Instant Album Review: Best Coast – Crazy For You

Best Coast - Crazy For You

Instant Album Review: Best Coast – Crazy For You
by: Chuck Norton

Best Coast, the project of Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno, released their debut LP, Crazy For You on July 27, 2010. Best Coast first came on my radar late in 2009 and were featured on my Sunday Night Videos segment early last December (which also featured the debut of The Drums, among others) with a live version of “Sun Was High (And So Was I)”.

Like much of the blog-o-sphere I’ve been waiting for the album’s release for months, so when Mr. UPS Man delivered it today, I was a happy camper.

Listening to the album, a comparative thought crossed my mind: Cosentino, in my 30′s, reminds me of listening to Jenny Lewis in my 20′s and Julianna Hatfield in my teens. Her voice has that girl-next-door quality that makes her equally appealing to guys and girls, just like Lewis and Hatfield.

As far as the album goes, the first track, “Boyfriend”, may be its strongest. It perfectly showcases Cosentino’s voice with lyrics that combine insecurity and confidence. Other highlights are “Our Deal”, “When The Sun Don’t Shine” and the bonus track “When I’m With You”.

Simply put, this is an album that anyone – but especially teens and college-age kids – can relate to. It isn’t over-produced (it’s lo-fi) but it’s balanced well. Cosentino’s voice and lyrics are the star with the pounding of Bruno’s drums and bass at the forefront of the instrumentation.

Much like the Vivian Girls or the Dum Dum Girls there’s an essence of 1950′s/1960′s girl-pop that provides a golden haze of happiness which is perfectly encapsulated in “Summer Mood”.

Best Coast’s debut full-length isn’t a ground-breaking album but is delightful. Regardless of how old you are, it never gets old listening to songs of heartbreak, wanting, angst and regret.

At only 31 minutes of play-time it’s the perfect quick-listen, any-time album. And with it, Consentino is perfectly positioned to be this decade’s version of Lewis.