Funk and Flair with 90’s Inspired House and Dance-Pop Tunes, LA’s the Bad Suns’ Accelerator Beef-Up Their Classic Indie Sound
Label: Epitaph
Released: August 8, 2025
By Liam Owen
You might want to grab a strawberry margarita—Los Angeles trio Bad Suns has returned with their fifth album, Accelerator, an all-day pool party filled with funk and flair that aims to help its attendees begin to take control of their lives. It kicks off with the self-proclaimed mission statement “Slow Karma,” a sunny pop track that implores listeners to “Don’t you dare give up on yourself” as the singer is still “searching for some higher ground.” It mixes funky grooves with Coldplay-esque reflective lyrics to charming effect as it sets the stage for the rest of the record.
The first half of the album comes and goes like walking in front of an air-conditioned shop at Animal Kingdom in the peak of summer. Most of these songs follow a similar structure—soft, light intros with introspective lyrics that gradually adds instruments until it reaches the payoff in the chorus—which creates a fun, cohesive atmosphere that makes for good background music, but can tend to be a homogenous blur in retrospect. Christo Bowman’s vocals at certain points, specifically in “Ready To Take Flight” and “Madeline,” sound almost identical to Weird Al, a distracting quirk that undercuts the emotional weight of the lyrics. While the writing is heartfelt, the tracks’ uniformity sometimes softens their intended impact.
Starting with “Just Like Magic,” however, the album begins to break away from the rigid structure while maintaining a catchy intoxicating sound. The next track, “Back to Zero,” is a true standout with a unique synth intro and drumline that takes clear inspiration from ’90s house. From there, the record feels like the party is winding down, but everyone is still having a great time. “What’s Best For You Ain’t Me” lays its lyrics bare over a 6/8 waltz swing. “Postcard” features the lowest dynamics of the album, starting with an acoustic guitar leading to a cathartic yet modest chorus. “Wait in the Car” is a relatively longer ballad that will have you itching to get your lighter out and start waving. The final track, “Do The Twist of Fate,” is a quaint and lowkey pop groove that wraps things up with a warm glow.
Though it starts with surface-level sparkle, Accelerator reveals itself as a sweet and simple record about bettering yourself. Indeed, notes Bowman, “This album is ultimately about finding the strength within yourself to assess the damage that’s been done and make the changes that you need to in order to take control of your own life.” Though Bad Suns may not always hit every emotional note, they stick the landing with grace and style.