What more can be written about Best Coast that hasn’t been said already? Among the emerging Pitchfork darlings of 2010, Best Coast’s debut album Crazy For You has been one of the most anticipated releases of this summer. A little more than a year ago, frontwoman Bethany Cosentino started Best Coast after leaving her former band Pocahaunted. After sporadically releasing a handful of singles and EPs, Best Coast finally make their proper debut.
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Best Coast | 
"Crazy For You"
(Mexican Summer)
Released July 27, 2010
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Sure, Best Coast is a one-trick pony—there’s no doubting that. But it’s a great trick. Like the Ramones writing summer lust songs. Except for being female-fronted, and not as good. You get the picture. Crazy For You will probably end up on many indie-leaning 2010 best album lists, but it shouldn’t. Don’t get me wrong, their act entails a refreshing and addictive blend of garage-pop revival, lazy love themes and stoner-minded lyrics—think this year’s version of Girls. And yes, it comes close to meeting the lofty expectations, but falls short of being a great album.
Crazy For You opens with the lead single “Boyfriend”—a track filled with wishful hoping and harmony-laden choruses that kicks off a kick-ass Side A. From the driving surf-pop of the title track “Crazy For You” to the laidback layers of “Our Deal,” the album’s first half contains short, sweet and beyond catchy track after track. This infectious run culminates with “I Want To,” featuring another avowal of Cosentino’s desires, before picking up speed as with she affirms “I want to / go back to / the first time / that first place.”
Despite the fact that Crazy For You is the group’s first full length, many of their best songs to date were not included on the record. Although songs such as “When I’m With You,” “Something in the Way,” “So Gone” and “Sun Was High (So Was I)” were initially released on Best Coast’s three prior EPs, the decision to leave them off Crazy For You keeps the album from being considered a truly great one. Remove “Bratty B” or “Happy” for any of her tracks previously distributed as a part of their smaller releases and this album could conceivably land on year end lists.
As a result, Crazy For You may not be a perfect album, but still manages to work as a fantastic collection of summertime anthems. More importantly, I can’t get Best Coast out of my head—and that’s more than alright with me.
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