I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I don’t have enough spare time to spend on every new band I hear (among other fun but neglected cultural pursuits). If I were a teenager now, I can only imagine what would be capturing my attention with the endless flood of media pumped in by the all-seeing internet. Since time is precious and I’ve aged enough to know what I do like, I can carefully curate a happy medium. One way I weed out new bands is by their name. A band name is a very important first impression if you want my time as a listener. I like my band names short, not too serious but not too goofy, maybe even clever but not too clever. No French names unless you’re from France (Les Savy Fav, you guys are weird so that’s okay), no hick names.
Best Coast, ahhh, Best Coast. When I first heard of the band, I ignored it out of sheer distaste of that name. It didn’t speak to me so much as smirk at me. It wasn’t until I was shopping for an emergency skinny tie (I’m well aware) at Urban Outfitters (Yes, yes I know) that I heard the whole Crazy For You album pumped throughout the faux lived-in decor and I fell a little in love. The album was exactly what I expected: a pseudo surf rock, girl-grouping pastiche of California nostalgia… And what I didn’t expect: song after song of teenage-diary sad, yet endearing lonesomeness. It was damn catchy too. It wasn’t long before I got my hands on the album and was listening to it pretty regularly.
As with most bands I get into, I like finding out a little about them. Another way of weeding out bands to listen to: do they look cool? If there’s a lady in the band that’s a plus. If there’s a lady playing drums, that’s extra points because how often do you see that? Add to that an Asian (right?) key band member named “Bobb Bruno” and all previous points are rendered useless because we just won the game!
Our Deal can be awarded the distinction of saddest song on the album and it is my favorite. It perfectly captures the uncertainty of a one way relationship and, running at a little over two minutes long, does so succinctly. Drew Barrymore’s video treatment compliments the song nicely with its Romeo and Juliet or, maybe more accurately, West Side Story concept. The romanticized rival teenage street gangs play up the adolescent, little-less-than-innocent nature of the song: “You take all my money / you take all my weed”. Night Creepers versus Day Trotters, two sides of the same street but with different desires, colors, and juvenile codes.
I found the casting of young but marquee actors Chloë Moretz, Donald Glover, Miranda Cosgrove, and Tyler Posey a little distracting at first. They all put in okay performances but there’s a certain familiarness to the actors that takes me out of the story for the video: “Aww, Hit Girl hearts Teen Wolf… Hey, there goes Troy and iCarly!” I eventually came to terms with the fact that it was an MTV produced video and the heavy-handed casting probably a prerequisite as such. It’s also just too perfect teenage synergy for MTV to pass up, but in the end it sort of betrays the honest simplicity of the song. The adolescent revenge through dance-fighting should work but the concept overpowers the music, reinforced by the fact that the video is nearly twice as long as the actual song. Although the final reveal is a bit trite, it works for the video concept. I only wish the video fit the song as well.
