by Ian Maddox
Indie-rock group Bad Suns made a name for itself in 2014 with its debut album “Language & Perspective.” Consisting of 11 songs, this album is a plethora of catchy hits, featuring songs like “Cardiac Arrest” and one of my personal favorites, “Pretend.”
What makes this group stand out is its prominent bass and unique use of sound effects. This, combined with the classic combination of electric guitar, drums, and keyboard, creates a sound that is familiar yet unexpected.
Going into this album, I expected another stereotypical indie-rock album but was pleasantly surprised to find that Bad Suns was able to make itself stand apart from the crowd.
Its unique bass line provides a refreshing contrast from the tedious bass typical of other artists within the genre. This is most prominently seen in the tracks “Rearview” and “Learn to Trust.”
Another feature of the album is its original and interesting sound effects and backing vocals, which is featured in “Salt” and “Sleep Paralysis,” respectively.
My personal favorite was the song “Pretend.” I really enjoyed the melody, especially around the chorus, “Can we pretend, pretend, pretend?”
The bass line here is one of the best in the album, and the guitar and voices pair really well, creating a swirling harmony that I want to keep on repeat. Disregarding the actual musicality of the song, I related to many of the lyrics, mostly “Your head is filled with unproven thoughts, twisting theories into bigger knots”.
“Language & Perspective” by Bad Suns stands out in a world crowded with indie-rock artists. I thoroughly enjoyed this album, and found overall refreshing and a pleasant change of pace.
