Clash the Truth

Clash the Truth is the second studio album by American indie rock band Beach Fossils. It was produced by Ben Greenberg (formerly of The Men) and songwriter Dustin Payseur. It was released on February 18, 2013, through Captured Tracks.

Clash the Truth
Studio album by
Beach Fossils
ReleasedFebruary 18, 2013 (2013-02-18)
Recorded2012
StudioExcello Recording (Brooklyn, New York)[1]
GenreIndie rock, shoegazing, dream pop, post-punk revival[2]
Length35:21
Label
Producer
  • Ben Greenberg
  • Dustin Payseur
Beach Fossils chronology
What a Pleasure
(2011)		 Clash the Truth
(2013)		 Somersault
(2017)
Singles from Clash the Truth
  1. "Shallow / Lessons"
    Released: February 14, 2012
  2. "Careless"
    Released: December 4, 2012

Recording

Dustin Payseur wrote and recorded a demo of the entire album in his apartment in New York before recording it professionally in a studio. Clash the Truth finished recording at the Excello Recording studio in the fall of 2012 after recording was interrupted when Payseur's studio was flooded during Hurricane Sandy.[3]

Clash the Truth featured new drummer Tommy Gardner, who allowed for a faster, more energetic sound than in previous releases.[3] It also features collaborations with Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead and Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing.[4]

Cover artwork

The artwork used for Clash the Truth, designed by Captured Tracks founder Mike Sniper and Dustin Payseur, features black and white stills taken from the experimental video Three Transitions (1973) directed by Peter Campus.[5]

Reception

Clash the Truth received mostly positive reviews from critics, some noting the more focused themes of adolescence and nostalgia as a sign of growth and maturity while continuing to refine their sound and style.

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic68/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Pitchfork5.8/10[8]
Consequence of SoundC+ [9]

In a lukewarm review for Pitchfork, Ian Cohen wrote that "The New York City dream pop band's second album sees them introduce a darker, more socially aware edge, though it trades their former instrumental rigidity for amiable, mid-fi college rock jangle."[10] Writing for Consequence of Sound, reviewer Paula Mejia rated the album a C+, stating that "Beach Fossils’ Dustin Payseur strays from the syrupy reverb typically dominating Beach Fossils’ breezy aesthetic, trading it in for torrential guitars and thrashing drums on his band's restless sophomore release." She continued with "With Clash the Truth, Beach Fossils are driving away from the blinding sunlight and toward a shadowed elsewhere. What matters is that their eyes are trained forward." [11]

In a similar review, The Quietus writer Ryan Foley commented on their production and songwriting by writing "Clash The Truth follows that 'Beach Fossils' template to a tee. What separates the album from previous releases is its robust sound." while also commending this approach by writing "It's like Payseur went from doodling on Post-it notes to emblazoning missiles across the sky... In 'Careless' and 'Crashed Out', nervy, guitar jangle and punchy percussion come together in breakneck instrumental outros unlike anything Payseur has recorded previously. The songs do more than simply breathe new life into guitar pop – they snatch its breath away."[12]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Dustin Payseur, except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Clash the Truth" 2:03
2."Generational Synthetic" 2:44
3."Sleep Apnea" 2:26
4."Careless"Tommy Gardner, Payseur3:03
5."Modern Holiday" 1:21
6."Taking Off" 3:09
7."Shallow"Payseur, Jack Tatum3:17
8."Burn You Down"Gardner, Payseur2:57
9."Birthday" 2:52
10."In Vertigo" (featuring Kazu Makino) 3:20
11."Brighter" 0:33
12."Caustic Cross" 2:41
13."Ascension" 1:30
14."Crashed Out" 3:25

Personnel
  • Dustin Payseur - vocals, guitar, bass, art direction, composer, mixing, producer
  • Tommy Gardner - drums, composer, guitar, vocals, wurlitzer
  • Ben Greenberg - producer, mixing, guitar
  • Jack Tatum - composer
  • Kazu Makino - vocals on Track 10
  • Katie Garcia - uncredited vocals on Track 12
  • Joe Lambert - mastering
  • Peter Campus - artwork images
  • Mike Sniper - art direction
  • Ryan McCardle - design and layout

References
  1. Sundermann, Eric (February 20, 2013). "Beach Fossils Frontman Dustin Payseur Knows Who He Is, And Embraces It". The Village Voice. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  2. Ramirez, A.J. (February 20, 2013). "Beach Fossils: Clash the Truth". PopMatters. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  3. Lindsay, Cam (February 20, 2013). "Beach Fossils Talk Their Close Call with 'Clash the Truth'". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  4. Higgins, Reese (March 1, 2013). "Beach Fossils' Dustin Payseur on Inexplicably Rowdy Fans and Working With Blonde Redhead". Washington City Paper. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  5. "art of album covers". Artofalbumcovers.tumblr.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  6. "Clash the Truth by Beach Fossils". Metacritic. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  7. Sendra, Tim. "Beach Fossils - Clash the Truth". AllMusic. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  8. Cohen, Ian (February 18, 2013). "Beach Fossils Clash the Truth". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
  9. https://consequenceofsound.net/2013/02/album-review-beach-fossils-clash-the-truth/
  10. "Beach Fossils: Clash the Truth". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  11. "Album Review: Beach Fossils – Clash the Truth". Consequence of Sound. 21 February 2013. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
  12. "The Quietus - Reviews - Beach Fossils". Thequietus.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
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