by Jesse Hudgins
Life is crazy. There just isn’t a way to get around it. It can be difficult to get your thoughts out or even find something you can relate to. Luckily, Chicago artist Beach Bunny has you covered with their new LP Tunnel Vision.
Beach Bunny has been on a roll, putting out a multitude of EPs and two LPs since 2016, and they’re back with a new record, Tunnel Vision. If you’ve been following the band since the beginning, or have just listened to their catalog, you can see the evolution of the band through this record.
After the bombastic opener “Mr. Predictable,” which dives into how you want things in the world to go your way, but they just don’t, is the track “Big Pink Bubble.” This short but sweet song captures the feeling of escaping issues within one’s life. The usage of a bubble as a hideaway is perfect, as once the bubble pops, everything comes back. Combining elements of pop and indie within this punk ballad gives it an extra push, allowing it to soar as a song. If the first track didn’t grip you to the record with its themes of the anxieties of modern life, this one will, as everyone, at one point or another, has just wanted to forget about something in their life.
“Chasm” follows, and it doesn’t hold punches lyrically and musically. Where “Big Pink Bubble” was more lighthearted, “Chasm” bares all and feels much more introspective than the songs before it. “Am I enough?” fills the pre-chorus of the song; it’s a simple yet extremely effective line, perfectly capturing the moment of someone sitting in their room contemplating the past and trying to overcome it and themselves in the process.
Musically, this song hits just as hard as its lyrics with everything coming together perfectly throughout. The peaks and valleys are ever-present, especially going from pre-chorus to chorus. The slight drums mixed with twinkly guitars and forefront vocals get the listener excited heading into the chorus. I especially love the combo of drums and bass during the verses. They drive the song whenever they’re the leading aspect of the track. Big shoutout to the drums for the small rolls they fit into the song.
After “Chasm,” the band presents a part two with the song “Tunnel Vision.” Whether it be intentional or not, having this after “Chasm” works perfectly as the song delves into plummeting deeper into the chasms that you have created for yourself. For as indie and pop-infused as the instrumentals are, the lyrics get dark and slightly intense. “I don’t trust my own opinions/And my intuition’s terrible at telling left from right.” Having these themes of self-doubt and not being able to trust yourself adds an extra layer to this record that already deals with the harshness that can come from life itself.
When listening to this song, I love the instrumentals on it. It took me back to Paramore’s After Laughter, specifically “Told You So,” a song that features light instrumentals but tackles self-issues. The layering of the instrumentals on “Tunnel Vision” is some of the best on the entire record. Each time you listen, you’ll find a new aspect that you hadn’t before, like a cowbell, rolls on the drums you may not have noticed, or extra guitars.
Just before the album ends, Beach Bunny hits a two-piece combo with the tracks “Violence” and “Just Around the Corner.” “Violence” has one of the heavier instrumentals on the record, and it makes sense. The song tackles the anxieties we see daily in the world, and they aren’t hiding anything with this song. The instrumental is going to be just as harsh as the subject matter the song is singing about. “Violence” is arguably the most nihilistic track on the record. For those who may not be feeling great about the world right now, this is the song for you. The instrumentals hit hard on this one, especially during the verses of the track.
“Just Around the Corner” continues the themes presented in “Violence” and adds more of a political punk vibe to them. I like this infusion from the band on this song and the instrumentals do a great job to compliment it. The break on this song, while depressing, is extremely catchy is something that I can see getting the crowd hyped during the live shows, leading to the sick guitar solo to follow.
Overall, this record from Beach Bunny rules. It’s a great evolution from what the band has been doing for the past few years, and they do a great job of infusing indie, pop, punk, and alternative into the 10 tracks. The lyrics may be some of the most relatable this year, tackling plenty of anxieties and issues going on internally and externally. I thoroughly enjoy the contrast between the bright and poppy instrumentals and the darker lyrics that complement them. Everything isn’t dark, though. The album closer, “Cycles,” goes back to many of the themes from earlier in the record and uses the line “Maybe it’s a mortal toll” to say maybe we’re not alone feeling how we feel. Tunnel Vision is a great record, and I couldn’t recommend more.
