and you almost find yourself swaying to the beat. The chorus is still rather slow but the drums picking up isn’t unnoticeable, making you think that there is going to be some sort of upbeat transition to the song but it goes right back into the slower tempo that it held before. The bridge almost sounds like an outro, bringing you right back into the pre-chorus before picking up into the chorus. The song actually does close out with the same lyrics as the bridge which tied the whole song together. Overall, this is definitely one of the slower songs on the album, but in my opinion, one of the best.
Starjumper: Kind of sounds like exactly what you think it would sound like. The piano in the background sounds like what you would imagine jumping on stars would sound like. The song starts out rather slow, but you can feel it picking up by the second verse. One specific line that sticks out to me is “I leave this world behind as I ascend a moonbeam pathway.” The lyrics are all very dreamy and ethereal as the song title would suggest. The bridge is definitely different from the rest of the song, having a bit more edge to it and picking up considerably before cutting off the instruments and resuming the delicate, yet bold feeling that the song had before. The song closes out with a beautiful, orchestral violin that adds even more emphasis to the airy nature of the song.
I think that this album is absolutely amazing. They’ve provided fans songs for every sort of mood, setting, and tracks for the soundtracks to their lives. If you haven’t already, this album is definitely worth the listen!
Make sure to follow Bad Suns on all of their social media: @badsuns
You can listen to Mystic Truth by Bad Suns here: https://badsuns.ffm.to/mystictruth
Bad Suns are going to be starting their 2019 Mystic Truth Tour on April 3rd in San Diego! See if they’re coming to a city near you and go here this masterpiece live!: https://badsuns.com/tour
Written by Elizabeth and edited by Gracey!
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