Album Review: Best Coast - Fade Away

Best Coast are a band that seem to be constantly evolving; they're light-years away from their lo-fi debut Crazy For You, and for Fade Away have paired high production values with the freedom of recording the EP/mini-album on their own label. This is a tight indie pop release with few surprises, which feels comfortable, like snuggling into your favourite pillow. 

Singer-songwriter Bethany Cosentino is beginning to grow into her own skin; this release seems to have a far more upbeat and far less morose feel than last year's The Only Place. But with Best Coast you have to expect the tried-and-true formula of a mixture of love and lovelorn songs. I Wanna Know has the surf pop sound we're so used to, with a few opportunities for Cosentino to show off a little more of her vocal range. She sings like a teenager who is desperately in love. There's a definite catchy pop track about halfway through in Fear Of My Identity, with repeated one-liners and the refrain, “You taught me that my heart would grow old” to get your hips shaking. Her existential crisis kicks in by Baby I'm Crying where the rumbling bassline really steals your attention, and closer I Don't Know How is sparse, with bittersweet harmonies to fill the space. The influence of the likes of Mazzy Star and My Bloody Valentine seem obvious on later listens, with a more garage sound underlying catchy pop riffs. It's an assured album that tries to experiment a little with different sonic elements, but ultimately is very Best Coast.