Beach Fossils are a dream pop, jangle pop come lo-fi quartet and initially started out as a solo project from Dustin Payseur when he moved to New York after leaving college in North Carolina. The band release their latest album `Bunny` this month which is their first studio album in six years. Dustin is joined by bandmates Tommy Davidson on guitar, Jack Doyle Smith on bass, and Anton Hochheim on drums on this latest release.
The album opens with `Sleeping On My Own` which is a tender shimmering slice of dream pop with quietly shared vocals sprinkled over a complementary musical backdrop and a fairly gentle number to lead us in on. We have a further dreamy rumination with `Run To The Moon` which I read relates to the singer`s initial apprehensions about becoming a father and the joy felt when his daughter came into his life. It has a kind of sub-Cure like vibe running throughout.
`Don`t Fade Away` is a faster paced outing with some intricate guitar chords over a rolling jogging drumbeat. A track about “missing old friends, being on tour, self-medicating, longing, anxiety, love, being an idiot, having fun, embracing your mistakes and keeping your spark.” according to the singer. I felt that `(Just Like The) Setting Sun` did seem to reflect or conjure up the ambience of watching a sun set. A peaceful, tranquil, and reflective composition.
`Anything Is Anything` is an ethereal almost gently psychedelic piece that I found myself drifting off in inner thoughts as it progressed. It had that feel of the sixties West Coast experimental groups. There`s a much more reflective musing in `Dare Me` which is faster paced and seems to contemplate the folly of youth.
`Feel So High` does seem to encapsulate the aura or sensation of being stoned or bombed and the positive euphoric sensation that can be experienced. We enjoy some gently shared vocals scattered over a driving rolling drumbeat and intricate guitar chords on `Tough Love`. One to just sit back and wallow in.
`Seconds` is a song about realising that you love somebody more than they love you. It does seem to channel that recognition that it can never be in the music shared. A throbbing bassline leads us into the fairly trippy `Numb` which becomes quite trance like and hypnotic as it progresses.
The album closes out on `Waterfall` which maybe mirrors the cascading qualities of this force of nature. A dreamy fairly spellbinding composition that may well be a metaphor on life and life experiences.
`Bunny` is pleasant listen and is the kind of album that you will discover more hidden riches each time you return to it. It has an underlying charm that will draw you in and leave you with a satisfying glow.
Rating 8/10
