I found reviewing this album to be particularly challenging. In my mind I expected something similar to Lucky (2008) or This Weight is a Gift (2005), two albums that feature a more polished, nonetheless driven indie rock group. (And of course, long gone are the days of "Popular" from High/Low (1996).) What I heard was something very different, and my first listen to the album almost left me disappointed. I knew better, however, and I continued to listen to the album, searching for notable songs, and a few began to emerge.
"When I Was Young" surfaced as my favorite of the album (download on their website!). It begins with a typical Matthew Caws acoustic guitar intro, with his piercingly high voice cutting through the ringing guitar riff. The song builds and the drums and bass begin to thunder along, driving the melody. The harmonies are classic Nada Surf. That is, Caws harmonizing with himself. The bridge is musical in a way that is typical to Nada Surf, and the tune comes to a powerful close, leaving nothing more to be desired. This a song that any Nada Surf lover will enjoy.
My other favorite is "Let the Fight Do the Fighting", a track falling towards the end of the album. It starts off somberly with an electric guitar in a minor key with some neat harmonies between the keyboards and another guitar. Caws' stunning high-pitched voice chimes in. Then the drums and bass kick in as they would in any older Nada Surf song. This song is unique in that it features a trumpet solo by Martin Wenk, a German trumpeter who has toured and recorded with Calexico and Arcade Fire, to name a few. The chorus is catchy and the finish is strong.
Overall the album is lacking some of the types of tunes that made their older albums so great ("Happy Kid" and "Killian's Red" come to mind). Matthew Caws' vocals seem a bit too polished at times, some of the choruses get a little too repetitive, and certain songs are lyrically flat. However, I find this to be a very solid album with lots of catchy tunes and choruses that will keep you coming back for more. Not bad for 16 years in showbiz! I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
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