If you find yourself looking for a blast of summer sun in these dreary winter days, look no further than the surf-pop stylings of Beach Bunny.
Beach Bunny is an indie-pop act founded by Lili Trifilio.
Trifilio somehow captured California sunshine all the way from her hometown of Chicago, crafting an addictive feel-good sound that is welcomed in an industry where sad-sounding music reigns supreme.
The band has an upbeat sound, full of earworm melodies, catchy drum beats and hypnotic licks that evoke the feeling of roller-skating on a lively summer day at the beach.
Beach Bunny’s instrumentals contrast with Trifilio’s deadpan delivery of melancholy lyrics, some of which would border on Tumblr-sad-girl territory.
Instead of mopey anthems, we get the bittersweet melancholia of the sun setting on a summer romance: beautiful and a little sad, but sweet all the same.
This sound is best exemplified by the title track from the 2018 EP “Prom Queen,” an ode to teenage feminine insecurities.
It’s no coincidence that the song is a breakout hit for the band.
It boasts the most views on their YouTube channel at over 7.2 million.
That big hit and other catchy tracks such as “Painkiller,” make the five-track EP the quintessential Beach Bunny listening experience.
In the second half of the “Prom Queen” EP, “6 Weeks” ruminates on a break-up while the frantic “Adulting” reflects on the difficulties of adulthood.
On Feb. 14, Beach Bunny released their debut album “Honeymoon,” which is almost as fun as “Prom Queen” and features the band’s other styles, showing they are not afraid to experiment.
The melancholy lullaby “Racetrack” is one of these experiments – a stripped-down track featuring Trifilio’s vocals and a music box-like synth melody.
The contemplative “Rearview” also shows off the lead vocals, underscored by a solo guitar in the first half before exploding into garage rock for a pleasant surprise.
The album reveals what happens when the band ditches the sad stuff and goes with subjects that are as peppy as the instrumentals would suggest.
“Dream Boy” and “Cloud 9” are almost twee in comparison to the rest of the band’s songs, but the lyrics sound genuine enough that the sweetness never seems artificial.
While the band’s older work is not as refined, their previous albums are still worth listening to on a lazy afternoon.
The two EPs Beach Bunny released in 2016, “Animalism” and “Pool Party,” have different vibes than the band’s later works.
The former has an Norah Jones-like vibe, while the latter has a more stripped-down, Mumford-by-the-sea type of sound.
The three-track EP “Crybaby” is transitional which is particularly interesting because it feels like a bridge between the girl-with-a-guitar act and becoming a full band.
While not bad, the pre-“Prom Queen” releases don’t quite nail the beach aesthetic achieved in later years.
There’s something special about Beach Bunny. Their sound is almost nostalgic, bringing to mind sepia-toned memories, even if you didn’t actually experience them.
If the summer months feel too far away, you can at least bring the beach to some headphones near you.
