Nada Surf

Lucky

[4/5]

On Nada Surf’s fifth studio album, the band continue in the direction they took on 2003’s Let Go, the record that catapulted them from “that ‘Popular’ band” to critical darlings. Organically building upon their contemplative-rock base, Lucky is full of intricate bridges and melodies, intense while at the same time awash with the delicate touch of human experience. Occasionally, the music itself seems as emotionally expressive as the words vocalist/guitarist Matthew Caws sings (“Whose Authority,” “Weightless”), as the band continue to create songs that both tug on your heartstrings and uplift your spirits. Fans of Let Go and 2005’s The Weight Is A Gift will not be disappointed with the echoing vocals and slightly creepy synth on “The Fox” or the bouncy chorus of “I Like What You Say”; both would have fit in perfectly on the prior releases. The disc is not all tried and true Surf, though. “Ice On The Wing” ends in a lonely Bavarian horn solo courtesy of Calexico’s Martin Wenk, while “The Film Did Not Go ’Round” is a decelerated number reminiscent of Wilco circa 2007. Nada Surf have mastered their sound, and we’ll continue to enjoy any tweaking to their formula they choose to make. (BARSUK) Rachel Lux



ROCKS LIKE:

Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky

Josh Rouse’s Under Cold Blue Stars

Pavement’s Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain



IN-STORE SESSION WITH FRONTMAN MATTHEW CAWS



Why did the band choose John Goodmanson as producer for Lucky?

He mixed “What Is Your Secret” and “Do It Again” [from 2005’s The Weight Is A Gift] and those are really my favorite mixes on that record. Not to cast dispersions on any of the other amazing people who worked on that record, but he was so good and his aesthetic was so right on. He’s so calm. He’s a really peaceful guy; it’s amazing. So it was something we had to do.

What themes did you see emerge in the songwriting?

I’ve had a really good year this year. I’ve settled a lot of things with my personal affairs, and I started dating someone amazing and stopped drinking coffee-stopped doing a lot of things you can’t mention. People should be able to do that in interviews, but, well, I can’t. I found the ends of some of the songs were happier than the beginnings. It probably has a lot to do with feeling like I really should be grateful. I mean, I have an amazing job. Sometimes I can’t really appreciate how great this job is because having an 8-Ball behind you is so messed up, you know? I feel like we haven’t necessarily gotten any worse over the years, and I’m not sure when that’s going to happen. It might happen someday, and I really dread that.

The other constant themes for me are how you try and ignore your own neurosis. I have a job where I have so much free time. Sometimes I really miss having a real schedule and feel it would be much healthier for me to be working on a farm. You know, get up at 5 and milk the cows and work in the field all day and come home and collapse…. I’m probably not making any sense-I just woke up, so I apologize for that.

Did you dp anything different musically? I know you had a horn arrangement on “Ice On The Wing.”

Musically, actually, we have no idea what we’re doing, and that’s really the point. I mean, really, really no idea. At one point we were thinking this was going to be our “rockin’” record, “Let’s make some fucking rock music.” A few of the songs that ended up like that-they were almost metal-just didn’t make the cut in the end. It was just to prove that once again, you can’t do it on purpose. The stuff that happens naturally just happens. –Rachel Lux