See You In The Pit: Nada Surf

Nada Surf

I listen to a lot of music, but I've been listening to even more since the Queen of the Front Row and I started this blog. A lot more.

And to be really honest with you, I've heard very few contenders as utterly perfect as Nada Surf's last two albums, The Proximity Effect and Let Go.

The funny thing is, I would never name either as one of my favorite albums -- and yet there they sit on my playlist in their glimmering, glorious power pop perfection. Unassuming, patient, reliable and heartbreaking.

Kind of like Nada Surf themselves.

Their story goes a little something like this: You may remember a little mid-90s alternative radio hit & MTV favorite you may remember called "Popular." Remember the video with the cheerleader and the guy in a suit lecturing her? That was Nada Surf.

"Popular" had all the hallmarks dooming Nada Surf to one-hit wonderhood -- cute video, quirky lead vocals, snide lyrics half spoken and half sung -- and they almost ended up there.

So you may have heard this next part before, in a million variations: the band recorded their second full-length record, The Proximity Effect, for Elektra. The label didn't hear a hit, and the band refused to build one out of "Popular"-shaped blocks and were summarily dropped. Shockingly, the album was released to critical and popular acclaim in Europe. The band later bought back the masters, released it themselves in the US, and toured relentlessly.

And then came Barsuk Records. Quickly becoming a new home for untethered quirky pop bands (Harvey Danger, They Might Be Giants), Nada Surf was the first veteran band on Barsuk, which released the aforementioned Let Go. Album #4 is expected later this year.

Here's a gigantic slice of Nada Surf goodness for you. Because there's no greater joy than sharing my love for Matthew, Daniel, and Ira and the fantastic music they've made together.

Nada Surf's official website. Buy Let Go from Amazon. And if you missed The Proximity Effect -- it's available from the Barsuk Records shop.

Posted by Little Miss Rock'n'Roll at 02.26.05 at 2:50 AM

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