Beach Fossils reinvent the best of ‘80s lo-fi rock
The Beatles, Stones and Zeppelin were awesome—but rock lives on. Why not break out of the classic rock cocoon and give new music a chance? Rockhound is here to help. Think of it as a bridge from 1967 to today and beyond.
For those who enjoy music beyond the point of “Hey, I like this,” then you understand how much a good song can vibrate throughout your body—how it forces you to close your eyes and feel each note. That’s right: feel it, not just hear it. From the moment the first guitar strum rings out, it’s suddenly as though your body has a mind of its own. You feel weightless as your hips follow your head in constant sway. And then the song ends and you’re left standing there, mind buzzing from what you just heard.
That’s the crowd at a Beach Fossils show, with the inclusion of a selective group of folks toward the barricade that is fueled by the music, initiating them to push each other around in a mosh pit frenzy. That’s people’s personal connections to music melding right there in the pit, invoking different reactions, and emotions, from all in attendance.
Beach Fossils, the Brooklyn, New York-based indie-rock group, are celebrating the 10-year anniversary of their first album Beach Fossils with a fall tour and had a two-day residency at Chicago’s Thalia Hall Oct. 6 and 7. The Pilsen music venue often hosts the best, and most intimate shows of the year within its walls—which are known to offer highly-regarded acoustics.
The band draws inspiration from the lo-fi pop-rock greats of the ‘80s such as The Cure, The Clash, The Smiths, Joy Division, Sonic Youth, and more. They have a vibe that is difficult to put into words—it’s smooth and groovy, but the next moment it’s high energy and loud. Like Sonic Youth and The Cure, the group has the ability to get vulnerable and take it down a notch, while also incorporating an expressive garage-punk attitude.
Outside the realms of the artists Beach Fossils pulls inspiration from, the band is notable because they make that ‘80s dance-rock sound their own with the inclusion of electronic synths. The drawn-out keys pair with lead singer Dustin Payseur’s elongated vocals, creating a smooth, harmonious vibration.
Looking for a record to put on in the background while you read or do work, or how about for when you rigorously work out or need to dance like a maniac, then any Beach Fossils album is the right pick for both moods.
Start with the song Be Nothing and you’ll hear similarities to The Cure’s Just Like Heaven; or the song Clash the Truth and you’ll hear London Calling by The Clash; or the song Adversity and you’ll hear There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths.
Pay attention to lead singer Dustin Payseur’s laid-back vocals, a style similar to Morrissey’s—also in the fact that Payseur’s lyrics are intensely personal and are built from personal experiences.
Beach Fossils will continue their fall tour until the end of November in cities throughout the U.S. Keep up with the band on their website here.
Kendall Polidori is The Rockhound, Luckbox’s resident rock critic. Follow her reviews on Instagram @rockhound_luckbox and Twitter @rockhoundlb.
