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?"

Harvey Danger

Throughout their 17-year run, Seattle alt rock group Harvey Danger never pulled any punches or cut any corners with their music. Their debut, Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone?, was a pummeling rock record that somehow failed to turn a lot of heads like it should have; however, it did feature their one hit single, "Flagpole Sitta". Then, instead of selling out and trying to repeat the success of that track, they came back a few years later with King James Version, which showed them relaxing a bit from the high-octane approach of Merrymakers, and this album was even less successful financially, despite critical acclaim. This album was when their clever lyrics and lack of concern for financial success really began to show. Then, in 2005, they did what at the time was unthinkable - they released their third album, Little by Little..., entirely for free on their website. And you thought Radiohead was the first to play that game. One critic wrote of the album, "If Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? is a rebellious kid kicking over trashcans in his neighborhood, then Little by Little... seems to be that kid all grown up, taking out the trash, putting the lid on tightly, getting in his Jetta, and driving to work."

Harvey Danger never got the attention they deserved, and this year they decided to call it quits, departing with a collection of demos and unreleased tracks called Dead Sea Scrolls. It's too late to help this band stay together, but their music is still waiting to be heard by so many people, so I've uploaded their entire discography, including a bootleg of their final song both written and performed, "The Show Must Not Go On." Give this band a listen; I think you're going to like what you hear.

LPs

Where Have All the Merrymakers Gone? (1997)

King James Version (2000)

Little by Little... (2005)

Dead Sea Scrolls (2009)

EPs

Sometimes You Have to Work on Christmas (Sometimes) (2004)

Little Round Mirrors (2006)

Final Song

"The Show Must Not Go On" (2009)

Camper Van Beethoven - Key Lime Pie (1989)

Camper Van Beethoven, a California group active mainly throughout the '80s, were one of the lesser-known forerunners of the alternative rock movement, playing a brew of punk, folk, country, world music, jangle pop, ska, psychedelia, and pretty much whatever else you can think of; this band experimented almost non-stop with their sound, and ended up far-removed from even the 'typical' alt rock sound of the period, which is what makes them so important, and also what makes them so criminally overlooked; this album was the last released on their original run (they've since reunited), and it was their most financially - if not critically - successful album, and therefore their most recognizable and a great place to start; whatever your musical tastes, this is a band you need to know

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Some sneak peeks...

Today instead of posting an album, I'm posting a few singles that I've been enjoying lately, all of them from upcoming 2010 releases. This may or may not become something I do regularly, it all just depends on what I happen to be listening to at any given time. Anyway, these are all great songs, and it takes a lot less time to listen to a song than it does an album, so you've got no excuse for not checking all of these out. Get into it!

Motion City Soundtrack
- "Disappear"
- "Her Words Destroyed My Planet"

Previous Posts: Discography

These are two tracks from Motion City Soundtrack's upcoming album, My Dinosaur Life. Both of these songs show them backing away from the synthy poppiness of Even if it Kills Me, and returning to the catchy, thrashy pop-punk that made people fall in love with them in the first place. If these are any indication of the rest of the album, 2010 is going to be a good year for Motion City Soundtrack.

Vampire Weekend
- "Horchata"
- "Cousins"

Previous Posts: B-Sides and Oddities

The first two singles from their 2010 sophomore effort, released over the past couple of months to build anticipation for Contra, have done exactly that. These two tracks don't tread a lot of ground that wasn't covered by their 2008 self-titled debut, but that's not exactly a bad thing, because let's be honest, that was a great fucking album. If you liked the ethnic-twinged indie pop of that release, you're sure to enjoy these. Fingers crossed for an album leak soon.

The Weakerthans

Since I've been slacking more than usual lately, today you get, drumroll please...another artist feature SUPERPOST! Woo! (I'm excited, are you excited?)

The Weakerthans are a band from Winnipeg currently signed with Epitaph and (hopefully) working on their next album. Like I said before, they make punk influenced (frontman John Samson used to be in Propagandhi, back in the day) folk rock, with a lot of emphasis put on Samson's compelling lyrics. They started out with a bit rougher, folk punkier sound, and have since taken, for lack of a better term, more of a chilled out indie rock route, with higher production value that doesn't really take away from the small, hometown, backwoods, wistful youth sound that they so often evoke. I mentioned before that this is music perfect for the current fall season; contemplative without being preoccupied, introspective without being self-absorbed. I could go on, but I think I've made my point. The Weakerthans are a band you need to know.

Fallow (1997)

Left and Leaving (2000)

Reconstruction Site (2003)

Reunion Tour (2007)

Get Set Go - Presents Sunshine, Joy, & Happiness: A Tragic Tale of Death, Despair, and Other Silly Nonsense (2008)

Okay, honestly, if you pay any attention to this blog you already know how much I love this band, and have probably already formed your own opinion of them as well, so instead of describing them again I'll just say here's their newest album and the only one I haven't posted; the title alone should push you over the edge into downloading this, but if that's not enough, well, this album has a song about eating people to solve the world's problems, complete with crunching sounds...come on, guys, what are you waiting for

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Previous Posts:
So You've Ruined Your Life
Ordinary World
Selling Out & Going Home

Say Anything - ...is a Real Boy (2004)

This is, for all intents and purposes, LA band Say Anything's debut album, and what a debut it is; soaring and operatic, the term pop-punk doesn't really seem to contain this band's sound, which swings between thick guitars assaults, keyboard noodling, and acoustic balladeering (uh oh, I think I'm making up words again), but there just isn't enough music like this for there to be a better word for it; the strongest point of this album (there are many) is the lyrics, which are wry, self-deprecating, and at times downright vicious ("Admit It!!!", anyone?); this album is, as far as I'm concerned, a modern classic

Also included in this download is the bonus disc ...Was a Real Boy, which has 7 extra tracks

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Get Set Go - So You've Ruined Your Life (2003)

Debut album from Get Set Go; a lot of this has more of a pop-punk, alt rock sound than their later work, but it's still identifiable as them, and there are hints of what was to come in albums like Ordinary World and Selling Out & Going Home; this has the song Wait, which I'm pretty sure has been on Grey's Anatomy at some point, which is where most people know this band from

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Previous Posts:
Ordinary World
Selling Out & Going Home

Get Set Go - Ordinary World (2005)

Sorry about the lack of posts; it's been a long, long week

Anyway, I've been meaning to post Get Set Go's other albums for ages, and someone recently requested that I do so as well, so I figured I should get around to doing it; this is their second album, is largely acoustic and folksy, and centers around singer-songwriter Mike TV's battles with drug addiction; it has the wonderfully amusing and insightful lyrics that we can always expect from this band, and the happy-sound-with-depressing-lyrics combo that makes this band either an upper or a downer, depending on what you want them to be

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Previous Posts:
Selling Out & Going Home

Harvey Danger - Dead Sea Scrolls (2009)

Well, it's been six weeks since this Seattle alternative rock band played their last ever show, and it sinks in more every day how much that sucks; their breakup is almost the most upsetting one of 2009 for me

You probably know this band as the guys who did "Flagpole Sitta" back in the 90s ("I'm not sick but I'm not well", yeah, that song), but they matured so far beyond that label of 'one-hit wonder', and this final release - a collection of studio demos, covers, unreleased tracks, and live recordings - showcases that perfectly; their clever lyrics, their tight, refined musicianship, their balls-out rockers and their contemplative 'slow songs' all can be found here, which makes this last release as good a place as any to start introducing yourself to their music; if you've never given Harvey Danger a chance, now's the time to start

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Beck - Mutations (1998)

Alright, hold onto your seats, because I'm going to break the unwritten rule of Odelay worship - this is the best Beck album that actually sounds like Beck (ie, the best Beck album that isn't Sea Change); anyone familiar with Beck knows that pigeonholing him into a genre doesn't really work, so I'm not going to bother, and instead will just say that this album has all the influences and styles of his other releases (yes, even Sea Change) culled together to create one sweeping artistic statement that can speak for his entire catalog...folk, hip-hop, alt rock, psychedelia, pop, funk; it's all here, and all in top form

To summarize? This is the perfect Beck album.

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Previous Posts:
Beck and the Flaming Lips - Live at Orpheum Theater

The Weakerthans - Reconstruction Site (2003)

This Canadian four-piece makes what they call folk rock, and that's pretty accurate, but it doesn't account for the strong punk influence in their music (they're on Epitaph, after all...although I suppose nowadays Epitaph is pretty wide-ranging genre-wise, but you get the idea); they're basically the only thing worth a shit to ever come out of Winnipeg

Oh, and this is amazing music for the fall season, so don't sleep on these guys

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Nada Surf - Let Go (2002)

"I left you a note that said
'come on out, and we'll both get
right off of our heads,
and float up off the chair.'

We'll go on vacation tonight,
under a sun of neon light.
And I almost love this town
when I'm by your side.

You woke me from a long sleep,
and I'm almost back.
I'm closer than ever
to finding the hidden track.

If I told you the truth,
you wouldn't like what I said."

Killian's Red

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Snowera - Snowsera EP (2007), Fictions EP (2008), Push & Pull EP (2009)

Post-punky indie pop stuff, these guys put all their music up for free on their official site, and I was really surprised at how good it is (especially their new two-song EP, Push & Pull, which is pictured); I've stuck all three of their EPs into a single .rar file to make the process of getting all their material a little easier; this band shows a lot of promise and I can't wait for an album, keep an eye on them

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Tubby Boots - The Eggshaker EP (2009)

This Long Beach three-piece plays a funky style of alt rock very similar to the jammier and lengthier work of Red Hot Chili Peppers (if you're a fan, check this out), along with the inclusion of Sonic Youth-esque experimentation; the band asked me to post this, and I'm more than happy to oblige, because it's really impressive stuff

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Piebald - All Ears, All Eyes, All the Time (2004)

I have nothing witty to say about this, or really anything all that informative; more Piebald powerpop/alt rock/pop-punk fun stuff, dig it

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Previous Posts:
We Are the Only Friends We Have

The xx - xx (2009)

Dark and flowing debut from this London four-piece, influenced heavily by '80s goth rock and post-punk, this is an incredibly relaxing and chilled out album (best listened to at midnight, I find), helped along by the smooth vocals of Romy Madley Croft; this is already shaping up to be one of the most hyped releases of the year (Pitchfork review and "Best New Music" status imminent; touchdown in five, four, three, two...), but the catch is that it actually deserves to be

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The Matches - the Matches album 4, unreleased; graphics? title? or not needed? (2009)

Rush-released as a response to the pleas of their fans after announcing their indefinite hiatus, this album is a collection of eight songs from their unfinished album, and two acoustic songs that had very very limited releases as bonus tracks in the past. Considering that, this sounds incredibly coherent and, on top of that, really fucking good. This release has the singalong choruses of E. Von Dahl, the white knuckle, crooked smile, freewheeling insanity of Decomposer, the pop catchiness of A Band in Hope, and a bluesy, jammy grooviness that if anything resembles their earliest work as the Locals. But make no mistake; this is not rehash. This is the Matches doing what they always do, which is making a huge stylistic shift while still being identifiable as who they are.

I wrestled a bit with the question of whether or not to post this album here. As stated earlier on the blog, the Matches are my favorite band, and it's now become clear they are under a considerable amount of debt based on poor album sales (I've seen a figure of $60,000 being tossed around). However, as much as it feels like something of a betrayal, not even my favorite band breaking up because of people failing to buy their music is going to change my opinion that there should be no moral obligation to spend money on art (an opinion that the Matches seem to have somewhat agreed with in the past, and that I suspect they still do).

With that in mind, I IMPLORE you all, if you enjoy this album or any of their others, to purchase it at bandcamp. They're only asking 10 dollars (although you can pay more than that if you wish), which is next to nothing. This band doesn't deserve to be in debt, and they don't deserve to have to break up because of it. Buy this album. Also, if you can, go to their last two shows on the 22nd and 23rd, in West Hollywood and San Fransisco respectively.

Also, I'll use this post to introduce you to the new projects members of the Matches are embarking on, for those of you who are unaware.

Maniac: Features Matches lead vocalist/guitarist Shawn Harris, as well as Jake Grigg of Something with Numbers. Their debut album is slated for 2010, and in the meantime they're occupying themselves with covering the #1 songs on the Billboard charts (and then posting them for free on their blog).
Bird by Bird: Features Matches lead guitarist/vocalist Jon Devoto, as well as Matches drummer Matt Whalen. Their debut show is happening in San Fransisco on the 21st, and Jon's doing an in-store performance at a Gap on the 20th, so if you're in the area, check them out! They've got a few songs streaming on their myspace.

Anyway, as you can tell, I've returned home, and regular posting will now resume on the blog.

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Previous Posts:
E. Von Dahl Killed the Locals
Decompser
A Band in Hope
Demos and Misc

Norfolk - The 71 Functions of Consciousness (2009)

This was featured on Waffles.fm a few months ago, but here it is for those of you who either do not have accounts there or don't check it very often; anyway, these guys are from Bakersfield, and they play really nice melodic alt rock; I've heard some comparisons to Oasis, and I think that's applicable, but personally I think they sound better than that comparison would imply to most people

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Tripping Daisy - I Am an Elastic Firecracker (1995)

This album has elements of grunge and psychedelia, as well as the indie rock that now dominates the music world, and their members have gone on to form the groups the Polyphonic Spree, Secret Machines and School of Seven Bells; this band is a somewhat-forgotten part of the 90s alt rock scene, but they shouldn't be

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