With a number of low-fi surf-inspired bands releasing music lately it’s easy for some of them to get lost in the mix—especially since they all seem compelled to choose names involving the ocean, beach, or other trite references to surfing or the coast. With their second album Clash the Truth, Brooklyn rockers Beach Fossils don’t do much to distinguish themselves in this somewhat crowded field, as the band fails at achieving any musical growth while losing some of the charm from their first record. The end result is an album that while certainly solid lacks enough vitality or innovation to make it particularly memorable.
Filled with reverb and ending with chanted vocals by Dustin Payseur, opening track “Clash the Truth” sticks out more than most of the other songs. The second track “Generational Synthetic” continues the record’s solid opening streak and features a clean riff that harkens back to the simple yet classic playing of early surf groups. This style of play pervades the album and, while certainly pleasant, is largely responsible for the sense of monotony that comes from listening to Beach Fossils.
The fifth song, “Modern Holiday,” marks the first of three ambient instrumentals on the album. With no real riffs, these short floating tracks provide a nice break from the other, less adventurous pieces. If the band had fleshed out these songwriting experiments to a greater degree, Clash the Truth would have gained freshness that it otherwise lacked. As they stand, they are little more than echoes of what the album could have been.
By “Taking Off,” the band unabashedly embraces the sort of simple songwriting they excel at. With a surfy bassline and clean picked guitar backing up Payseur’s monotone vocals that are practically dripping with apathy, the song works well and exudes a cool, relaxed vibe. Nonetheless, this track perfectly exemplifies my contradictory opinions surrounding Beach Fossils. On one hand, it’s hard to fault them for sticking to a sound that they do well; at the same time, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m listening to the same damn song over and over again.
For anyone into the genre or needing a dose of vaguely summery music during these long winter days, Beach Fossils’ latest effort isn’t a bad choice. Clash the Truth was certainly worth a listen and by no means a bad album, just one dogged by a feeling of inertia and unrealized potential.
