Alternative duo Best Coast, celebrated the anniversaries of their first two albums Crazy for You and The Only Place with two sold-out shows at the Ford in their hometown of Los Angeles, California.
Best Coast has been around since 2009 after members Bethany Cosentino and Bobb Bruno began to write music together in their hometown of Los Angeles, California. They released a stint of extended plays such as Where the Boys Are and Make You Mine and played a multitude of local shows in the L.A music scene – until they signed with their label, Mexican Summer.
Crazy for You – 12th Anniversary
Crazy for You is the definition of a perfect summer soundtrack, that contains a lot of references about weed/romance and features Cosentino’s cat Snacks on the iconic album cover. The album brought a new wave of modern indie rock tunes filled with a beach-pop melodies and cohesive yet straightforward lyrics. Each song has its own unique purpose and message, all while the sounds perfectly blend into each other. This was made prominent during their anniversary performance at the Ford, where Cosentino noted that the band would play the songs as if you are listening to the album in real time.
One of Crazy for You‘s standout tracks include the melodramatic “Goodbye,” where Cosentino exclaims one of the album’s most well-known lyrics: ” I lost my job, I miss my mom // I wish my cat could talk.” Other notable tracks include the melodious “When the Sun Don’t Shine” and the brassy “Bratty B.” This album continues to hold up to its expectations, as it serves as an ongoing anthem for those who need music to get them through the day or simply get high. It’s also the best way to remember Snacks the Cat (who passed away earlier this year), as he will always be the face of Best Coast.
**Keylee’s Note: I remember watching the music video for “Our Deal” on MTV when I was 11, which introduced me to the band and long-form music videos. I had no idea what the lyrics meant at the time, but as I grew older, I understood and related to the dismal lyrics about uncertainty and simply feeling indifferent. This song pushed me to listen to Crazy for You, and I immediately fell in love with the entire album– so in love that 23-year-old me decided to fly out to Los Angeles to see the band play the album that helped shape my adolescence.
The Only Place – 10th Anniversary
Following the harrowing success of Crazy for You, Best Coast subsequently released their sophomore album The Only Place in 2012. The Only Place differs in terms of sound and steers away from the surf-pop rock sound they established in their debut album. Daring, it brings more angsty (song pun intended) energy, all while keeping the same them where each track is its own thing. There are more hazy tracks in the album, such as the melancholic “Up All Night” and the dreamy “No One Like You.” For the second night, the duo also proceeded to play the album in its entirety with no pauses in between.
While there are multiple themes throughout, The Only Place is an overall letter to their home state of California. It starts off with the jolty title-track with an infectious melody, which is again heard in the penultimate track of the album “Let’s Go Home.” During their second night performance, Best Coast also played the album’s B-Side tracks “Mean Girls” and “Angsty.” They also played their notable cover of “Storms” by Fleetwood Mac, a band that heavily influence the musical direction of The Only Place. The second night’s performance felt more intimate than the night prior, mostly because of Cosentino showcasing her powerful vocals as well as Bruno’s guitar shredding (he even improvised at one point during the song “Last Year”… legend).
**Keylee’s Note: The Only Place came out when I was a teenager and it was my go-to album during my first experience with severe depression. I was going through a rough time in my life, and I would relate to most of the songs – extremities of a toxic relationship in “No One Like You,” feeling lost in “Up All Night,” and dealing with people who think they are superior in “Mean Girls.” Seeing these songs live made me feel all kinds of nostalgia and deja vu, and I’m glad that I was able to move past my experiences and was able to grow as person. I’m sure Best Coast understands what I’m talking about (cough *Always Tomorrow* cough).
Crazy for You and The Only Place serve as the stepping stools to their future works in terms of musicality, as these albums showcase Best Coast’s strengths in emotive songwriting and impressive melodies. I will always appreciate the fact that Best Coast’s most recent album Always Tomorrow, which was released in 2020, subtly brings up the band’s personal growth and self-reflection since the release of their first two albums. Best Coast have stated that these shows will be the last shows for a while, so they can take time to work on new things and “evolve.” I am extremely grateful to have witnessed these anniversary parties before the “dimmed the lights,” and i’m more than excited to see what the duo has in store.
P.S – abortion is healthcare, bitch.
Keylee is a full-time music journalist/photographer from Houston, Texas. She has received a B.S in Radio-Television-Film from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as an M.A in Mass Communications from the University of Houston. As an avid concert-goer and movie fanatic, she aspires to create her own path as a content creator by bonding with others over the power of local music and media. If she isn’t listening to her favorite band Paramore, you’ll catch her hanging out with her brothers or playing with her husky Luna.
