The fourth studio album from indie rockers Bad Suns was conceived as “the soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist yet,” according to the band’s frontman Christo Bowman. This approach to their songwriting on Apocalypse Whenever makes more sense after a few spins of the record that sounds crisp, pop-driven, and vibrant, thanks in large part to veteran producer Eric Palmquist (Thrice, Mutemath). Bowman also shared, “We also knew we wanted the album to have a through-line, a story from beginning to end,” and the “movie soundtrack” feel can be understood better throughout the complex weave of lyrical lines painted throughout the LP. The album plays out like an 80’s synth-laden dreamscape that has lofty goals from the outset, and hits its intended target more often than not as it pulls on the heartstrings of this golden era of pop music.

Apocalypse Whenever’s promotional rollout was different than the band’s approach to their last three albums, with six singles (nearly half of the album) being released prior to the record hitting the streets this past Friday. It’s definitely a different way to digest a record that is intended to be listened from front to back, in order to get the full “story” outlined by the California-based band. In between Mystic Truth and Apocalypse Whenever, the band released two singles (“Unstable” and “I’m Not Having Any Fun”) that didn’t make the cut of Mystic Truth, and ironically those tracks sound better suited for the direction on this current album cycle.

When Bad Suns came into the light of the Indie Rock scene in late 2013, I was instantly enamored with their unique style of 70’s and 80’s-era post-punk all packaged in a new and vibrant form. Now on their third full-length album, Mystic Truth does little to change my glowing opinion of this young band that continues to show amazing growth and promise. Filled with shiny guitar-driven rock, this album shows staying power in being in our rotations well throughout the Spring and early-Summer seasons.

Kicking off the set with the first single, “Away We Go” paints lead singer Christo Bowman in search for love and purpose as he sings, “I need some love and affection/I’ve got no sense of direction or what to do/I hear a song on the radio that breaks through/Yeah, that’s right, I’m talking to you.” The song itself is a great reminder of the pop sensibilities that Bad Suns have come closer to perfecting in the early stages of their career and is a nice opener to a set of songs that gel well together.

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