Bethany Cosentino drops her new pop-rock, conscious, and awareness-raising album, Natural Disaster. The release marks the singer’s final step of her solo project after leaving indie pop band Best Coast.
Discover Natural Disaster
Natural Disaster is a 90s-inspired album. Nostalgic in the sound, meaning, and tone, the album quickly creates a sense of sentimentality and wistfulness towards a time we wish we could revive. Saddened by (but not surrendering to) the environmental crisis and the turn things have taken, the artist creates space for memories “only for a moment.” Through her beautiful, rough, scratchy voice, as well as the Gilmore Girls-reminiscent guitars and melodies, Cosentino succeeded in presenting a memorable, memory-catching album.
Heading Forward, Looking Behind
Natural Disaster is the first solo album for the singer in a while. She recently took a break from the acclaimed band Best Coast. The artist chose to take a different route in her music journey for the moment. She is now embracing a solo career and a slightly new genre. According to Kory Grow at Rolling Stone, the artist released a statement discussing her decision to pause Best Coast. “My identity as a human being, and as an artist, has been so wrapped up in Best Coast for over a decade. The decision to pause the project indefinitely, and explore a new side of myself, was a very difficult one to make — but it felt necessary for me.”
According to Cosentino, this decision brought her to a peaceful place. In an Instagram post, she said, “I’m so incredibly proud of myself for taking this risk. For living my life for ME. For living fearlessly. For trusting myself. Thank you to EVERY SINGLE PERSON who helped me make this record. Who believed in me. Who supported me throughout the process. I am eternally grateful.”
Cosentino, however, doesn’t cry over her past decision. Rather, she embraces all that has led her to be where she is now.
The Not-So-Ironic Environmental Stand
"This is the hottest summer I can ever remember 'Cause the world is on fire And, hey, if we're all dying, then what does it matter? We're a natural disaster"
Cosentino sings the above lyrics in her opening single “Natural Disaster.” She is definitely not taking a step back in criticizing the world’s approach to the environmental crisis. “And what if I don’t wanna give up yet? I haven’t seen enough of it,” she sings, reflecting all the young people’s rebellions against the general lack of interest in solving the problem.
The album title “Natural Disaster” surely refers to a personal and internal experience. The artist has, in fact, commented on how surreal it is to live during a time in the world when every day seems like a natural disaster. However, a less figurative interpretation of the title wouldn’t be wrong.
Bethany Cosentino connected the dots when associating the global environmental crisis with her album. In a satirical, somewhat comical message on X of acknowledgment, she wrote: “The feeling when you name your album Natural Disaster and write a song about the hottest summer you can ever remember and then that summer actually literally happens…” And, to make the scenario worse, she added: “and a hurricane comes to southern CA as well as a 5.5 earthquake on the same day.”
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