Best Coast - "The Only Place"

Artist: Best Coast

Album: The Only Place

Label: Mexican Summer

Release Date: May 15, 2012

Review by: Sean Kayden

Best Coast, fronted by songstress Bethany Cosentino, return with their sophomore LP, “The Only Place”. The band’s first album, “Crazy For You” garnered a lot of attention both with critics and fans. Two years later, the current sound of Best Coast is both refiner and shaper. The lyrics are similar to the ones found on “Crazy For You” as they equally deal with breakups, love, and relationships. With the help from mega-producer Jon Brion, Cosentino and company drop their fuzzy fidelity for elevated production values and a polished soundscape. In translation, Best Coast really hasn’t sounded any better than they do now. Their surf-pop resonance is blithe and dreamlike. While some fans may show dissatisfaction with the change, those who can embrace it will be captivated. Granted, Best Coast may not transform your life, but their latest songs will be the soundtrack to your summer, no matter the results.            

“The Only Place” zips by fairly quickly. At shy of 35 minutes, the eleven estival induced tracks are fun and pleasing to the ears. Nonetheless, besides the closing track, “Up All Night”, the rest of the songs never really stick with you. Nearly all the songs here are gems, but despite having the shiny demeanor there’s not much else to report on. Sometimes you don’t need to be completely moved or enthralled by the music you listen to. If you simply find contentment with Best Coast’s elegant surf-pop sound and their lyrics about yearning for past lovers, then you’ll be overwhelmingly satisfied.

          
Best Coast never come up short on making the listener either singing along, bobbing their head, or even dancing to their joyous material. The title track plays out like a cheesy love letter to California. It’s harmless, but quite good. “How They Want Me To Be” is the centerpiece for the record. It’s a dance ballad that shows the ultra sensitive side to Best Coast even if most of their songs already deal with mixed emotions. At any rate, the abovementioned song is one of the finest off the record. In the end, nothing beats “Up All Night” the longest song off the record. It closes out this occasionally uneven affair and leaves you contemplating many things. It’s distressing, painfully nostalgic, and wonderfully beautiful. It kind of makes you take a step back and recognize why the rest of album doesn’t give off the same everlasting appeal. Even with some minor blunders along the way, “The Only Place” secures a spot as a definite summer album to listen to even if fades away faster than the season itself.

Grade: 7.5 out of 10

Key Tracks: “The Only Place”, “My Life”, “How They Want Me To Be”, “Up All Night”

Published by Mountain Views News on May 12, 2012
http://mtnviewsnews.com/v06/htm/n19/p10.htm