Photo By Terri Nguyen
It’s a natural to respond to the phrase “solo bedroom recording project” with a little trepidation. More often than not, it’s your irritating, CD-R-wielding roommate who’s been holed up in his room for weeks on end playing the same riff over and over, creating the aural equivalent of a snake eating its own tail. But sometimes it works. It takes talent, and a heckuva lot more drive than most folks can muster. Brooklynite Dustin Payseur’s got plenty of both, and his band Beach Fossils is now a whole lot bigger than the bedroom project he started back in 2009.
The project didn’t stay in Payseur’s bedroom for long, of course. He enlisted musicians to help him flesh out the group’s impressive live act (only drummer Tommy Gardner remains from that original lineup). Beach Fossils issued their self-titled debut in 2010. Indie label Captured Tracks took notice of the band’s surf-y, shoegaze pop sound and scooped up the band, and re-released their debut the same year. Their sophomore effort What a Pleasure followed in 2011.
Next Tuesday, February 19, Beach Fossils release their third full-length Clash the Truth. The record, produced by Ben Greenberg of punk group The Men, still captures the immediacy of Payseur’s earlier recordings, while still expanding his sonic palette. Take today’s song of the day, “Careless,” it’s a perfect example. The aggressive drums and pounding bass drive the song with a punk-rock energy, while the guitars, shimmery and sharp, give it a pop-y sheen. This ain’t no bedroom project.
