Tunnel Vision: Beach Bunny’s Spirited Yet Anxious Junior Album
What to say about Beach Bunny’s junior album? It’s the bright, bubblegum indie rock that Beach Bunny has become known for in their ten years of making music. This album feels like an older take on 2020’s Honeymoon and a step away from 2022’s Emotional Creature. “Tunnel Vision,” “Vertigo,” and “Clueless” are perfect encapsulations of the themes carried through the album and I wholeheartedly believe they served perfectly as the singles. Thematic elements of growing up and growing older in uncertain circumstances feel much too relatable.
The five-track run of “Pixie Cut” to “Vertigo” to “Violence” to “Just Around the Corner” to “Cycles” might have been my favorite part of the album. These were some of the strongest songs on the album and were an immediate addition to my playlist.
Trifilio’s work as a lyricist shines through and might be what makes the album anxiety-ridden moments hit hard despite the rather summer-y, indie pop sound. Melancholy lyrics feel like gut punches and arrows in my delicate heart. See “Always searching for something / Looking at a place that I should be / But I’m nothing, nobody, nobody” from “Cycles” or “Growing pains are only growing, it’s a new reality / Everything feels more nostalgic in a partial memory” from “Clueless.” Nostalgia is also reflected in “Clueless” through the opening, which throws a wink at Miley Cyrus’s “Sha, sha, sha” “7 Things” intro. As someone who has been a fan of Beach Bunny since 2019, it feels like she’s only continued to hone these skills as the years have passed.
My Lilli from the Website Dress-up game.
I adore the visual aesthetic that Beach Bunny has taken for this album cycle. Bright pinks, yellows, and blues combined with halftones contribute to the stylized vintage feel of the promotional materials, calling back to Archie comics in many ways. The T-shirts and merchandise for this album cycle would definitely fit with a summer wardrobe because of this. Additionally, the mini-game where you can dress up a paper doll version of Lilli with pieces of clothing from their various album cycles, including the color-block top from “Honeymoon” and the sweater from this album cover.
With the release of this album also comes a spring tour with over 20 stops across the United States and Europe. If one is near you go, join the mosh pit (yes there is moshing at Beach Bunny), and enjoy their new music. If there is no stop near you, there are CDs, Vinyl Records, and Cassettes available for order and of course, it’s streaming everywhere.
