CD of The Week

Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno are back for their third full length Best Coast album, further refining and perfecting the fuzzy, hooky sound they unveiled back in 2010 on Crazy For You. The lo-fi production and straightforward sentiments gave way to a shinier, hookier sound on 2012’s The Only Place. On the newly-released California Nights, the duo further polish their tunes on the band’s sharpest record yet.

Our first introduction to California Nights was the lead single, somewhat confusingly titled “California Nites,” but this hazy, slow-building tune is actually an outlier on the record. The majority of the album is comprised of catchy, three-and-a-half minute rockers. The production and guitar sound isn’t that far off the Hole’s classic Celebrity Skin or other late ‘90s alt-rock albums. Listen to “Heaven Sent” or “Feeling OK,” two of the best tracks on California Nights, then Hole’s “Awful,” for example.

Lyrically, Cosentino see-saws between optimism (“I know it’s love that’s got me feeling OK” in “Feeling OK,” naturally) and sadness on songs like “Fine Without You.” She asks “When Will I Change?” and later “why don’t you like me?” in “Jealousy” (surrounded by a “sha-la-la” chorus”). Cosentino’s great voice sounds fuller and more forceful than ever, while she continues to wear her emotions on her sleeve/lyrics.

After the midpoint of the album, the songs start to feel very similar, though Best Coast has never been about incredible musical diversity. But that’s fine, as long as Cosentino and Bruno keep cranking out honest, catchy pop-rock tunes that help us all to keep “Feeling OK.” Best Coast plays Union Transferon Sunday, June 14th.

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