Michael Rogers

Mystic Truth is the third album from LA based alternative band Bad Suns. In terms of the bands sound this album is more of the same, though that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Although not elevating their style or lyrics this album is still more of what made the band break out in 2014 with their single “Cardiac Arrest”, which is probably where you’ve heard them. It’s full of their signature catchy, upbeat songs with simple lyrics that underscoring the electronic elements throughout the album. It starts off well with “Away We Go” which is perfectly fine, nothing special here but really picks up with its second and third songs, “One Magic Moment” and “A Miracle, A Mile Away”. “One Magic Moment” is my personal favorite on the album with a deceptively catchy chorus that gets better after every listen. In “The World and I”and “Darkness Arrives (And Departs)”, the bands influences shine through as you can easily hear some of the elements of the pop punk that the members likely listened to in their formative materials. “Love By Mistake” is a low point for the album as it reaches its halfway point. The song is bland and repetitive and adds nothing to the work as a whole. Hold Your Fire is another catchy, radio-friendly tune that could’ve been a single, along with One Magic Moment. Howling “At The Sun” is a safe and boring pop song with nothing worth noting. The penultimate track “Separate Seas” adds some much needed emotional weight to the album due to its personal lyrics and this continues into the last track “Starjumper”. This is certainly a much needed boost for the album but I can’t help but wish that it didn’t come until the final two songs. Ultimately Bad Suns didn’t do anything with Mystic Truth to distinguish themselves among the hundreds of poppy alternative bands active these days, which is a shame because I believe they have the talent to do so they just need to be a bit more experimental with their style and a willingness to evolve going forward.