– Lindsay Gould, Music Coordinator
When I first got into beabadoobee, it was through some of her softer songs like “Soren” and “Tired.” I love that side of her music, but after hearing “Sun Has Set,” I think I may have a new favorite version of beabadoobee: the one that goes completely full 2000s punk. With raspy guitars, incredible drum fills and some of the most powerful vocals I’ve heard from her, “Sun Has Set” feels like female rage personified.
Full-Blown Rocker
The opening instrumental of “Sun Has Set” immediately made me fall in love with this song. The electric guitar comes in strong, and from there, the drums and vocals just keep building. There is a grunge and emo quality to the whole thing that reminds me of a mix between Deftones and Paramore, with a little garage-band punk thrown in.
Beabadoobee’s vocals are one of my favorite parts of the song. I already knew she could deliver these really beautiful, lyrical performances, but here she sounds angry, frustrated and completely unafraid to let her voice get rough around the edges. It gives the song this raw quality that makes you want to jump around and just completely let loose.
No Looking Back
Lyrically, “Sun Has Set” feels like closing the door on someone who has caused a lot of frustration. She calls this person “fake and affected,” accusing them of putting on an act rather than being genuine. At the same time, she seems to recognize that their behavior may come from their own insecurities and fear of rejection.
I also hear this song as beabadoobee looking at how things have changed since this relationship or friendship began. Rather than letting someone come back into her life and reopen that chapter, she is choosing to focus on herself. The anger is there, but so is the feeling of finally moving on.
Rage on Camera
The music video takes all of that anger and turns it into something you can actually see. We’ve all had those moments where someone treats us badly and all we want to do is scream, break something or completely lose it. That is basically the entire premise of this video.
Beabadoobee looks visibly angry and distraught as she attacks the camera, throws whatever she can find around the room, and eventually even sends the camera flying off a balcony. Additionally, the shaky camera work makes everything feel even more chaotic.
And then there is the car.
Watching her smash the windows of a car feels like the ultimate visual representation of the song. There is no trying to hide the anger or make it pretty. It’s messy, loud, and completely unrestrained. Female rage has rarely looked this fun.
A New Side of Beabadoobee
What I love most about “Sun Has Set” is that it made me want to go back through beabadoobee’s catalog and find more of this side of her. I was introduced to her through the gentle, more delicate songs that I still love, but hearing her completely embrace this 2000s punk and grunge influence feels like a reminder of just how much range she has as an artist. “Sun Has Set” is edgy, aggressive and incredibly fun to listen to.
If you want to rock out to “Sun Has Set” and hear more from beabadoobee, you are in luck. Her fourth studio album, Pylon, is set to drop September 18, and she is also taking these songs on the road. She’ll be playing TD Garden on October 3, so if “Sun Has Set” has you ready to rage along with her, this is definitely a show you will want to check out.
