Nada Surf are always the big indie rock band in the room – a band that knows exactly who they are and what they're doing. Their excellent new album Moon mirror Nada Surf has all the hallmarks: gorgeous guitar riffs polished to a shine, lively melodies, and vocals in the best Big Star/Kinks/Spoon tradition. Matthew Caws sings his playful, flawless melodies about love (with a person, with a song, with a feeling) and how it changes over time, never settling for a clichéd line or a clichéd melody.
but Moon mirror Nada Surf is the most musically and emotionally emotional album in years, on the level of gems like leave it, This weight is a gift.and Stars are indifferent to astronomy.Two decades ago, they defined their early sound with “Blonde on Blonde,” a blissful guitar meditation on walking the streets of New York in the rain listening to Bob Dylan. These days, they define their current sound—which is essentially the same—with the gorgeous “Open Seas,” full of crunchy guitar and Wurlitzer crackle. All that’s changed is the soundtrack, where Caws now sings of a more chaotic emotional presence on “Wichita Lineman”: “Jimmy Webb plays the phone on my chest / And I feel myself on the line / I want you forever.”
Nada Surf has been a huge success since its inception in the 90s. High/Low —produced by Ric Ocasek, which was federal law at the time. They even became popular on MTV's Buzz Bin for a few weeks with their “Popular” comedy skit. (Their tourmates and Pom Pom Club disciples recreated a video of the scene they'd seen two years earlier, with a cameo appearance from Caws.)
When the follow up is great proximity effect They sank like a stone, and everyone thought that was the end of their story. But their victory in 2003 leave it It was this song that became a cornerstone of rock music, with evergreen hits like “Blizzard of '77” and “The Way You Wear Your Head.” leave it It has become so beloved over the years that it inspired a wonderful album in honor of its 15th anniversary, Standing at the gates, With her songs covered by artists such as Aimee Mann, the Manchester Orchestra and Charlie Bliss.
These days, Nada Surf are a rarity among 21st-century guitar bands—they have a long string of quality albums, thrive on grassroots, no hits, no problem. Their 2020 pandemic album we will never be together They got lost in the chaos (the pandemic album that didn't get lost?) so they picked the perfect time to aim high with Moon mirrorwith open-hearted songs about the small everyday struggles that lead to the long, hard work of adulthood.
As always, the core trio of Cuz, bassist Daniel Lorca, and drummer Ira Elliott are joined by longtime buddy Louie Leno, who contributes a lament for lost friends, “Loss.” “The One You Want” is a fast-paced tale of mature love, filled with dramatic strings and pounding drums. Cuz sings of trying to keep all eyes on the prize of romantic bliss—“The wind is the right hand, the piano is the tree, I want to hear it forever”—while looking to rise above temporary struggles. (“I don’t want to lose you but I don’t want to win”—that’s a pretty good line.)
The songs move from tightly crafted verses/choruses/snaps to expansive folk-rock scenes on “Moon Mirror,” “Open Seas,” and “X Is You.” “In Front of Me Now” is a lament for the multitasking that wastes your attention span while missing your life as it is. “I was counting when I was playing,” Kawes admits. “I was losing my mind when I was staring/ I was rolling when I was parking/ It was raining when I was lighting fires.”
“New Propeller” is a catchy, direct reflection on the winged chariot of time and death, without succumbing to doom or gloom. Amid the propulsive new wave organ of “Intel and Dreams,” a brother reminisces about his older sister (“We were a team / And we shared information and dreams”) and wonders why that kind of mutual trust is so elusive in his adult relationships. Nada Surf closes with the disturbing “Floater,” ending the album on an uncomfortable note. But Moon mirror It's a wonderful tribute to the kind of inspiration that lasts and deepens over the long haul.
