Clash the Truth

Dustin Payseur wrote and recorded a demo of the entire album in his apartment in New York before recording it professionally in a studio. The recording of Clash the Truth was finished at the Excello Recording studio in the fall of 2012. Recording was briefly interrupted when Payseur's studio was flooded during Hurricane Sandy.[6]

Clash the Truth featured new drummer Tommy Gardner, who allowed for a faster, more energetic sound than in previous releases.[6] It also features collaborations with Kazu Makino of Blonde Redhead and Jack Tatum of Wild Nothing.[7]

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.[8]

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
Source	Rating
Metacritic	68/100[9]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[10]
Consequence	C+[11]
Drowned in Sound	8/10[12]
Paste	7.4/10[13]
Pitchfork	5.8/10[3]
Sputnikmusic	3.7/5[5]

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."[3] Writing for Consequence, 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."[14]

• 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