Some bands can pull it off. Don't ask me how, but every once in a while a band will make the brave leap across the chasm of musical irrelevance and land safely in a position of redemption and acclaim. Such is the case for Nada Surf. Almost a decade ago, the pointed criticism of teenage melodrama as depicted in the hit single "Popular" garnered them flash-in-the-pan status - along with a slew of other bands in the freshly-dubbed alternative genre. That is not to say that their music was uninspired or - worse - cliche, only that they were applauded less for their art and more for their commonality with the other bands of the day.
But Nada Surf kept moving quietly forward, eventually finding a home at indie label Barsuk Records where they gained indie-pop cred with the release of Let Go. Now on their second release with Barsuk, the band presents The Weight Is a Gift, a collection of sometimes dreamy, always catchy indie-pop tunes.
The strength of the record lies in its ability to make you sing along almost immediately with lyrics about finding love, personal growth, and dealing with life's struggles. Musically, every song hits its mark, providing a variety of moods and arrangements effortlessly and while maintaining a cohesive sound throughout the record.
Nada Surf wins the award for lyrical gems of the year with lines like "maybe this weight was a gift / like I had to see what I could lift," which in the context of the song is tremendously moving. But somehow The Weight Is a Gift contains at the same time a barrage of pseudo-hippie sentiments such as "to find someone you love / you've gotta be someone you love." And while it is refreshing to hear an album as positive and encouraging as this one, it is hard not to cringe periodically at a line that makes you feel like you've been accosted by a motivational speaker.
Nada Surf have survived their 40 years wandering through the musical wilderness and have come out on the other side no worse for the wear. They have grown since their brief fling with a major record label, and they have come gracefully into their own. The Weight Is a Gift is your proof.
3/4
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