It’s been nearly five years since dream pop pioneers Beach Fossils dropped their last album, 2017’s effort Somersault, which traded in their signature hazy guitars for buoyant keys and lush arrangements. But with their latest album Bunny, the band veered back towards their shoegazey roots with dreamy guitars drenched in reverb on tracks like “Don’t Fade Away” and “Dare Me.”
Beneath the gauzy chords lie disarmingly honest lyrics. “This is the first record where I’ve consciously thought about writing a chorus,” vocalist Dustin Payseur said in a statement. Throughout the album, he reflects on family health scares, fatherhood, depression, and losing friends, resulting in Beach Fossils most poignant project to date.
To celebrate the release of their new album Bunny, Payseur sits down with Uproxx to talk Michael Jordan, Brian Eno, and thinking too much about tattoos in our latest Q&A.
What are four words you would use to describe your music?
Live laugh love etc.
It’s 2050 and the world hasn’t ended and people are still listening to your music. How would you like it to be remembered?
As one of the bands of all time.
What’s your favorite city in the world to perform?
St. Elmo, Colorado.
Who’s the person who has most inspired your work, and why?
Michael Jordan, for showing me that I could never make it as a basketball player and that I should try something else.
Where did you eat the best meal of your life?
Athens, Greece.
What album do you know every word to?
Brian Eno’s Ambient 1: Music For Airports.
What was the best concert you’ve ever attended?
Gumby on ice.
What is the best outfit for performing and why?
Clothing optional.
Who’s your favorite person to follow on Twitter and/or Instagram?
What’s your most frequently played song in the van on tour?
Ralph Tresvant’s “Sensitivity.”
What’s the last thing you Googled?
“How to do an interview.”
What album makes for the perfect gift?
An album that somebody already owns so they get to go back and exchange it for the one they really want.
Where’s the weirdest place you’ve ever crashed while on tour?
A carpet covered in old milk.
What’s the story behind your first or favorite tattoo?
I thought about it too much and that’s why it’s my least favorite.
What artists keep you from flipping the channel on the radio?
Bach.
What’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?
Bought me SpongeBob balloons for my birthday.
What’s one piece of advice you’d go back in time to give to your 18-year-old self?
It’ll be okay.
What’s the last show you went to?
Beach Fossils.
What movie can you not resist watching when it’s on TV?
Son Of The Mask.
What’s one of your hidden talents?
I’m really good at changing the temperature on my hot water heater.
Bunny is out now via Bayonet Records. Find more information here.