Music + Clubs: Coast to coast

Now a couple years removed from the deafening buzz that marked their debut album, "Crazy for You," surf-rockers Best Coast began a new chapter earlier this year with release of their sophomore follow-up, "The Only Place."

But this time around, don't call the them lo-fi. The duo -- frontwoman Bethany Cosentino and multi-instrumentalist Bobb Bruno -- is evolving beyond the sleepy, fuzzed-out production of their early sound. However, Bruno seemed stuck in his own sleepy world when we phoned him earlier this week at the crack of 1 p.m.

His group is currently bringing the sunshine from their L.A. homes, touring across the U.S. and visiting the Cedar on Saturday, a replacement gig for their canceled SoundTown show in Somerset, Wis.

Q: You play guitar, bass and drums on the record -- how was that decision made?

A: Me and Bethany just work really well as a duo. We have a really great way of communicating and it's just easier to just work together than to have to show other people what to play and stuff.

Q: Surf-rock, the Beach Boys and Fleetwood Mac have been notable influences on your music. Who else has been a major influence?

A: The Eagles, I listen to them a lot. I've been listening to the band X, a lot of the guitar playing on the new record was inspired by them. Bethany, when she was writing for the record, was listening to a lot of country and Loretta Lynn and Patsy Cline, stuff like that.

Q: I've read recently that you're trying to stray from defining Best Coast's sound as "lo-fi," especially with the recent release of "The Only Place."

A: Yeah, we just didn't want to make the same kind of record as "Crazy for You," and when you get the opportunity to record in a studio that's credible, Capitol Records, you know, it would be a waste to put a bunch of effects on everything. We just wanted to make the best sounding record that we could.

Q: You said that X and Patsy Cline heavily influenced the current album -- what are you listening to now?

A: The new Fiona Apple album I like a lot. I've been listening to Dire Straits a lot on the tour. And then the usual stuff, Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles.

Q: You were originally supposed to play at the SoundTown music festival, and now you're playing at a smaller venue here in Minneapolis -- do you have a preference between the two?

A: Ah! I like playing our own shows, in smaller places more than festivals just because you're closer to the audience and it's more intimate. It's going to be cool that the bill is with Those Darlins, who we're on tour with now and we love, and also JEFF the Brotherhood, who we just did our last tour with. So it should just be like a big party.

BEST COAST

When: 8 p.m. Sat. With: JEFF the Brotherhood and Those Darlins. Where: Cedar Cultural Center. Tickets: $17.