2010: Year of Best Coast?

In case you missed it, we named Best Coast’s Make You Mine the Best EP of 2009, not to mention, according to my iTunes play count, “When I’m With You” off of the Black Iris 7″ was the track I listened to most this year– which is a pretty big deal considering it didn’t drop until November. But when I hear a feel good jam with the right amount of sadness, I tend to play it on repeat (just like I haven’t stopped playing the new Beach House record since it arrived in my mailbox).

There’s something to be said about the fuzzy delivery of Best Coast leading lady Bethany Cosentino’s beckoning 60′s inspired pop. The dizzying effects of heavy reverb combined with her girlish timidity float us away to the cavernous beach coast of California at the very first blink of an eyelash. I’m a New Yorker born & raised, but Bethany’s Beach Boys and burritos make me long for a warm winter, all while successfully playing as a foreground soundtrack for Brooklyn snow days. And with two more 7″ to be released before the end of February, including a split with Jeans Wilder, as well as talks about an upcoming full length– 2010 just may be “the year of Best Coast!”

FREEwilliamsburg caught up with Bethany before the end of the year about what the future brings, the things we have to be thankful for in our ‘hood, and how awesome Stevie Nicks is. Check out the interview after the jump!

So what’s so wrong with the East Coast? And more importantly, in your time spent here, did you succeed in finding comparable Mexican food?

There is nothing wrong with the east coast! I have no beef! It just wasn’t really the place for me. New York is just super hectic, and I felt like I was always on the go, and I couldn’t keep up with the pace there. I was just really stressed out, and life there is hard…that doesn’t mean I hate it though. It’s an amazing place to visit. But dude, in all honesty, Mexican food in New York could never compare to Mexican food in California. I had to eat chipotle every time I wanted a burrito! plus people there say “ew” when you talk about fish tacos…wtf is that about?

What is one thing Brooklyn has that you wish California could import permanently?

Wait, I sort of have a list of shit: wild ginger vegan restaurant, public transportation, the bagel store, and Academy Records.

In your Band Crush interview with Nylon you talk about Bobb being your former babysitter. How old were you when you first met? And how did he become a friend whose musical opinion mattered in your life, and now, as a band mate?

Haha, I hate to break it to you..but that was actually a lie. I couldn’t come up with anything interesting to say when they asked me for a “fact” so I told them that Bobb and I had been joking that we were going to start saying he was my babysitter, and the girl doing the interview, as well as the camera guy were like “dude say that as your fact!” my best friend even believed it, and I’ve known her since I was 11..She was like “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me Bobb was your babysitter?” My mom said, “It’s not nice to lie, Bethany”

Name a Los Angeles band that you think will become a big deal, that none of us Brooklyn kids know about yet.

Dunes. I’m basically obsessed with them. They’re like Cocteau Twins meets Marine Girls. Seriously sooooo good.

How do you feel about Bethany Sharayah these days? How would you say you’ve grown as an artist since then?

I pretty much listen to that music now and I laugh. I was so young then, and I mean I guess it’s cool that I was writing music at such a young age, it’s just so different from what I’m doing now. I mean obviously, I was 15…I’m 23 now…my taste has changed, as have I. I think that now I kind of just approach things (musically) in a more relaxed manner. Back then I was trying really hard, and I wanted everything to have this really serious vibe. Now I’m more about just writing simple songs that are fun. I’m all about fun. I just want people to hear the music and think, “this is fun”

“look i’m trying….” (via)

You get to curate a show with 4 other bands, including Best Coast on the bill, at a venue anywhere in the world, where would it be, with who, and why?

Ok…so it would be: Best Coast, Fleetwood Mac, Nirvana, The Ronettes, The Beach Boys, and we would play on the sand at El Matador Beach in Malibu with just a generator and a bunch of dogs and cats and babies would be running around… adults too.

I’ve always wanted to play a show on the beach, and El Matador is the best beach in all of LA. It has these awesome secret caves that you can swim to and there are all these crazy rock formations all over the place. It looks like something out of a movie. I’m convinced mermaids live there.

Ok…. Fleetwood Mac, because Stevie Nicks is like my number one hero, plus it would rule to see her dance in the sand. Nirvana because “smells like teen spirit” is one of the first songs I ever learned on guitar–plus, who the fuck wouldn’t want to play a show with Nirvana? Especially on the beach…so awkward. The Ronettes because obviously I’m obsessed. Actually, I saw Ronnie Spector play at McCarran Pool last summer before they tore it down, and it was one of the coolest shows ever. My best friend Alex and I were right up front dancing around so many 50-year-old women, it ruled. And then The Beach Boys, because again, I’m obsessed, and watching The Beach Boys play in the sand would be like the most overwhelmingly perfect thing ever.

What are your Top 5 songs of 2009? Anything you’re really excited about, musically or otherwise, in 2010?

Ok, this is not in any particular order, but here goes…

Miley Cyrus “Party In The USA”, Jay-Z “Empire State of Mind”, Drake “Best I Ever Dad” No Age” You’re a Target”, Vivian Girls “Can’t Get Over You” – I think 2010 will rule for music. We’re definitely going to have an album out next year, so that will be exciting. Plus we’re going to start touring and stuff, so it’s going to be awesome to get out of California for a second and travel around, meeting new people, see new places, etc. I’m really excited to hear the new Wavves album, all the new stuff I have heard is really rad so far, so it will be cool to hear the album as a whole. I think Abe Vigoda are going to have a new record out too, which I can’t wait for…they have been playing these new like goth/industrial songs at their live shows that I’m fucking obsessed with.

Let’s talk full-length album… what’s the deal?

2010! Year of Best Coast! Get ready!

And finally, if your home was about to burn down, what’s the one thing you’d grab?

My cat

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