Nada Surf is one of those bands whose greatest strength is, sadly, also their greatest weakness. This could not have been any more obvious than with their latest release, Lucky, due to hit stores on Feb. 5.
This indie pop trio from Brooklyn has put out a new album full of exactly what Nada Surf fans love most about their music: fun and upbeat power pop. Matthew Caws's warm and inviting tones immediately draw you in with their youthful glow. He carries with him an incredible air of nostalgia, and as the album opens with his lofty voice crooning, "what you are now, we were once," you are immediately reminded of the appeal of their previous works.
Much like their others, this album is full of catchy hooks and sunny bridges, and is a solid indie pop record. However, three years after 2005's The Weight is a Gift, an expectation for something more - something innovative - leaves the listener not entirely satisfied.
The band has already proved, time and time again, that they can write good songs and memorable music. What they have yet to show is that they can push their limits and challenge themselves as artists. So while this is a strong effort and certainly a fun listen, it shows that they have once again taken the safe road.
Still, though, with tracks like the radio-friendly "Whose Authority," you almost forget that the song fits the typical mold of the group's previous hits, and you get lost in its exuberance. These moments come up often, and it's pretty hard to stifle a smile as Caws repeats, "baby, I only want to make you happy," in "I Like What You Say."
Their love songs have an endearing candor about them, a sense of blind idealism that keeps fans coming back for more. That is certainly the case here, and their strongest track has to be the ballad, "Are You Lightning?" in which Caws recalls acting like he's "21, wide eyed and drifting into the sun."
While some may be bored with the constancy of their sound throughout the years, it is hard to criticize Nada Surf's latest album on that alone. At the end of the day, they are a lighthearted band who wants to have fun and want their listeners to have fun as well.
So if you are a fan of their previous work or just like cheery, feel-good indie rock music, you will by no means be disappointed with this record.
