Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift

Back in 1996, the musical landscape was dominated by post-grunge and pop, and in the midst of it was the Little-Band-That-Almost-Could, Nada Surf. They strove for greatness, but only ended up a one hit wonder. “Popular” was a great song, but it got lost in the shuffle of “One Headlight,” “The Freshmen,” “Sell Out,” and “Only Happy When It Rains.” Even so, they pressed on and kept the faith, and it has finally paid off.

Most successful bands start off indie and then go mass-market, but the journey was actually opposite for Nada Surf, starting on Elektra Records but eventually moving to Barsuk, original home of Death Cab for Cutie. Journey is really the right word for what Nada Surf did, too. They began as a good but fairly anonymous pop-punk/post-grunge band, churning out melodies that were largely forgettable, “Popular” excepted. 2002’s Let Go did just that, releasing all the grunge elements in favor of delicate harmonies and lightly-strummed acoustic guitars. Now, 2005’s The Weight is a Gift marks the return of some of those rock and roll tricks, but Nada Surf is being much wiser in their choices. Matthew Caws was always a little on the willowy side with the vocals, and Nada Surf’s music in general was a little more positive, never quite fitting in with the likes of the Smashing Pumpkins or even the Verve Pipe. It’s so good to see them doing their own thing, really using Caws’ voice instead of apologizing for it.

“Concrete Bed” starts the record off on an upbeat note, with a catchy chorus and driving guitar work. One can tell that this is a faster, more intense record than Let Go, as pretty as that album was. Prettiness is not gone from Nada Surf’s repertoire, however, as “Always Love” and “Your Legs Grow” prove. They have improved upon the prettiness, morphing it into one that doesn’t whisper as much as it sings. “Blankest Year” and “Armies Walk” are probably the strongest examples that Nada Surf are embracing their rock roots, but they also utilize Caws’ voice to the greatest effect. And “Imaginary Friends” closes the album with the same flavor as “Concrete Bed” had opening it, bringing the album into a complete circle that is really quite nice.

The Weight is a Gift doesn’t seem like much at first, but it’s very comforting to have it there. It’s a very rewarding listen, getting a little better each time you listen to it. The thing that makes me sad about it is that not many people will really get to experience the gentle but insistent touch of the album, since the band doesn’t have much exposure. Despite that, they are one of the better rock bands out there today. Most of today’s music is really dishonest, as it’s either dismal heavy metal or produced on the American Idol assembly line. It’s good that Nada Surf has finally found their audience; one that’s grown weary of all the contrivances of mass-market music, one that’s ready to move on and take balance over chaos.

Prime Cuts:
Always Love
Do It Again
Your Legs Grow
Blankest Year

22 Rating: 11