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Feb 02, 2021 Beach Bunny By Caleb Campbell

In 2020 Chicago power pop outfit Beach Bunny rode a sudden wave of interest, in part from Tik Tok, into a brilliant debut with Honeymoon. The endearing record by all rights should have been remembered as one of 2020’s best sets of indie kid summer anthems. It was not to be, unfortunately, as the record had barely been out a month before the pandemic more or less canceled last year’s summer fun. Envisioned as a loose narrative tour through the innocent early days of romance—the titular “Honeymoon Period”—singer/songwriter Lili Trifilio and company were primarily concerned with one topic: love. It was no mistake the record dropped on Valentine’s Day. Now, almost one year later, Beach Bunny is back with a tight, no-nonsense EP, Blame Game.

On the face of it, not much has changed aesthetically. The band still brings its emotionally charged mix of pop punk, fuzzy indie rock, and hooky power pop. Similarly, the band’s focus is just as singular as on Honeymoon. Blame Game comes with a message, taking an especially lean and focused look at patriarchy, everyday male chauvinism, and the constant corrosive effects they have on women’s lives. Listen closer and the changes are evident. The band has come back more confident, more direct, and more fierce.

Though Beach Bunny tackles weightier subject matter, the effervescent joy and triumphant highs that define the band’s style are out in full force. If anything the songwriting feels more vital, rushing between tempos and dynamic changes with potent technicolor bombast. “Good Girls Don’t Get Used” blasts into power pop brilliance amid hooky guitar interplay and addictive indie pop ah-ahs. Trifilio quickly jumps into her sassy call-outs, taking no excuses from an immature partner. More than just a kiss-off to men who can’t commit, Trifilio also defiantly asserts her own worth—“Say you want me, actually, you want me/Did you want a ribbon?/‘Cause I’m gonna need to hear more than that.”

“Love Sick” is the equally catchy follow-up, given a glossy finish with playful guitar tone switch-ups and addictive thick basslines. This track is the closest the band gets to drifting towards the lovelorn writing of Honeymoon, but the nimble instrumental shifts and sing-along chorus fit in perfectly with the record’s propulsive pace. Moreover, Trifilio’s relationship woes have shifted since the band’s debut. Rather than pining for lost love, Trifilio’s lament turns to anger as she declares, “Sick of love, I’m tired of the bullshit.” The track ends up as the record’s most vulnerable reflection on the wreckage and pain that manipulative men leave their wake.

Elsewhere, “Nice Guys” turns Trifilio’s attention towards the trope of the “nice guy,” interested only in sex and quick to switch on a dime when his interest isn’t reciprocated. Trifilio reserves some of her most biting lines here including, “If your ego had a zip code, it would be a whole state wide.” The real highlight, though, is the soaring gang chorus, delivering the kind of attitude-filled catharsis that’s sure to kill live once shows return.

Finally, “Blame Game” draws the EP to a close on a darker note, putting all the previous tracks’ frustrations into the context of a culture that all too often blames women for the abuse of predatory men. The chorus is the breaking point where Trifilio’s frustrations explode into a defiant cry as she insists, “And I’ll be caught dead saying/Guess it’s my fault my body’s fun to stare at/Sorry my clothes can’t keep your hands from grabbing.” The gravity of the chorus centers the song around it, drawing the jangly indie pop style of the verse into a fantastically hooky stomp. It’s a powerful closer, translating the band’s fervent energy into a galvanizing rallying cry.

While Honeymoon confirmed Beach Bunny as rising stars in the indie scene, Blame Game points to an even more exciting future for the band. With Blame Game, the band builds on everything that made their debut great, bringing their unbridled emotive power pop to bear against everyday patriarchal norms with a more confident and fiery edge. The EP easily stands on it’s own with its sharp focus, but if the band is able to keep its songwriting this tight and this punchy on LP two then fans surely have great things to look forward to. (www.beachbunnymusic.com)

Author rating: 8.5/10