Artists You May Like: Vinyl Theatre, MisterWives, Sir Sly
Recommended Tracks: One Magic Moment, The World And I, Darkness Arrives (And Departs)
Now that spring is upon us, and summer is just around the corner, it is time to break out those albums that conjure up the festive feels we associate with these warmer seasons. One such album is Mystic Truth by California indie rockers, Bad Suns. Full of meandering melodies, upbeat rhythms, and hopeful lyrics, this new album takes its listeners on an invigorating journey about growing up and learning to cope.
The album starts with the very fitting, and very infectious, “Away We Go.” This track captures the band’s signature style and is inviting to old fans and to new fans. It maintains a bright feeling throughout, invoking a positive attitude in anyone who listens. The lines, “away we go / we don’t have forever / away we go / tomorrow might be better,” are helpful reminders to take chances and to keep moving forward. Whatever ride we are about to take with the band, there is no turning back now.
The next two tracks, “One Magic Moment” and “A Miracle, A Mile Away,” continue with the positive vibes, as suggested in their titles. Frontman, Christo Bowman, has mentioned that this album is about finding happiness in the little things. As we get older, it can be harder to remember what makes you happy, especially in the world that we live in today. By stating that there are inspiring moments and small miracles out there, well within reach, these songs provide comfort to anyone who is struggling.
Christo has a perfect voice for singing these mellow, indie rock songs. It suits the next track, “The World And I,” which sounds like it could have been made well before 2019. In addition to the guitar-driven verses and open choruses, Christo’s crooning timbre adds a bit of nostalgia to the track. It is hard to explain, but there is something about this song that makes it feel familiar and like home.
One of my favorite songs on this album is the sixth track, “Darkness Arrives (And Departs).” It starts out kind of simple and straightforward, like it could be a ballad, but then becomes more rock-heavy in the chorus. It navigates back and forth between quiet and loud, sort of representing darkness arriving and departing. The message of this song is very clear: you are going to have good times and bad times, but it is important to understand the value of living in the now. Christo mentions in the song, “tomorrow looks different / then suddenly you’re in it / yesterday needs to come back / that’s where you’re wrong / the future’s in only our hands,” which means that you control your destiny. If you think that tomorrow will be better, then make it better. It does not have to be out of your hands.
If you are a fan of love songs, “Separate Seas” would be the song for you on this album. It goes into how hard it can be to make time for a relationship when you and your significant other live in separate worlds. However, just because you are both apart, the love that you have for one another does not need to go away. It will always be there and it will be the thing that ties you both together.
The final track, “Starjumper,” is the most “mystical” song on the album. It begins with piano and, for a while, it seems like the song is just going to be a sad piano ballad. But, we know that Bad Suns are not a “sad piano ballad” kind of people. When the chorus kicks in for a second time, the guitar and the beat pick up and the Bad Suns that we all know and love are back in action. By the time the song ends, listeners are left with a feeling of hope, as the song discusses the idea of transcending reality and finding happiness.
Bad Suns should be very proud of this third album. The songs hold a lot of meaning and exemplify whatever mystic truths we seek.
You can listen to Mystic Truth on sites like Spotify and Apple Music.
Catch Bad Suns on tour here.
Keep up with Bad Suns: Twitter // Instagram // Facebook // Website
