Best Coast - The Only Place

Released: 5^th May 2012

Label: Wichita Recordings

Coming off the huge success of 2010’s Crazy For You, Best Coast returns with second album The Only Place. With improved production, the low-fi edge is non-existent and generally the sound is a lot sunnier than before, however with Bethany Constantino writing about being bored, missing California, and whatever heartbreak she’s having to deal with lately, the lyrical clouds sadly eclipse the sunny sound and everything becomes more of the same from Best Coast.

Gone is the fast tempo, garage-styled riffs. Instead replaced with a mid-tempo speed that makes The Only Place drag along more than Constantino’s held vocal notes wanted it to. While the melodies are nice, the lack of any balls to these songs makes the album sound like a dull blur of power chords and bored vocals.

The bored vocals hardly drive or create a buzz for any of these songs. The single The Only Place is really the closest example of sounding remotely like Crazy For You, which is a shame. Hopefully this is just a sophomore slump from Best Coast and not the demise of their ability to brighten up a little bit.