Best Coast are giving you a free song

In the 50s and 60s, British guitar bands used to churn out songs about having a lovely time. The Kinks would laze on a Sunny Afternoon; Cliff Richard had no worries for a week, or possibly even two; and who can forget Mungo Jerry's In The Summertime with its legally-questionable advice to: "have a drink, have a drive, maybe do a ton or twenty-five"?

These days, though, our rock stars wouldn't dream of being seen out in the sun, in case the heat made them spontaneously combust. I blame punk and it's aggressive strait-jacketing of "authentic" rock topics - ie fighting, hating things, being angry and having drugs.

In fact, after devoting 30 seconds of continuous thought to the subject, I've concluded that the last decade of British rock has produced JUST ONE song about the joys of being off work and eating an iced lolly. It's this one.

Franz Ferdinand - Jacqueline


US artists don't seem to have this hang-up about the summer. Maybe it's because they actually get a summer - but American rock is literally dripping with hot fun and beach parties. FOR EXAMPLE, here is The Only Place - a new song by achingly cool LA duo Best Coast - whose opening gambit is: "We were born with the sun in our teeth and in our hair".

Download it for free, and store it up for that one week in July when Britain is "scorching hot" (23°C).



PS: I used to think Best Coast were called Best Coats. I think they should consider making the change.

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