Bad Guru – Sunshine in Hell (2021)
We often learn lessons from the experiences of other people and act on them without thought of the cost that can follow. With their single ‘Sunshine in Hell’, Bad Guru continues doing this and the conflicting messages we get from other people. While tackling the consequences of following the lessons of others, they touch on the fact that we are doing our best even if it results in us burning like sunshine in hell.
This rather interesting consideration comes from Sierra Watkins (vocals), Ethan Bilkert (guitar), Joey Hurley (guitar), Blake Powell (bass) and Quinn Brophy (drums). A group of long-time friends, they formed the band in 2019 when they all found themselves in the same area after college. Through their music, they bring their passion and something of themselves to the fore to create their thought-provoking but extremely engaging music.
‘Sunshine in Hell’ hits you with the calling of a guitar from the first second. The guitar line continues to draw you into the melody as the drums rise from the depths. These two melodic layers have your feet tapping the beat while your head bops along. The steadiness of the melody takes you through the verses and lightly picks up for the chorus as the guitar calls out and the drums rumble. While really steady and stable, the melody continuously pumps the energy of the band into your veins without you really realising it. There is a slight increase in the melody later in the track which is perfectly woven into the overall flow of the track.
After the melody has drawn you into the soundscape and hooked you to the sound, Watkins’ vocals bring the conflicting messages from people to life. This is wonderfully contrasted by the cost of taking action based on the wisdom of others. Woven into this is the understanding that we are all doing our best in every situation we find ourselves in. The chorus is catchy and will probably stick in your brain for a while. The interplay between the music and the vocals is great as the melody lifts the vocals. This helps the passion of the band shine through in the overall movement of the music.
Bad Guru has you tapping and bopping to their rhythm while considering the wisdom of others and how we are all trying our best in ‘Sunshine in Hell’. The melody has a steady and stable feeling that draws you into the single rather effortlessly. This movement allows the vocals to shine as they bring both the emotions of the track and the passion of the band to our ears.
Find out more about Bad Guru on their Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.
