Rolling Stone Was Right? Well, It Was Bound To Happen Sooner Or Later
Written: Jul 28 '03
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent songwriting and arrangements, great lyrics, just about everything
Cons: There's nothing here you haven't heard before, I suppose
The Bottom Line: A power-pop masterpiece; an album the music world has been waiting for for too long.
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| headlessparrot's Full Review: Let Go - Nada Surf Movies |
What happens to a one-hit wonder in popular music once the buzz has died down and people have become sick of said one hit? Well, it depends. If you’re the Flaming Lips, you realize the absurdity of the whole situation for what it is and go on your merry way doing what you’ve been doing all along. If you’re the New Radicals (does anyone even remember them/him?), you break up and stop making music, and if you’re Lou Bega, I guess you just drop off the face of the earth (not that that’s necessarily a bad thing). But Nada Surf have decided to come up with their own answer to that age old question - if you’re Nada Surf, you head overseas, build a cult following in France and most of Europe, and keep releasing new albums, all while hoping to reclaim their former glory. And it just so happens that on their third full-length album, power-pop rockers Nada Surf have crafted a set of fifteen songs that have not only reinvented the New York-based trio as a band, but rival anything they’ve done in their past.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Popular, the aforementioned one-hit that Nada Surf scored in 1996, a detached and ironic assault on social standards and the idea of popularity, an admitted novelty track that spent it’s week in MTV’s Buzz Bin and was then put down like a horse with a lame leg. While not a bad song at all, and good enough in the sense that it sent a powerful social message (not that I’m sure a lot of MTV’s dedicated viewers picked up on it) through it’s recitation of quotes from a 1950s guide to popularity, the problem with Popular - like many other one-hit wonders - was that it was not at all representative of the band that wrote and performed it. Despite misleading the general public, Nada Surf really were just another band that rode in on the coattails of the alternative explosion, producing a radio-friendly brand of alternative pop that was, truthfully, quite similar to Weezer. The Weezer knockoff label is more than understandable given that both groups had similar sounding vocalists, certain pop leanings, and have used former Cars leader Ric Ocasek as producer on more than one occasions. The lyrical tendencies of both groups, too, aided in the label of nerd rock, something that - being a self-admitted loser and quasi-nerd myself - I can appreciate. Their first album was a pleasant enough affair, but I think everyone accepted that the trio was doomed to obscurity the moment MTV picked up Popular. Since then, it’s largely been downhill. Their second album sold so poorly that Elektra dropped the band, leaving them licking their wounds and regrouping. Almost five years later, though, Nada Surf has return, apparently unscathed by the transpiring around them, releasing their third album Let Go, a record that is as good as you may have already heard.
If nothing else, one-hit wonders serve as proof that the music buying public is a fickle bunch, and that musicians in America really don’t get second chances - a shame considering that Nada Surf has released an album that, were our world fair, would catapult them back into the public eye and allow them to reclaim the crown they wore for two weeks back in 1996. But we all know that the world is not fair, and Let Go will not make Nada Surf a household name again, only because of preconceived notions that stem directly from Popular. Then again, maybe it’s a good thing that they haven’t blown up again, because it makes their music feel that much more personal, as if you’re the only person who has heard it and realizes just how beautiful it is. Way back in February, Rolling Stone magazine gave Let Go four stars, piquing my curiosity. While Rolling Stone has more than their fair share of complete misses (this is the same magazine that panned just about everything Led Zeppelin ever released until they became the “it” band), once in awhile, they get things right. And this is one of those times. While not fully escaping the nerd-rock label, Let Go is filled to the brim with excellent power-pop indie-rock songs that show a startling amount of maturity from the same band that has been struggling to find their true identity for almost ten years now.
Originally formed in 1988, long before the initial alternative boom, Nada Surf were first known under the name Because Because Because, pairing singer and guitarist Matthew Caws with bassist Daniel Lorca, school friends who both travelled all throughout their youth, spending time in France and Spain (perhaps explaining why they’re so big there). A revolving door behind the drum kit would eventually be filled by Ira Elliot (of Fuzztones “fame”), with the band gradually transforming into Nada Surf by 1993, issuing indie singles that would set off a bidding war. After securing a deal in Europe, the trio recorded an album that would be left in limbo by said deal falling through, but Ric Ocasek heard the finished sessions, offering his service as producer on what would become High/Low, the band’s debut in 1996. The whirlwind behind Popular faded, leaving only a band confused about their direction and their sound, resulting in 1998’s The Proximity Effect, a somewhat unfocused and confused alterna-pop record whose wisest decision was escaping the shadow of Ric Ocasek and opting for a different producer. The record failed miserably, due in part to terrible promotion, and Elektra dropped the band (claiming that they "didn't hear a single"), setting off a series of legal problems that would only eventually find Nada Surf gaining control of the masters of The Proximity Effect so that they could release it under their own label. And it’s right around there that we left off, finding a band still reeling from taking a shot right to the chest from their label. Rather than taking it personally, though, Caws and company set about building a following in Europe, securing another record deal overseas and only then recording a new album.
That new album - originally released in December of 2002 in Europe but not until February of 2003 Stateside (with two different track listings - my particular version is the import with the three European bonus tracks and a slightly different track listing to accommodate them) - ironically enough shares the same title as that of teen popster Avril Lavigne’s debut: Let Go. I say ironically, because Nada Surf’s Let Go is everything that Avril could never hope to be - immaculate and literate, articulate guitar-driven pop rock that comes off as sounding like something genuinely interesting and unique (in spite of the fact that the band is still able to follow many of the conventions of the genre while creating it). Nada Surf, prior to this release, was always seen as nothing more than the bastard stepchild of Weezer, a band that all but stole the songs right from the infamous geek rockers. There’s a good reason for that image, though. Because it’s true. While their music was always enjoyable in the past, no one made any bones about the fact that, plain and simple, Nada Surf were a Weezer clone on the same level that Creed is a Pearl Jam clone (the only difference lying in the fact that unlike Nada Surf, Creed were never particularly enjoyable). Lead singer Matthew Caws’ voice not only bore more than a passing resemblance to that of Rivers Cuomo, but they generally stayed in the same neighbourhood lyrically, dealing with the typical teen angst, societal disenchantment and longing for love. Caws’ guitar riffs, too, were generally reminiscent of Weezer, crunchy rock riffs that were poppy in a sense, but also owed a lot to heavy metal and 80s new wave. The big difference was that Weezer’s instrumental work always combined to create a sort of retro effect that was plainly visible on songs like Buddy Holly. Nada Surf was, I suppose, a little more contemporary, which I guess came hand-in-hand with being as derivative as they were. Bassist Daniel Lorca was a good bassist, albeit not one who was particularly influential original or revolutionary with the instrument, and drummer Ira Elliot brought the power and knowledge of a past in rock, a superb drummer complimenting a somewhat lacklustre band. All together, Nada Surf came off as just another nerd rock band produced by Ric Ocasek, a pleasant if not original blend of straight rock, punk, metal and pop of the sixties vocal variety. Beach Boy-esque harmonies complimented the guitar riffs and Caws lyrical exploration.
I’ve never heard The Proximity Effect, so I can’t comment, but I can say that if it was anything like the trio’s debut, then they made an extraordinary jump on Let Go, completely reinventing themselves and how they wish to be perceived in the pop pantheon. But when I say reinventing, I don’t really mean it in the traditional sense. Nada Surf has not transformed into a heavy metal or techno act. In fact, you’ll probably pick up quickly on the fact that this is the same band that recorded Popular. But they’ve reinvented themselves in the sense that they’ve come to terms with being a simple one-hit wonder and have abandoned trying to please others in order to please themselves, and the result is a much tighter band that, while still bearing a resemblance to Weezer (if only because of Caws’ voice), has really come into their own, crafting powerful guitar-driven pop rock songs that value one thing over all others. That one thing is melody, something that too many bands today have a complete inability to grasp. Rather than remaining a straightforward rock band that simply drew on punk and various other sources as an influence, on Let Go, Nada Surf have embraced the pop ideology - not in the current Britney Spears sense of the word, but in the classic pop of old. Caws has pulled back a little on his distorted guitars a little, going for a much more subdued and genuinely interesting sound, a shimmering and jangly guitar textured with just enough distortion to give it a kick and fit in with the songs, creating hooks that are simply brilliant. Let Go is what a power-pop album should be, a near perfect mix of beautiful guitar chordings, subtle bass work, magnificent drumming and powerful lyrics accompanied by a voice that, while far from perfect, is used to its utmost potential to create a very vibrant emotional atmosphere.
Truthfully, I’m not quite sure where this transformation has come from. Frankly, had I not heard Let Go myself, I would have been sceptical that a band like Nada Surf could create something this sublime and compelling. I suppose the transformation can be traced back to the simple realization that no matter what the group did, they’d never recapture the imaginations of most mainstream music listeners, leaving the trio free to experiment and create something from the heart rather than something for the bank account. I’d love to hear some of the early sessions taken from the actual writing process of the album, to see how this whole idea of passionate retro power-pop indie rock (wow, that was a mouthful) came from. It’s safe to say, though, that the real catalyst for the transformation was Caws, who does triple time as the band’s vocalist, only guitarist and primary songwriter. Caws has, in the space of less than five years, has changed himself from a longing nerd creating straightforward rock songs into a master of pulling listener’s emotional strings, usually with nothing more than the simple strum of a chord - and he does it with only a modicum of pure technical talent. Let Go embraces a variety of styles, from simple acoustic pieces to full blown orchestral pop and straightforward guitar-based tracks. It’s in this variety that lies the album’s genius. While none of these approaches are particularly novel in the sense of pop history, they’re used excellently to create a surprising variety that prevents Let Go from growing stale after a few listens.
The guitar work is much more subtle than it ever was for the band, embracing the less-is-more ideology in terms of distortion, but at the same time meticulously overdubbing and layering the textured, shimmering pieces over one another to create that orchestral effect. On top of that are ever-so light synthesizer shading, throbbing yet distinctly appropriate bass, and diverse time signatures and drumming approaches. Caws’ voice is the final touch, almost an afterthought to the sheer ethereal beauty of the music over which it is fitted. His range is almost nonexistent, going from high to slightly higher, an uber-falsetto that wraps itself around each syllable and each guitar part with a sense of eerie synchronization. Lyrically speaking, Caws has also begun to outgrow the teenage disenchantment that typified their early songs, instead opting for a more cryptic, personal and metaphorical approach, telling stories about peoples, places and events in a surprisingly literate and intelligent manner and speaking frankly about their own experiences. While he does fall into some of the old cliché traps of the power-pop genre (including a chorus that simply asks “I wanna’ know what it’s like on the insiiide of love”), given the rest of the record, it’s quite forgivable. Let Go manages to channel both Nada Surf’s early influences and that of many of rock’s current innovators at the same time without sounding either too dated or too derivative. There’s a definite touch of Nirvana’s bitter cynicism, as well as some of the more pop-oriented aspects of new wave and early punk. As far as modern inspiration goes, I was immediately struck by how the band was able to draw from Beck and the Flaming Lips without it sounding forced, clichéd or unoriginal. The acoustic introspection and the gentle touches of sonic experimentation actually work, and they actually contribute to what is otherwise a good set of songs rather than simply covering up lacklustre material. But all the while, melody is key, and I think that’s why I like Let Go as much as I do.
The soft and introspective verse of Blizzard of ‘77 opens Let Go absolutely perfectly with a single strummed acoustic guitar accompanied only by Caws’ gently echoed vocals. A very cryptic number filled with all sorts of vague references, the song is rendered absolutely haunting by the brilliantly understated acoustic guitar work and the sheer simplicity of the song, coupled with Caws’ strained vocals. The Way You Wear Your Head is a much more up-tempo song, driven by two guitar parts overlaying one another. The track has a very classic pop vibe to it, filled with handclapping (something that is found here fairly frequently), cheerful imagery and Caws’ excited falsetto in the chorus, playfully trying to keep up with the guitar riff it plays upon. Blonde On Blonde is a exceptionally melancholic and subdued moment, built more on Caws’ thickly reverbed vocals than anything else, with every other instrument pushed right to the back. A sombre and fascinating track, it’s only falling the result of Caws stumbling for one of the few times as a lyricist - with the song’s protagonist listening to Bob Dylan’s Blonde On Blonde and taking some sort of strength from it. Were it not such a clichéd notion, it might have worked, but instead comes off as namedropping to appeal to the rock fans in the band’s audience.
Inside Of Love is the only real lyrical stumbling point, and really only because of its detached and insipid chorus. An even, slow guitar is the central point of the verses, becoming only marginally more elaborate during the verses by adding a touch of jangle and range to it. Not a bad song musically, it still would have helped with better lyrics to go with it. Hi-Speed Soul, the third in a string of singles from the album that has failed to do anything in the American market, is probably the most dynamic song on the album, filled with a crispy guitar intro that recalls Queens Of The Stone Age’s Go With The Flow, before dropping into a stuttered power-pop song that is absolutely gorgeous in concept and execution. No Quick Fix, meanwhile, starts off as a near dead ringer for the Clash’s Lost In The Supermarket (I racked my brains for near three days trying to figure out where I’d heard that riff before), but quickly turns into it’s own song.
Killian’s Red, I have to assume, is named after the beer (not a big fan of the stuff, though being underage I’ll take what I can get), a sombre love song whose main character is ditched by his love interest at a bar where they said they’d meet. A simple number with a soft, high picked guitar part, I absolutely love the high vocal parts during the refrain of “You wouldn’t like what I said,” with the last word drawn out ever so slowly. La Pour Ça is a French-sung number capitalizing on the band’s rather avid following in France. It is filled with beautiful, dreamlike music - the only problem lying in the fact that I can’t understand it in the least. Their accent is rather impressive, but it doesn’t change the fact that in nine years of French class, about the extent of my French repertoire is the days of the week.
Happy Kid is the pure definition of power-pop, an upbeat and ornate track filled with overdubs and subtle keyboard that is undeniably catchy and surprisingly intelligent. Paper Boats reminds of a bit of some of Nirvana’s softer moments (even though there’s no real physical connection, there’s a definite vibe to the song), while Run serves as the best of the three European bonus tracks. Beginning with a My Sharona sort of drum intro, it quickly turns into another textured, jangly pop piece that reminds me of a song that I can’t quite think of the name of (I absolutely hate when that happens). Why this song wasn’t included on the American release baffles me, as it’s no doubt one of the three or four best numbers found on Let Go, a blend of pop rock with just a touch of new wave in the chorus. Neither Heaven Nor Space is the second of the bonus tracks, with the album closing with the appropriately titled End Credits, ending the record as perfectly as it started. Another upbeat, fast-paced rocker filled with softer guitar chordings and an immediately striking chorus (a vocal harmony of “This movie is gotta’ end,” followed by a beautiful slow progression) , it too makes me wonder about the American track selection.
There’s nothing on Let Go that hasn’t been done before. That said, that’s just about the only complaint I can come up with when trying to find fault with the album. What Nada Surf does on Let Go is take the standard conventions of the various genres in which they seem to fit and follow them while still creating something that sounds unlike anything I’ve heard before. The group has begun to outgrow their influences, and has created an album that doesn’t answer to fans but to the band themselves. And as such, Let Go is a beautifully crafted album filled with an absolutely mesmerizing and fascinating amalgamation of power-pop, indie rock and pop punk. Let Go finds a band that, rather than avoiding the ‘pop’ idea, has embraced it to create something that isn’t just catchy, but is also meaningful and powerfully evocative. It is filled with pretty guitar driven music and interesting sonic textures, as well as surprisingly knowledgeable lyricism from a band that I would have never expected such a thing from. I have fallen in love with Let Go in spite of its flaws, which is something that I’m normally not at all capable of doing, and that’s high praise. Nada Surf may never find themselves in the MTV Buzz Bin again (which is ironic, given that this is much poppier than anything Nada Surf has done in the past), but with Let Go, they’ve made an album that should outlast not only the group themselves, but also the disposable commodities currently in rotation on that station. I’m feeling generous today, so I’m bumping my 4½ star rating up to five stars, in spite of the fact that it will likely lose credibility around these parts. But I’ll defend Let Go to the death as a pop masterpiece and I really don’t care what anyone has to say about that.
Recommended:
Yes
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headlessparrot
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Member: Bryan Jansen
Location: Ontario, Canada
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