Indie vets surf through mellow, melodic new album

Lucky…Lucky Nada Surf Barsuk Records Rocks like: Rogue Wave, Death Cab for Cutie

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Nada Surf is the quintessential indie rock band. They’ve been at it for over a decade and continue to delight with their musical endeavors. Nada Surf’s latest release and fifth full-length album, Lucky, follows suit with 2005’s grown-up record, The Weight is a Gift. With its electric, angst-filled compilations seemingly in the past, the band has graduated to a slower paced, folk-inspired direction that showcases a newfound maturity of sound.

The album opens with “See These Bones,” which graced the airwaves of many a radio station prior to the release of Lucky. This track eases listeners into the chill mood of the new album, with a style that closely matches that of The Weight is a Gift’s catchy harmonies and flawless instrumentals

“Weightless” brings out all those stress-relieving beats that are crucial in any college student’s music library. The cascading rhythms of the chorus just melt away the problems of day. Then the dulcet harmonies close the song on a sweeter note. “Weightless” is a sweet and sour blend of tones with its forceful introduction, irresistible chorus and periodically hushed verses.

Bordering on alt-country with its bouncy drumbeat and twangy acoustic guitar is “Here Goes Something.” This animated tune helps Nada Surf channel bands like Guster and Stephen Kellogg ‘ The Sixers. Every song on this album substantiates the band’s growth. These guys are no one-trick ponies. When the music blurs genre lines with every track, you know they are reaching new levels as musicians.

Lucky has been streaming on the band’s MySpace page since Jan. 25. This is always a greatly appreciated courtesy. There is even a free download of “See These Bones,” the widely played single that enticed listeners for months before the album’s release. The limited edition of the album is a two-disc compilation with four extra tracks. On Amazon.com, this version is actually a buck cheaper than the regular edition. Nada Surf is currently touring and they are just finishing up the stateside portion, only to continue with Rogue Wave in Europe later this month.

Sometimes the band is so different stylistically from the hardcore alt-rock fans came to love from 1996’s High/Low that this new sound could be attributed to a different Nada Surf – that is, if it weren’t for the cohesiveness that Matthew Caws’ distinctive vocals provide. Nonetheless, this slow-down is not a surprise attack. The real changes began with the release of The Weight is a Gift. Lucky is the completion of a smooth arc of maturation. With tunes that rank up there with fan favorites “Do it Again,” “Psychic Caramel” and the television and radio hit, “Popular,” Lucky breaks the conventions of what the band’s sound should be and creates a new niche for a band that easily could have been stuck in the “one hit wonder” category. Luckily, the trio has shed its musical skins more times than a lizard with a bad sunburn. Nada Surf’s sound is forever growing while always acknowledging its musical roots.

There might be another widely known hit in Nada Surf’s future, but it is evident that these guys are making music for themselves. Exhibiting a level of integrity that is quite refreshing and an evolution that one expects from a band that has been delivering such great music for so long, Nada Surf does not disappoint. Despite the tone-down to a lighter, folk-like rock sound, the band has surely lived up to its name.

Any criticisms for these indie rock vets are expressed with the love and devotion that is Nada Surf fandom. When you have the legacy and utter greatness that this band does, you are allowed to reinvent, and be loved for it. Change is good, but maybe they should throw in a little more “Psychic Caramel,” a little less “Are You Lightning” for the next album. After all, sometimes a girl needs to rock between evolution and same old, same old.