Creatures of the Sun - Hell If I Know

​Creatures of the Sun

Hell If I Know
self-released; 2026

​By Dino DiMuro

I stumbled upon this new single "Hell If I Know" by the Creatures of the Sun at a fortuitous time, not long after discovering the retro sounds of the Tom Hanks station "Boss Radio." The Hanks playlists not only cover my exact timeline, but reminds us of an infinite number of "garage band" tracks never included on the Nuggets sets or the endlessly recycled nostalgia streams (and shockingly, those Oldies Hits are highly monetized!). So I was more than ready for these guys!

Creatures of the Sun is a raucous trio that combines surf, garage and psychedelia in three-minute bites. As a huge fan of homegrown artists, I was excited to discover that creatures began as a bedroom project of guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Garrett Ballard, later adding Ben Fortenberry (bass/vocals) and James Mozina (drums). Among several honors, they were voted Best New Band of 2025 by the readers of Queen City Nerve. They're currently recording a full-length LP to be released in the Winter of 2026, of which this single is just a taste. Leader Garrett Ballard is also a graphic artist, handling the designs of the band's flyers, album art and merch.

The band's press release says that this single "...was written during a period of personal and creative frustration. Ballard sings of trying to get a clear look at something elusive, only to have it evade him every time. His lyrics touch on the universal search for meaning in a world that has stopped making sense. This is a song for questioning the gap between the life one is living and the life one wants to live." Recording and mixing took place at Fallen Trees Recording Studio in Mount Airy, NC and was mastered by Brad Sarno at Blue Jade Mastering.

The track begins with a blast of clean, bent-note surf licks on a twangy electric guitar, underlined by single bass notes and drum kicks. As the song proper begins, the guitar part drives forward playing the same licks while the bass provides a powerful counterpoint, almost a surf music and early Who hybrid. Ballard's lead vocals have the kind of laid-back, slightly conceited tone of Steve Miller, perfect for lyrics about looking askance at a current love affair: "If I had a crystal ball / And the devil's words ring true / It would come as no surprise / How you slipped right out of view." The band seems to generate its own unique reverb as the energy increases, a sort of "natural" LoFi sound.

The middle section is slightly muted as the vocals add a bit more sneer and attitude. I love the simple and catchy chorus of "How'd we end up here? Hell if I know, hell if I know!" The "middle eight" (as the Beatles would have called it) is almost the same as the verses, but with hooting instead of singing. By the end of the track my brain has failed to differentiate this track from the songs and styles I grew up on.

This is a foretaste that really has me excited for what's next! If you love retro, check them out!

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