Best Coast: Crazy for You

Label: Mexican Summer

We've heard it all before -- sunny melodies and sharp-edged harmonies leavening lyrics about problems and heartache and things not working out and wanting to just escape from it all. But this Best Coast album, wowzers -- no one in indie-pop has stood out so prominently since the Pains of Being Pure at Heart burst onto the scene. No dis to multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno (cause Crazy for You sounds awesome, reverbed ringing guitars all over the place) but it's all about ever-present singer Bethany Cosentino and her glass-toned, perfectly lightweight vocals. Every time you think you might go into insulin shock from the nonstop awesome hooks, Cosentino finds another gear, like at the beginning of "Our Deal," when she reaches back and finds a new ache to throw at us. So what if the depth of her writing often stops at "And I-I-I-I-I want yoooouuu sooo much"? The simple way she captures that particular summer mood on (ahem) "Summer Mood" proves she gets it. Plus she likes pot cupcakes and the best ELO songs. The only problem is picking out songs to highlight: the title track, "Goodbye," "I Want To" -- winners all, as are the other 10 tightly crafted tunes. Dope summer record! (M.L. Thrope)