Nada Surf

Nada Surf is a band that has been sadly overlooked for their entire career, save the success of a few scattered singles ("Popular" and "Always Love", mostly). They've been quietly churning out quality alt rock albums for over a decade, carried along by the commitment of their small-but-dedicated fanbase (they have far more listeners in Europe than in their own country, and do occasionally sing in French). This three-piece New York group started out as a powerpop, perhaps pop-punk setup with the release of High/Low, and while this sound always has a place on subsequent albums, they've largely shifted towards a more mellowed out indie rock style, with lush instrumentation and often sobering moods. Their lyrics are what attract many people; sometimes bordering on cheesiness but never sounding anything less than totally heartfelt, they bring a unique sincerity and a sense of maturity to an otherwise-typical sound.

Their masterpiece, as most people (myself included) will agree, is Let Go, which feels like a sister release to the equally-great Proximity Effect, and has tracks like "Killian's Red" and "Paper Boats" which would be classics in a better world. Their albums are all wonderful, however, and deserve a place in the collection of any music fan. I've gathered together what I believe to be an almost-complete collection of their work, including the final link which is just an unofficial thing I put together of some odds-and-ends, so this post should be helpful to newbies or longtime listeners. As always, don't forget to support this great band if you like what you hear.

LPs

"I'm only safe when I'm dreaming"
High/Low (1996)

"I still say your name when I don't feel right / just like I used to"
The Proximity Effect (1998)

"I'm just a happy kid / stuck with the heart of a sad punk"
Let Go (2002)

"Oh, fuck it / I'm gonna have a party"
The Weight is a Gift (2005)

"Everyone's right, and no one is sorry / that's the start and the end of the story"
Lucky (2008)

Other

"Let's have a day outside for the lonely / they're gonna cry tonight"
Karmic EP (1995)

"We didn't know Jackie O"
North 6th Street (1999)

Live in Brussels (2004)

The Myspace Transmissions (2008)

Rare Tracks

Includes:
Where is My Mind? (Pixies cover) (from "Always Love" single)
Born Curious (from "Always Love" single)
Popular (Live) (from "Deeper Well" single)
Everybody Lies (Acoustic) (from "Deeper Well" single)
Pressure Free (from "Popular" single)
Oh No (from "Popular" single)
Black & White (The Proximity Effect bonus track)
Why Are You So Mean to Me? (from original release of The Proximity Effect)
No Quick Fix (from European release of Let Go)
Run (Let Go bonus track)
Blue Monday (Live)
Popular (Acoustic)
L'aventurier (Indochine)

"And if I'm waiting for nothing / what am I doing?"