Formed in 2009, the act was originally a means to expand the solo project of Dustin Payseur. That same year bassist John Peña and guitarist Christopher Burke were recruited as the lineup for their initial tour. Their debut single, Daydream / Desert Sand was released in February 2010 on Captured Tracks. In May 2010, their debut album Beach Fossilswas released and met with favorable reviews.
The following years saw a number of changes to their lineup, including when John Peña left the band in 2011 to form Heavenly Beat, and guitarist Cole Smith, who left for his solo project, DIIV. In 2012, Tommy Gardner stepped in as the drummer to form their current lineup.
Clash the Truth was released in early 2013, peaking at number 40 on the Independent Albums chart. Paysuer described it as being an album about what happens after you've solved the immediate problems that come with moving away from home - "something that just doesn't feel like it makes sense yet".
In 2017, after a long break, the third album Somersault was released
Closer Everywhere
Beach Fossils Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feel like I'm floating on the air
I sweat the morning heat
I spent the morning here
I know you're somewhere over there
Closer everywhere
I hear your voice inside my head
In the city that you know
Can you ever take it slow?
Read all the magazines
I haven't shed a tear for weeks
Closer as we speak
They told the refugee
You know that nothing can be free
Closer everywhere
I hear your voice inside my head
Can't remember what you said, oh no
In the city that you know
Can you ever take it slow?
The song "Closer Everywhere" by Beach Fossils is a melancholic tune that deals with the theme of longing and distance. The song opens with the singer's experience of feeling crowded in the street and yet, feeling like they are floating in the air. This sentiment could be interpreted as feeling disconnected from one's surroundings and detached from reality. The singer then talks about sweating in the morning heat, further emphasizing their discomfort with their current situation. Despite feeling lost and disoriented, the singer acknowledges the feeling of being closer to someone they long for, even though they are unsure of where they are.
The chorus reveals that the person the singer longs for is not physically present, and yet their voice echoes inside the singer's head. The lyrics "Can't remember what you said" could signify how the voice is not communicating anything substantial, but it's the sound itself that's comforting. The following lines "In the city that you know, Can you ever take it slow?" could suggest how the city serves as a reminder of the person the singer longs for but also to question if the person can slow down and stay in one place.
The verse that follows speaks about how the singer is trying to distract themselves from their emotions by reading magazines and not shedding a tear for weeks. Despite these attempts to suppress their emotions, the realization of not feeling alone anymore is brought up again, and the refugee (metaphorical for the singer) acknowledges that nothing can be free. The repetition of "Closer everywhere" reveals that even though distance separates them, the person the singer longs for is still present in their thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm crowded in the street
I feel confined and overwhelmed by the number of people around me in this urban area
Feel like I'm floating on the air
Despite how many people are packed in around me, I feel like I'm free and weightless
I sweat the morning heat
The temperature is high this time of day, and I'm feeling the effects of it with perspiration
I spent the morning here
I've been in this location for a while now, perhaps looking for something or waiting for someone
I know you're somewhere over there
I have a sense that you're in the immediate vicinity, although I can't see you
Closer everywhere
Though I don't know exactly where you are, I feel like you're getting closer and closer with each passing moment
I hear your voice inside my head
Even though we're not currently speaking, I can hear your words and your tone echoing in my mind
Can't remember what you said, oh no
I can't fully recall what you were telling me earlier, which is causing me some distress
In the city that you know
You're an expert of sorts on this location, and I'm not, and that's perhaps why I'm struggling to navigate it properly
Can you ever take it slow?
It feels like everything is happening too quickly, and that's adding to my sense of anxiety and uncertainty
Read all the magazines
I've consumed all kinds of media and written materials in an effort to gain some sense of understanding and stability
I haven't shed a tear for weeks
Despite some difficult or painful experiences, I've managed to keep my emotions in check for an extended period of time
Closer as we speak
Even if we're not physically close to each other, our communication is drawing us nearer to one another emotionally
They told the refugee
Others have warned someone who's vulnerable or marginal in society about the risks and challenges they may face
You know that nothing can be free
It's clear to everyone that there's always a cost or a trade-off involved when it comes to pursuing one's goals and dreams
Closer everywhere
This refrain reiterates the idea that no matter the situation or circumstances, it feels like you're getting increasingly closer to me
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Written by: Jack Doyle Smith, James Dustin Payseur, Thomas Chase Davidson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kevincee7784
Absolutely love this bands sound!! Gotta see them live now!!
@winterwizard6044
the last part is fucking awesome
@martinet1985
Winter Wizard indeed.
@shockpluscrime
true
@gustavoleguizamon6270
Hypnotic
@kevincee7784
This entire song is awesome 👏 🎶✨👌
@Ivorysama
My favourite band (:
@JohnPTwigg
Reminds me of “The Porpoise Song” from Head, by the Monkees. With some Morrissey and The Cure thrown it. Great sound. Love this earworm stuck in my head.
@gezza1739
damn, hearing that second part of the song makes me wish that they did a clash the truth style album :(
@IgnatiusThorogood
Props for the drummer's Goosebumps shirt.