SOUNDTRACK: BEST COAST-Live at the 9:30 Club, Washington DC (2010).
Best Coast made Carrie Brownstein’s best album of the year accolades, but when I listened to the track she selected for the post, I wasn’t all that impressed.
But I have to say that live, Best Coast blew me away. Bethany Cosentino, the lead singer and guitarist has an amazing stage presence. She is charming and funny and very silly (and I guess she loves cats). The band sounded tight and impressive and even though the songs are kind of dopey bubblegum pop, they are drenched in enough noise and rock to make them really wonderful
They seem like they should have come around during the 90s, when all those rocking female bands were all over the map. And so this is like a wonderful blast from the past. Best Coast is sort of like The Muffs (except they write love songs) and other bands that play really catchy pop but bury it under a layer of fuzz and rock. This is a great set available on NPR, and will definitely get me to check out their album a little more.
[READ: March 28, 2011] “Seven Love Letters”
Six of the seven letters here were later collected in the book Four Letter Word which I reviewed in September 2009. When I reviewed the book, I didn’t give very much in the way of detail, I just summarized the letters. I’m going to copy what I wrote then (since my thoughts didn’t change all that much), and I’m going to include a few more lines about some of the pieces (original stuff is in italics). I’m also including titles which (for some reason) were not given in the book.
I’m also not sure why Sheila Heti’s story did not appear in the book. (It’s only 4 paragraphs and is, indeed, a letter so why not include it?) If you enjoyed the book, think of this story as a Bonus Feature.
SHEILA HETI-“Final Fantasy”
To: Sweet Régine
This is a passionate letter to her beloved W. They will sneak out together and leave the cities.
DAVID BEZMOZGIS-“Lubyanka, 2 September 1918”
To: Mika
From: Fanny
A letter sent during the Bolshevik revolution.
JONATHAN LETHEM-“Give Up”
To: E(arth).
I thought (and cringed) that this was an environmental story (which it sort of is), but the twist at the end makes you want to re-read it (which is recommended).
JULI ZEH-“Love in Eight Chapters”
To: unstated
A story in eight parts. This one feels the least like a letter. It is written to the person who she never met, and details the life they would have had.
It is sad for the reality, but not entirely sad because the fantasy is quite rich.
LEONARD COHEN-“When I Went Out”
A letter presuming the departure of a lover.
This is a poem. I don’t believe he ever set it to music.
M. G. VASSANJI-“You Would Look Away”
To: My friend
From: Tova
A letter to the anonymous boy she picked up in Dar es Salaam.
This one was enjoyable for the sly wit it contained.
MARGARET ATWOOD-“Voice”
To: anyone, really
From: Some people call her Anon
This is another “anonymous” piece. The author is something of a Muse, and yet she seems to have physical form as well. The story isn’t confusing at all, it’s just hard to pin down who the narrator is. It is very funny regardless.
[…] really enjoyed the Best Coast concert that was downloadable from NPR. I liked it enough for me to rethink my initial skepticism about this album. But I have to […]