4/7 stars
It’s November, the cold weather has finally arrived and pretty soon everything will be covered in ice and we’ll be breaking out the snow coats. Thankfully though, Best Coast has just released their EP Fade Away. With a sound reminiscent of California sunshine that makes listeners think of summer days and suntan lotion, Best Coast is the perfect way to get through the coming cold and Fade Away is no exception to this.
Opening up Fade Away is “This Lonely Morning,” the bubbly type of tune that Best Coast is popular for and excels. Lyrics of longing and heartbreak mixed with an upbeat tempo seem to be the theorem that Best Coast sticks to for most of the songs on the album, almost as if The Beach Boys’ sound and breakup poems had a baby and that baby was Best Coast. “I Wanna Know” and “Who Have I Become” follow suit in this same style of surfer pop, perfect for melting away those cold weather blues.
One thing that does bother me while listening to Best Coast is the similarity in their songs. It’s like a double edged sword, because I love Best Coast’s music but it can be a little tiresome to hear the same thing over and over. However, Fade Away does have a few songs that stand out from their usual sound. For example, the fourth song of the EP, “Fear of My Identity,” doesn’t quite have the happy feel and poppy vocals like the rest of their songs, but it’s not so different that it feels off. The fifth song and my favorite off the EP, “Fade Away,” takes it a little bit farther with more emotional lyrics and a slower, deeper sound. The final track, “I Don’t Know How,” takes a different direction, mixing the fast paced beats of Best Coast’s usual songs with classic country inspired vocals. My second favorite off the EP, “I Don’t Know How” is a promising example of Best Coast’s talents and their ability to sample from other genres without changing their sound too much.
Although Fade Away begins like most of Best Coast’s albums, it takes a surprising turn with the last songs of the album. Incorporating different musical styles and darker themes works well for Best Coast, and I’m hoping that they continue to take their next album in this direction. If not, well, at least I can imagine I’m on a beach in California while I listen to their music.
Link to new music video off the EP, “I Don’t Know How” : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZhEMnZka2HI
