Originally released in 2017, Somersault was the full-length Beach Fossils released away from their original label, Captured Tracks. As such, the album is distinctively different from earlier releases by the band.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s still very much in the vein of and recognizable as Beach Fossils, but the sound they create is more mellow and subdued, a trifle more mature, and imbued with strings. It’s less angular and pointed when lined up next to what they released on Captured Tracks.
This points to a pivot, and one can’t help but wonder how much influence indie labels have on the production and mastering of the records they release. In the case of Beach Fossils, I don’t think it matters — I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of their releases so far!
Somersault 5th Anniversary Reissue Unboxed
My copy is the 5th Anniversary Reissue on Tangerine Vinyl. Of note, a handful of people have commented on the Discogs page for the release with very different opinions. One expresses disappointment where the other absolutely loves the look of their pressing.
The splatter is distinctly different than the mockup, which blends the splatter rather than divides it along the center. Sure, the mockup looks much better, but how it turned out is still quite cool. I love the translucency to the tangerine wax, and that the splatter is pink on one half and a vibrant orange on the other makes it kind of unique.
Here’s my unboxing video of the LP:
Previous pressings of Somersault appear to be out of print, though it seems you can still snag the black vinyl pressing for a reasonable price. I’d still choose this pressing, though, while it’s still in print.
While it’s listed as a limited edition, there’s no disclosure on the quantity pressed, but my best guess is around 500 at most given quantities of limited edition colored vinyl pressings from 2017 added to collections in Discogs.
More Reissues on Bayonet Records
Beach Fossils has been repressing and reissuing all of their earlier Captured Tracks releases on Payseur’s Bayonet Records imprint, and all seem to be including an OBI strip and colored vinyl.
With my order of Somersault, I also snagged their 2021 album The Other Side of Life: Piano Ballads (get your copy here), which includes new recordings of previously released songs, including a handful from Somersault. Clash The Truth, which I’m giving a video unboxing and comparison to the original black vinyl pressing soon, came on pink vinyl with a bonus LP of early demos from that album.
Beach Fossils in 2022
Overall, I love the new direction Somersault took for Beach Fossils, and I hope that they’ll continue putting out great music. We haven’t heard much from them in the past few years, but they have dripped a few things our way aside from the reissues.
First, there’s the aforementioned Piano Ballads.
It’s not for everyone, but I think there are some pretty solid tracks to be found, most notably the Piano rendition of “Sleep Apnea.” Next, they gave us “Vacation” and “Time” on a 7-inch single of the same name in 2020. This came in my order as well.
And finally, they released “Agony” in 2021. While I enjoyed the song upon release, it really struck a cord with me in 2022 and led to me creating a playlist based on the track. You can check it out here:
Top Tracks from Somersault
So, what are my favorite tracks off Somersault? The opening track, “This Year,” paired as the first single from the album and as such it’s an easy pick, but so is it’s successor, “Tangerine.” Two from the B-side that I’ve fallen in love with this year include “Social Jetlag” and “Down the Line.”
What are your favorite tracks? How do you think Somersault stacks up next to previous Beach Fossils albums? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to Subscribe to my YouTube Channel!
