Honestly, it’s surprising that we’re only – finally – getting a Bethany Cosentino solo album in 2023. Having dealt in deceptively “simple”, personal songwriting as the figurehead of Best Coast since 2009, it feels as if this a moment that’s always been destined.
As she prepares Natural Disaster, Cosentino has now shared the LP’s second offering. It comes in the form of her first time simply singing alongside a piano. A pared back ballad, even for her, it’s at once poignant and striking. It very clearly deals with aging, as well as the growing maturity that Cosentino has wearily earned.
“Growing up is easy when you’re seventeen / Now I’m thirty-five and I don’t quite know what it means / I always thought I’d be a mother with a purpose to discover,” she sings, and for any of us over a certain age who’s life hasn’t turned out quite as they expected, it’s instantly recognizable and moving.
Reflecting on the song, Cosentino shares, “I’m not someone who can sit still for long without my brain going into overdrive, but when I’m just sitting alone in my car, I feel peace. I had been thinking a lot about where my life was at 35 and how different it was from where I pictured I’d be. I’ve been writing love songs for a really long time, but this is the first love song I’ve ever written that feels … healthy.“
She continues, “When I’m spinning and doubting myself and my life choices, tripping out on how dark the world feels, I remember the unconditional love of my partner and it snaps me back into reality and reminds me of what actually matters. When you’re not used to healthy, respectful love, it can be difficult to accept it and I find myself trying to push it away sometimes. This song is about accepting that love into your life and it’s by far the most vulnerable I’ve ever really allowed myself to get when it comes to writing about love. Love should make you feel good, as corny as that sounds!“
Check “Easy” out below, and look out for Natural Disaster come July 28th via Concord Records.
