Singles Review: Best Coast- Self Titled Debut and Make You Mine Singles

After months of my postings/love letters about Best Coast’s music, I finally have not one, but two singles worth of their music for my own. And all I had to do was shell out 18 dollars and wait a total of four weeks to get both. Money and time well spent? Completely, absolutely, 100 percent yes.

The self titled single on Art Fag Records was the one everyone was most excited about. Who wouldn’t be with “Sun Was High (So Was I)” on it? This could easily be the song of the year. Piece by piece, from Bethany’s lyrics, to the beautifully perfect distorted vocals, thundering drums, and soaring guitar line, all adding up to what could be the perfect pop song. And that’s just side A! The B side contains “So Gone” an almost equally good track on heartbreak, with 60s style “mmms” (distorted of course) to die for. Then there is her Lesley Gore cover of “That’s the Way Boys Are” which not only fits Best Coast’s music perfectly, but Bethany is also able to make it completely her own.

The Group Tightener single picks up right where the last one left off, with a ever so slightly darker tone. It opens with another cover, this time of The Beach Boys’ “In My Room”. It is pulled off so perfectly, and given such a new dimension from Cosentino, that I can’t tell if it is as good or better than “Sun Was High (So Was I)”. It proceeds into “Over the Ocean” a haunting little ditty about being alone, something that Cosention seems to write more about these days. Both the title track and “Feeling of Love” deal with longing or lose. While these songs may not sound like the most original, the tangled knot that is the 60's style influenced lyrics, instrumentation, and Bobb Bruno’s production, all merge into perfect lo-fi, summertime, pop songs.

In the raising sea of lo-fi/no-fi comeback artists, it is hard to stand out, and harder still to not suck and be original. But Best Coast easily accomplishes both of these, with catchieness to spare. I will wait for her next single, but till then I will listen to “Sun Was High (So Was I)” for the 500th time, because it is that good.

(mp3) Best Coast-Sun Was High (So Was I) (via Pop Headwound)
(mp3) Best Coast-Make You Mine (via Raven Sings the Blues)

Links:

Best Coast Myspace
Buy the Make You Mine single here, at Group Tightener
(Note: The self title single from Art Fag Records sold out fast. However a few might be on sale at other distros. If it can’t be found online, your best bet is to go to a Best Coast show, and see if they have any left.)

7 Inch Review: Ganglians-Blood on the Sand/Make it Up

After being blown away by their set at Emo's, I knew I could not leave without getting something from the Ganglians. With their album and EP being out of my price rang, I settled for their brand new 7 inch. Honestly, it might have been the best thing on that merch table.

Both tracks are true showcases of the way the band can make a pop song both weird and catchy at the same time. A side "Blood on the Sand" sounds like a Beach boys single played at 78. With a thumping bass line and the off tuned and distorted guitar line, all interweaved by the singers David Bryne style harmonies. As great as that rack is though, B side "Make it Up" is even better. Starting off as a little surf ditty with "oohs" to boot, one build up later it becomes a darker 70's style surf pop meets stoner rife fusion. It feels like it will come apart at any point, but it doesn't and that's what makes it so stellar about it. Another score for the band
and Capture Tracks.

Ganglians Myspace
Buy the single here at Captured Tracks Website

7 Inch Singles Reviews: Superchunk-Crossed Wires and The Evaporators/Andrew W.K.-A Wild Pear

Ah Superchunk were have you been all this time? Oh, that’s right, on an eight year hiatus! Well no more. 2009 seems to be the year Superchunk comes back to indie rock and I couldn’t be happier. After giving us the great Leaves in the Gutter EP only a few months ago, they return with this single to tease us more until they finish the new album. And you know what, it’s a great tease. These two tracks are classic Superchunk in every sense. The guitars are still distorted to the max and Mac’s lyrics about alienation still hold up even with him being in his late 30’s. It’s nice to see that after all this time, Superchunk is still masters of the 7 inch format. Sure, they aren’t the most “innovative” tracks in the Superchunk library, but your getting two tracks by one of the best indie bands around for the first time in eight years and it’s on clear vinyl. Make the right choice

This is a fun single and that’s all there is to it. It’s not trying to be single of the year or the next big thing on Gorilla vs Bear. No it’s just a simple little single, and that is what makes it so great. The Evaporator’s (one of Nardwaur the Human Serviette’s many projects) is very well done. A brand new song plus a cover of an old forgotten 60’s Canadian band called Les Hou-Lous. However, I think it’s the Andrew W.K. side that steals the show. Sure, fell free to start taking your indie-rock shits all over him because he’s Andrew W.K., but trust me when I say this is a great single side. A cover of the (Canadian) Subhuman’s “Oh Canaduh” and the Leather Uppers’ “Don’t Sell Hot Dogs Tonight” add a nice punk sheen to this single. Plus a section of the Nardwaur’s interview with Andrew W.K. sandwiched between the two covers. Yes, the whole single is a bit dorky, but when it comes on white vinyl, has great cover art, and one of the best inserts ever that explains how every track came to be on the single plus how this almost impossible to imagine collaboration came to be, dorkyness should not be a factor.

(No mp3s posted due to respect of vinyl only releases)

Superchunk's Website

Buy the Superchunk single here

The Evaporators' Website

Andrew W.K.'s Website

Buy the split 7" here