What's old is new again.

by Mike Kravinsky

Best Coast is a throwback to the '60's and '70's west coast beach sound that I grew up with. The band was created by Southern Californian Bethany Cosentino, collaborating with Bobb Bruno, who she admits in a video, used to be her baby sitter. Bruno's guitar gives Best Coast their unique "beach" sound.

Although there's been comparisons to the Beach Boys and Dick Dale, aka the west coast surf sound, it also seems to have a lot of Marshall Crenshaw's infuence as well. The music has a summer feel to it, with a serious use of the Wall of Sound sound, created by Phil Specter.

Although Bethany was previously in the psychedelic band Pocahaunted, she was drawn to create Best Coast after a stint in school in New York. A true Californian, she missed the summer lifestyle of the Cali coast.

You can tell she enjoys the nostalgic sounds, the harmonies of the '60's and the simpler lyrics, like saying boys when refering to men, or "waiting by the phone" in "I wish he was my boyfriend". In an NPR interview she said, "I'm just a true believer in simple, straightforward pop songs," she says. "And I think there's nothing more simple or straightforward than saying, 'When I'm with you, I have fun.' "

Check out a couple of their videos. What do you think?