I briefly mentioned my love for alternative rock band Bad Suns last March in a Solar Flare, where I recommended their song “Grace (I Think I’m In Love Again)” as an energy-booster for those super long essays that seem to accumulate by the dozen at that time in the semester. I also think I’ve made it pretty clear, since the beginning of Test Spins, that I have a very eclectic music taste and can pretty much find something I like from any genre. Still, I’m entitled to have favorites, and that’s what Bad Suns is for me. They became my favorite band back in 2018, and their standing hasn’t wavered since. And, since that grueling March grind is back, I’ve given the Bad Suns records a few extra spins for a little serotonin rush to go along with the emerging sunshine. Although I love each distinct Bad Suns album for different reasons but equally — much like a mother loves her children — my mind flashes immediately to the 2014 album Language and Perspective any time I think of them. Maybe it’s because it was the first Bad Suns album I knew about, maybe it’s because it was their debut; I don’t know — but what I do know is that I’m about to do you a massive favor in introducing you to it. Save your applause until the end, please.
The first song on Language and Perspective is “Matthew James” — appropriately the first Bad Suns song I ever heard, and the one that drew me in so much that I couldn’t turn back. In true Bad Suns style, it achieves the perfect balance of surf rock to indie. As a bonus, the lyrics include the album title — a bit that I always appreciate when there’s no title track — as the impeccable Christo Bowman sings, “Language and perspective shape the way we live / Some things are hard to take and even harder to give.” Next is “We Move Like the Ocean,” one of the best and most underrated songs from this record. Bad Suns’ discography is rife with nature metaphors (See: “Howling At the Sun,” “Separate Seas” and “Summer Lightning”), and this song is no exception. In this case, Bowman likens the flow of a relationship to the ocean, admitting he feels disconnected and can’t take his partner’s toxicity: “Take me for a test drive, chew me up, spit me out / I don’t need your pat on the back, no.”
Originally released as a single, “Cardiac Arrest” is probably Bad Suns’ most popular song — and for good reason. Christo’s voice is gritty and powerful, ebbing and flowing with the summery instrumentals. He sings of having such strong feelings to the point where it causes physical pain, but not knowing if his partner feels the same way. “Pretend” is about breaking away from fantasyland. If you aren’t already convinced that Bowman's a wordsmith, here’s all the proof you need: “Your head is filled with unproven thoughts / Twisting theories into bigger knots / And I feel you dreaming / You’re done believing.”
“Take My Love and Run” is just so catchy — it gets stuck in my head every time I listen to it. Here, we see Bowman singing about having the rug pulled out from under him, but it’s Miles Morries on drums who steals the show and makes the song so electric. “Dancing on Quicksand” is very SoCal — the perfect amount of beachy. Bowman is admitting his mistakes and trying to get his girl back, but he knows it’s useless, like dancing on quicksand — which is especially interesting when you know that he’s been with his high school sweetheart for over a decade and just married her. Regardless, no one else can sing this song like he can, so who am I to judge? I would be remiss not to mention that incredible guitar break following the bridge, courtesy of former guitarist Ray Libby.
The plucky and all-encompassing “Salt” was released as a single as well, and also features a lovely guitar break. It hits every time. It’s followed by “Transpose,” which has always been my favorite Language and Perspective track. Bowman explained, “This song is about questioning yourself, and coming to terms with the way things are. Persistence is crucial, but persistence to no avail can drive you mad at times. This song captures one of those moments.” He gives us some insight into those sleepless nights, singing “All of my anxiety / There’s no cause that I can see / What’s this scratching at my brain?” Not to mention that chorus — my favorite lines to sing (or scream, rather) in the car.
“Learn to Trust” is another lyrical confection in which Bowman worries about hurting the people around him. He sings “I’m a ticking bomb inside a selfless man / You’re a casualty I can’t forget” — it may be a tad upbeat for its meaning, but I wouldn’t accept “Learn to Trust” any other way. “Sleep Paralysis” sees Gavin Bennett shine on bass and some haunting backing vocals. It acts as a precursor to Bad Suns’ 2020 release “Unstable” — without a doubt their spookiest song. Language and Perspective closes out with “Rearview,” which is a little funky and features some masterful guitar from Libby and Bowman. The bridge is a highlight and a warning: “When you keep crawling, time starts running by / No sight ahead just behind you, you keep crawling / Time starts running by / The fact is there’s no one behind you.”
I think I fell in love with Bad Suns all over again just writing this (and listening to this album for what may very well be the billionth time), so all I can say is, you’re welcome. Happy listening.
Test Spins is a fortnightly throwback column reviewing and recommending classic and underrated albums from the past. It runs every other Friday.
Sydney Levinton is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at slevinton@cornellsun.com.
