So you know that awesome Southern California lifestyle we all lead here in Central Illinois? No? Fair enough. We’re sort of lacking an ocean, palm trees, medical marijuana and surfers, but in case you like to stay in that California state of mind, you can get the music.
Enter Best Coast, a distinctly west coast duo that makes lo-fi surf pop accessible even to land locked Midwesterners. Best Coast is Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno featuring a rotating cast of drummers.
Cosentino is a SoCal native, turned New York transplant, turned homesick college student and, finally, happy California citizen. Her lyrics describe a love of her homeland, but also the longing that she feels to understand life outside of her happy bubble. She sings about wishing her cat could talk, fumbling through attempts at love and ending up broke but happy. These whimsical lyrics are set to fuzzy guitars and melodies reminiscent of a slower, indie Beach Boys.
The music reflects the band’s carefree spirit, their motto of being inspired by life, love and everything good. Paired with the simple yet introspective stories told by the lyrics, Best Coast creates relatable, easy to listen to albums.
No matter how sad you may be, one round of any Best Coast album will have you smiling, or at the very least feeling a little lighter, even if not all of the songs are as happy go lucky as they sound.
The first time I heard Best Coast, I was just hanging out with my cat (let’s not judge) and painting my nails when “Goodbye” came on. Bethany crooned “I lost my job/I miss my mom/I wish my cat could talk/every time you leave this house/everything falls apart/Well I don’t love you but I don’t hate you/I don’t know how I feel.” I was a little scared because this girl was obviously reading my journal or something. How else was she writing songs about my life at that moment in time? I still don’t have an answer to that, except that a lot of people wish their cats could talk, and that her straight forward lyrics are relatable.
If you want a band that you can dance to, that will warm you up when the temperature starts dropping and the wind is blowing, Best Coast is your band. If you want music that will make you less miserable while sitting in the library for hours on end, go with Best Coast.
Must Listen: “Goodbye” Crazy For you
Dance to: “Why I cry” The Only Place
