Making the leap from home-brewed project to full-fledged band, Beach Fossils explore the darker edges of dream pop on their sophomore album, Clash the Truth. Singer and multi-instrumentalist Dustin Payseur reveals a shadowy angst. It's benefitted by the versatile drumming of newly recruited Tommy Gardner, who organically anchors the tracks' reverb-drenched ambiance. Clash the Truth fleshes out its bittersweet melodies with sleek yet tense arrangements that recall everyone from New Order to Surfer Blood. At the center are Payseur’s tales of alienation and heartache, sung with a mixture of betrayed innocence and cool dispassion. Songs like “Shallow,” “Taking Off," and the title number are both lean and expansive, hinting at vast longings beyond their clean rhythmic lines. The aggressive thrust of “Caustic Cross” balances the soft-rock melancholy of “Sleep Apnea,” suggesting twin extremes of the same pervasive mood. Blonde Redhead’s Kazu Makino joins Payseur for “In Vertigo,” a bruised lovers' duet sparkling with propulsive guitar jangle. “Generation Synthetic” offers a sardonic commentary on the transformation of indie rock into just another consumer product.