Nada Surf
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| Nada Surf | ||
|---|---|---|
| Background information | ||
| Origin | New York, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock Indie rock |
|
| Years active | 1992-present | |
| Label(s) | Barsuk Records Elektra Heavenly Records (UK) City Slang Records (UK) |
|
| Website | Official website | |
| Members | ||
| Matthew Caws Ira Elliot Daniel Lorca |
||
Nada Surf is an American alternative rock / indie rock group formed in 1992. The New York band consists of Matthew Caws (guitar, vocals), Ira Elliot (drums, backup vocals) and Daniel Lorca (bass, backup vocals).
The band is best-known for the song "Popular" from their 1996 album High/Low. The song reached number 11 on the U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and propelled the album to number 63 on the Billboard 200. "Popular" was also a big hit in France, reaching the Top 10 with a total chart run of 15 consecutive weeks in the French Top 50.
Each of the verses in "Popular" presents, in spoken word format, sarcastic advice to teens. Initially offered in a calm, deadpan voice, the lyrics gradually build Kinison-style in teen angst and rage.
The follow-up effort, The Proximity Effect, failed to garner much attention. The band explains on their official website:
Nada Surf recorded The Proximity Effect in 1998 with Fred Maher (Luna, Lou Reed, Matthew Sweet). It was a mighty fine record. Elektra, claiming they "didn’t hear a single," asked the band to go back in the studio to hunt for one. As this was months after they’d handed the record in, the band refused and were dropped. It’s pretty safe to say, though, that Elektra didn’t appear to be "listening" very hard. The Proximity Effect was released as scheduled in Europe. Critics loved it and fans bought it. Elektra still didn’t care, but the band did. So after wrestling the rights back, Nada Surf released The Proximity Effect stateside in 2000 on their own label, MarDev Records, and toured accordingly...
After a four-year break, the group released Let Go through Barsuk Records to positive reviews. The song "Inside of Love" received some airplay and even reached number 73 in the United Kingdom, a feat which neither "Popular" nor the other two previously released singles from Let Go achieved. On the strength of the single, the album reached number 31 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.
The band's fourth album, The Weight Is a Gift, was released in Germany on September 5, 2005, by City Slang Records, September 12 in Japan/Australia and September 13 in the US by Barsuk, and in the rest of Europe, September 19 by V2/City Slang. It was produced by Chris Walla of the band Death Cab for Cutie, Louie Lino, and Nada Surf. The album's lead single is "Always Love."
Contents |
[edit] Discography
- A complete discography can be found on nadasurfan.com
[edit] Albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Karmic (EP) | No. 6 Records |
| 1996 | High/Low | Elektra |
| 1998 | The Proximity Effect | Elektra (Europe) / MarDev (2000) |
| 1999 | North 6th Street | Noneties music |
| 2002 | Let Go | Labels/EMI/Barsuk (2003) |
| 2004 | Live in Brussels | Labels/EMI France |
| 2005 | The Weight Is a Gift | Barsuk/City Slang (Rough Trade) |
[edit] Other releases
- This Is Next Year: A Brooklyn-Based Compilation (compilation track) - Arena Rock Recording Co. - 2001
- Music from the OC: Mix 2 (compilation track) - Editing Wea Records - 2004
- Future Soundtrack for America (compilation track) - Barsuk - 2004
- Love Rocks (compilation track) - Human Rights Campaign/Centaur Entertainment - 2005
[edit] Bibliography
The Hyperspace-Perspective in the Lyrics of Nada Surf [1], by Christian Auinger. Doctorate in anglo-american language study, University of Vienna - 2005
[edit] Trivia
- Nada Surf covered The Beatles' classic "All You Need is Love" in 2006. The cover was featured in a Chase Credit Card television commercial in the U.S.
- Daniel and Matthew went to school at the Lycée Français de New York and also spent time in France and Belgium as children. They have been influenced by French culture, and the band has recorded cover versions of Alain Souchon's song "La p'tite Bill est malade", Indochine's "L'Aventurier", and Françoise Hardy's "Au Fond d'un Rêve Doré"
- The song "Blonde on Blonde" from Let Go is featured during the opening and end credits to the 2004 coming of age German film Sommersturm (Summer Storm). "Blonde on Blonde" is also featured in the 2004 John Travolta film, A Love Song for Bobby Long, and in the TV show Six Feet Under.
- Nada Surf play the title track of the Pixies tribute album, Where Is My Mind?.
- "What is Your Secret" from The Weight Is A Gift, was featured in "A New Light", episode 3 of the ABC series Six Degrees (10/05/06).
- During the recording of The Weight is a Gift, Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie wrote and recorded a song about Nada Surf entitled "The Rhone Occupation." The song has since been released digitally on Walla's Hall of Justice website here.
- Nada Surf recorded a cover of the classic 80s song "If You Leave" by OMD for the television program The O.C. The song played during a prominent scene in which Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) shares an emotional goodbye with Anna Stern (Samaire Armstrong). This scene was a tribute to the John Hughes film Pretty in Pink, in which the OMD version of the song originally appeared.
- Nada Surf's songs Inside Of Love and Always Love is featured in the television show One Tree Hill. Inside Of Love was played in season 1 episode 13, when Lucas (Chad Michael Murray) kisses Peyton (Hilarie Burton) and Always Love was played in season 3 episode 3.
- Nada Surf's song "I Like What You Say" is featured in the 2006 film "John Tucker Must Die"
- "Zen Brain" is featured in the German movie Nichts Bereuen (2001).
- "Hyperspace" is featured in the German movie The Edukators (2004).
- The band appears playing "Concrete Bed" in the episode 56, Return of the Future, of One Tree Hill (1/18/2006), and they are part of the plot.
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- Authorized Fan Site, with a complete discography and many audio and video files
- "Finally Professional", PopMatters interview (9/2005)
- Ira Elliot Interview, by Raphie Frank (6/2005)
- Lazy-i Interview: February 2006
- "Staying Afloat: Nada Surf Keep on Aboard" CBC Radio 3 Live Concert Session; story by Rob Nay, photography by Lorne Bridgman
