Beach Bunny’s second album does what it says on the tin, but not in the most straightforward way. The sort of albums that might be described as ‘emotional’ are usually the ones where a vocalist searches for a release from their turbulent feelings, but ‘Emotional Creature’ is a far cry from that.
It filters its feels through a brightly coloured lens, making for a life-affirming and wholesome release that might just convince the most stoic of listeners that feeling your feelings can actually be quite lovely.
Many of these songs delve into the theme of infatuation, but they do so with a refusal to lean heavily upon the well-worn tropes of music’s favourite subject.
Opener Entropy seems syrupy on the surface, but it’s distinctive because it’s more nuanced, with its dizzy excitement undercut by a relatable nervousness. “Somebody’s gonna figure me out/It’s what I am, it’s what I was, it’s what I wanna become,” sings vocalist Lili Trifilio in her strong Chicagoan twang.
Lead single Oxygen builds upon this, contrasting lovesick choruses with self-conscious verses. “I’m OK with having a few bad days/Locked in my bedroom with my heart on display,” Trifilio admits over clean, soft guitar chords that lend her words extra warmth.
Indeed, there’s a lot of simple four chord fare on offer here, with the almost modest guitar sound playing second fiddle to the melody. It’s no coincidence, though, that some of the strongest tracks are those where they have more to do, such as on the more rhythmic self-love anthem Weeds, while interlude Gravity offers an intriguing change of pace with louder, more electronic sounds on display.
Later, closer Lovesong ushers in the big-hearted cinematic crescendo the record has been building towards. This is a consistently charming listen that anyone who also identifies as an emotional creature will cherish.
Beach Bunny Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Tue November 08 2022 - LONDON O2 Forum Kentish Town
Wed November 09 2022 - BRIGHTON Concorde 2
Fri November 11 2022 - BRISTOL SWX
Sat November 12 2022 - MANCHESTER O2 Ritz
Mon November 14 2022 - BELFAST Empire Music Hall
Tue November 15 2022 - DUBLIN Vicar Street
Wed November 16 2022 - GLASGOW SWG3 Galvanizers
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