Beach Fossils

Album review

In 2010, there were a lot of bands doing roughly the same thing as Beach Fossils. Namely, a lo-fi take on the indie pop sound with loads of reverb, guitar parts reminiscent of surf music, simple-to-rudimentary drums, and innocent, almost deadpan vocals. Many of the bands are on the same label, Captured Tracks. Many of them are one-person outfits, as well. In this case the one person being Dustin Payseur. Of all the bands operating in this general area, Beach Fossils is one of the best and their self-titled record works as one of the early landmarks of the sound. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly why, though it helps that Payseur’s songs are instantly catchy and his voice betrays no smirkiness, just pure innocence. The focus and clarity of his playing and arrangement also give the record an originality that lets the record stand out from the hissing crowd. No one else (apart from the Drums and their naggingly omnipresent "Let’s Go Surfing" or maybe Surfer Blood with “Swim”) has written a song as radio-ready as “Daydream.” More impressively, that song is only one of many shining examples of on-the-cheap pop that hits like the blunt end of an axe. Beach Fossils may be very 2010 but they aren’t just along for the ride, they’re driving the bandwagon.
© Tim Sendra /TiVo