Language and Perspective is Bad Suns’ first album and this definitely set them up for success. Each song perfectly transitions into the next, showcasing what the band has to offer. The tempo of the album stays constant and with addition of the lead singer’s vocals, the album is new and unique. This album is about making mistakes but the album somehow has an upbeat feel. The combination is alluring. Somehow the music is melancholy and cheerful all at once. It almost reminds me of the Littmus Lonzenges in Because of Winn-Dixie, a juxtaposition of sweet and sad that people still love. The combination of finding oneself and surviving the mistakes one makes with the lead singer Christo Bowman’s unbelievable vocal range is an unforgettable combination.
Christo Bowman has a very distinctive voice that immediately lures in people
and establishes the band’s style from the very first word. His voice is
characterized by his higher pitch that somehow maintains a very masculine feel,
and his middle range is what would make any person weak in the knees. The back-up vocal from Gavin Bennett (the
bassist), and Ray Libby (the guitarist) add to the alternative sound of the
band and create a fuller sound to the music. The addition of their sound
layers on top of the main vocals and the music, filling in the empty space,
completing the song. Another very
characteristic part of each song is the drum’s beat. Drummer Miles Morris
has a new and interesting beat for every song and adds the percussion into each
song seamlessly. All of the band member’s skills together make a sound
that is very rock but also very alternative.
The unique qualities that the album possesses make it very
hard to classify. From the upbeat tempo of the songs, to the distinctive
vocals, Bad Suns is very diverse. They utilize influences from rock and
alternative music through instrument choice and musicality. The songs
utilize the most crucial of instruments; drums, guitar, and tambourine.
This set up gives the songs a similar vibe to most rock songs but the addition
of technologically manipulated guitar sounds and of shakers adds to the
alternative side. Also the main vocalist’s voice is so unique that no
matter what he sang, it would be interesting and new.
Due to the unique style of the band, it drew in a few
members of the alternative rock genre but I feel that most were from the
alternative genre as a whole. With such an interesting and new sound, the
alternative audience seems like a more interested audience. The style of
the band as a whole, physically and musically is what would have brought the
alternative rock crowd. Bad Suns emulates stereotypical alternative rock/
punk band through their wardrobe and instrumentation. These qualities
draw in a very diverse range of listeners. Overall, this band is
something unexpected for its genre and it couldn’t have been better. The
new sound draws in a new audience and in my opinion, makes the band more appealing
because its setting trends in the music world.
Bad Sun’s writes their songs with a chronological order in mind, so that each
listener can hear it the way it was intended to be listened to. The track
list seems to have none of that significance if only the lyrics are analyzed
but from the way each song leads to the next musically, it is easier to
see. They also wove in three songs that had been previously released on
their debut EP; “Cardiac Arrest”, “Transpose”, and “Salt”.
“Cardiac Arrest” is the only song released as a single
before the album was released. This song made billboards top 20 and was
even featured in iTunes’ featured free artists sections for a week. This
song is what Bad Suns is usually known by and there’s a reason behind it.
It’s the most iconic song on the album, showcasing the best of the band’s
talent, while also providing a catchy chorus and beat. This is a song
anyone can sing along to and it is reminiscent of a summery day at the beach.
Bad Suns became my obsession once I discovered this song.
Another
track that showcases the best of Bad Suns is the “We Move Like the
Ocean.” This track is about losing one’s direction and living on
auto-pilot. It describes the feeling of becoming so lost that its
overwhelming and almost feels like drowning in an ocean that you once
conquered. Musically, this song is one of the slower tracks but the
chorus still has an upbeat tempo and lamenting but stunning vocals. This
song is the second on the album, coming right before “Cardiac Arrest”, which
brings up the cheerfulness.
“Rearview” is the last track but it definitely deserves
recognition. This song ends the album appropriately by describing having
to let go of the past. It describes seeing the sunset in the rearview
mirror and realizing that once everything changes, it stops feeling
familiar. The song starts with reverberating guitar, where the chords are
very commanding of attention. As the intro progresses, the beat is
established and Christo comes in with his stunning vocals. The constant
repetition of the same three chords by the guitar creates the perfect tempo for
the song, ending the album with a fast paced beat.
Uniqueness in a band’s sound makes it equally harder and
easier to classify. For example, unique
voices like Amy Winhouse established her as a jazz artist. Similarly, Bowman’s voice establishes him as
alternative and post-punk but the band’s music conflicts with that
assumption. The music is very much
alternative rock because it utilizes the themes of rock but the overall sound
never reaches the intensity of a true rock song. Through comparing every aspect of this album
and its contents, it’s fair to say that it is alternative rock. It also needs to be said that this can easily
fall under the alternative category and draw in that audience. With such an array of genric influence, this
album is new and enticing and highly recommended.
Would you
explore a new artist in the type of music you like if they strayed from the
norm?
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