Where it fits in the band’s timeline
Ask That God landed in July last year as the duo’s fourth studio LP—ending a long gap following 2016’s Two Vines. In the years in between, Steele and Littlemore tested ideas across different projects and headspaces. When they reconvened, the throughline returned: shimmering hooks, mythic imagery, and a fixation on uplift. The deluxe edition signals there was still more in the vault—ideas that either coalesced late or deserved a pedestal of their own.
What “Somebody’s Son” is about
At its core, “Somebody’s Son” carries a simple, centering truth: every person is tethered to somebody, loved by somebody, raised by somebody. The refrain “Every dad is somebody’s son” distills that idea with disarming clarity, turning a familial observation into a universal reminder to lead with empathy. Elsewhere, passing lines evoke sea and sky—“Freedom in the water,” “Ocean with my daughter”—inviting images of renewal and the grounding pull of family.
The verses sketch a quietly motivational code. They nudge toward agency (“Make up your sound / Go on and turn it up”), integrity (“Say what you feel and be straight up”), and generosity (“Grow it on your own and share all your wealth / With all of humanity”). The geography—Montana to Nebraska, the West Coast, down through Mexico—reads like a panoramic road movie, suggesting that the journey toward gentleness and courage can start anywhere and wind everywhere.
How it sounds
Empire of the Sun have always thrived where iridescent synths meet sing-to-the-rafters choruses. Buckingham’s presence hints at a tasteful counterweight: fingerpicked patterns, clean harmonics, and rhythmic guitar voicings that add human grain to the duo’s nebulae. Expect a bright, mid-tempo pulse—roomy enough for Steele’s falsetto glide—stitched to Buckingham’s economical accents and a chorus designed to bloom on festival stages.
Why Buckingham is the right guest
Few guitarists understand economy and emotional punch like Lindsey Buckingham. He can make three notes feel like a confession and a chorus feel inevitable. Pairing that sensibility with Empire’s technicolor world suggests a meeting of craft and spectacle: hooks sharpened by precision, textures deepened by organic detail. It’s not about vintage cosplay; it’s about letting a master arranger thread sinew through a modern pop tapestry.
The companion piece: “Dark Secrets”
The deluxe set also includes “Dark Secrets,” a title that teases the flip side to “Somebody’s Son.” If the latter blossoms in sunlight, this one hints at moonlit corners—the private reckonings that make public optimism believable. Empire’s catalog often plays with that chiaroscuro: silvered euphoria edged by a shadow you can’t quite name. Expect sleek propulsion, melodic drama, and a lyric lens turned inward.
From studio to stage
The band backed Ask That God with Australian dates and a brief US run that included the Hollywood Bowl—venues built for communal choruses and widescreen visuals. “Somebody’s Son,” with its open-armed refrain and road-trip imagery, feels designed for that environment: a moment to sway, to sing, to remember you’re part of something larger. With festival spots on the calendar—Tasmania’s Party in the Paddock among them—the song seems destined to become a mid-set anchor.
The bigger picture
Empire of the Sun’s mythology has always mixed neon spectacle with earnest heart. Adding Buckingham doesn’t rewrite that story; it reframes it. The collaboration underscores a persistent throughline from ’70s studio alchemy to present-day pop maximalism: songs that chase feeling first. In a year crowded with nostalgia revivals, “Somebody’s Son” doesn’t mine the past for its surface sheen. It borrows wisdom—clarity, restraint, attention to melody—and applies it to a distinctly modern canvas.
Quick facts
- Artists: Empire of the Sun feat. Lindsey Buckingham
- Song: “Somebody’s Son”
- Release context: Part of the Ask That God deluxe edition, January 24, 2025 drop, with additional track “Dark Secrets.”
- Themes: Family lineage, empathy, resolve, renewal, and the long road between places (and selves).
- Why it matters: A rare bridge between classic California songcraft and 21st-century synth-pop spectacle—built for hearts, highways, and big stages.
Final takeaway
“Somebody’s Son” reads like a postcard from the wide open: bright sky, bigger feelings, and a reminder that tenderness is a kind of strength. By inviting Lindsey Buckingham into their orbit, Empire of the Sun doubled down on melody and intention—proving that glamour and grace can share the same chorus.