Album Review: Beach Fossils - Clash The Truth

Beach Fossils
Clash The Truth
Rating: Grrrr

Beach Fossils started out as the solo bedroom recording project for Dustin Payseur. 2010's self-titled album was a likable collection of lo-fi jangle pop which also had them corralled with other up and coming bands like The Drums, Surfer Blood, and Best Coast. For their second album Clash The Truth, the major changes are there is a full band now, and there was obviously a much larger production budget. Where the first album had a very ramshackle charm to it, there was definitely the need to punch things up a little bit. From the opening ringing guitar lines of the title track, there is a noticeable muscularity to the album that was not apparent on the debut, though in reality there is really not much that different between the records. It is still a bright collection of shimmering jangle pop but the new focus and clarity makes it sound light years ahead.

The majority of tracks are barn-burning guitar tracks with insistent rhythms, chugging basslines, and washes of crystalline guitar lines. From the restless "Generational Synthetic,"



to the dense squall of "Careless' which has a lovely Smithsian breakdown in the middle,



and through to closing track "Crashed Out" with its bright guitar through lines,



Clash The Truth is emboldened by a richness and attention to detail that makes you immediately want to listen to the record again. The album thankfully is not one note, and there are many tracks that slow things down and put more focus on texture and mood. "Sleep Apnea" has a lovely, shambling quality to it, adding keyboards for mood.



Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead adds her subtle coo to the track "In Vertigo" and it merges well with Payseur's mumble.



And there are even times for ambient interludes, like the gorgeous synth washes of "Brighter" and lovely shoegaze haze of "Ascension."



Clash The Truth is another one of those records that is not original or experimental in any way, but somehow still finds a way to speak to me. The melodies are so sparkling and bright, they find a way into your blood and won't release themselves. You just have to give up and give in to their charm.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and piques one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.