Jack Major
Staff Writer
Known as a low fidelity, alternative indie rock band, Beach Fossils delivers an atmospheric, well-crafted album, titled “Somersault”. The album’s smooth vocals, warm instrumentation, and strong lyrics combine to form a perfect summer-vibe album.
Beach Fossils is an alternative indie rock band originally formed in Brooklyn, New York in 2009, consisting of three members, with Dustin Payseur as lead vocalist and guitarist. The band has released three studio albums to date to critical acclaim.
Photos: Beach Fossils Performing Live
“Somersault” was released by Captured Tracks on June 2 to strong reviews. It features 11 tracks that cover a variety of topics, from religion to self improvement with beat production coming from Payseur and fellow band members Tommy Davidson and Jack Doyle Smith.
Beach Fossils Official Website
The smooth and alternatively low and high pitched vocals complement the relaxing instrumentation to set a calm yet vibrant atmosphere. In songs such as “Sugar,” Payseur’s seemingly effortless, melodic voice allow the listener to take in the intriguing lyrical aspect of the song without overwhelming vocals.
The moderately pitched guitars and simplistic drums combine to give an uplifting summer aura to the album. On songs such as “May 1st,” the guitars start off the song and are then joined by both acoustic and simple, pitched-down electric guitars. This creates a vibe reminiscent of a sunny, summer day relaxing on the beach.
The album’s lyrics contain introspective meanings hidden behind the deceptively simple-sounding lines. On songs such as “Be Nothing” and “Down the Line,” Payseur touches on subjects from self-reliance to finding his path and encourages listeners to join him. These common experiences make the album much more relatable for casual listeners.
Video:Beach Fossils releases its first single “Sleep Apnea”on May 2 from Los Angeles, California. This is the only single released prior to the album.
Although the album maintains a mostly relaxed ambience, it loses focus on the song “Social Jetlag” which takes a much darker, more serious tone with the piano and deeply pitched guitar. The lyrics also reflect a downward social spiral with a depressing aimlessness. It is a solid song, but does not belong on this album. This offsets the happy vibes that the listener experiences listening to the rest of the album.
Throughout its short career, Beach Fossils has become one of the most acknowledged modern indie rock bands with a true cult following. “Somersault” serves as one of their best albums to date, and reaffirms their status as a true benchmark in the indie rock genre. It combines sincere lyrics, upbeat instrumentation, and intriguing vocals to deliver one of the top albums of the year.
The album is available on all major streaming services including Apple Music and Spotify and is available for purchase on iTunes for $9.99.
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