We’d like to welcome The Coasts to the sea of beachy-named bands (looking at you Best Coast, Wavves, etc.). Before you go assuming that they’re another Californian, Pitchfork-endorsed band, think again. The Coasts consists of Ike Peters, hailing from Little Rock, Arkansas, and Eric Mount, of Lebanon, Ohio, and their long-distance music affair has resulted in the creation of a self-titled EP in 2011 and their very recent LP Racilia (Old Flame Records). They’re a band that has somehow flown under the radar despite the sensible lo-fi gems that they’ve put out thus far, which is especially hard to believe after stumbling on this track, the first single off Racilia.
If you’re in hot pursuit for a song that will serve as your starter pistol for the summer, even the first few seconds of “I Just Wanna Be a Star” will be enough to get those kicks going. The band presents us with a “what-if” ascent into stardom, where they imagine wooing Pitchfork, headlining shows, and making tons o’ cash. The Coasts are hyper-aware that their tongue-in-cheek jangly jingle won’t necessarily rocket them into fame (or Pitchfork’s approval, for that matter) and they’re totally OK with that. It’s all about having fun. Blast this one in the car on a hot, sunny day — windows down, shades on —and drive around for the sheer hell of it. Summer’s finally here.