Best Coast

Last year Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver and The Low Anthem were scrutinized under the dreaded second album microscope with the test results for all three coming back showing positive (in this fan’s personal opinion). Similar expectation levels will be heaped on Bobb Bruno and Bethany Cosentino‘s shoulders this Summer as the duo – who are once again a duo after another drummer left the Los Angeles-based band – look to follow up the sun-soaked pop brilliance of Crazy For You, which featured highly on many Best of 2010 lists.

The Only Place sees the duo collaborate with producer and composer Jon Brion and apparently “features a cleaner and richer sound than other Best Coast releases.”

Two points worth noting:

1. The words “cleaner” and “richer” used with Best Coast – whose brilliance lies within the fuzzy walls of their dirty pop – worries me.
2. Jon Brion scored Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, one of my favourite ever films.

Either way feast your ears on a new track – ‘Why I Cry’ – played which got a live outing recently in Texas.

Full tracklisting:

01. The Only Place
02. Why I Cry
03. Last Year
04. My Life
05. No One Like You
06. How They Want Me to Be
07. Better Girl
08. Do You Love Me Like You Used To
09. Dreaming My Life Away
10. Let’s Go Home
11. Up All Night

– The Only Place from Best Coast will be released in the U.S. on 15th May, 2012