Best Coast's 'Crazy for You'
Here’s what is basically a long Critic’s Pick for Best Coast’s show in Nashville on Sept. 12. We’ll call this review #370. A snippet:
Truth be told, Best Coast aren’t especially unlike other recent, much-buzzed-about, surf-influenced, chilled-out indie-garage outfits — Real Estate, Harlem, Vivian Girls, et al. There is, however, one key difference: Aside from the fact that Cosentino is a genuinely gifted and strong vocalist, it’s her lyrics that seem to have gained the most attention. On their recently released full-length debut Crazy for You, the Best Coast frontwoman sings a lot — almost solely, in fact — about romantic codependence, weed, being lazy, weed and her cat, Snacks. And weed. The bluntly conversational subject matter — and recurring rhyme pairing of “lazy” and “crazy” — are pretty sure signs that Cosentino’s game is all tongue-in-cheek and intended to be taken with a grain or two of salt … or THC, depending on your taste.
I didn’t venture into the whole, “Are her constant references to dependence on a man for happiness anti-feminist?” territory … mainly because I don’t think that they are. I’ve heard that argument from a critic or two, but these are goofy, wistful, funny love songs. Everybody sounds like a hopeless, codependent dope when they’re pining for the one they love, right? Anyway, catchy record.
