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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. (see the dedicated section below).
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.
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."
After touring for one year after the release of The Weight Is a Gift, the band went back to the studio in March 2007, in Seattle, at the Robert Lang Studios, under the direction of producer John Goodmanson, to record its fifth album, whose working title is Time for Plan A and which should be released in January 2008. Nada Surf should also be on tour during the fall of 2007.
A few titles have begun to filter: Ice on the Wing, Here Goes Something, I Like What You Say.
Nada Surf was formed in the early nineties by Matthew Caws and Daniel Lorca. Both met in Le Lycée Français de New York (USA) and spent some of their childhood in France and Belgium. They played in many bands, including The Cost of Living and Because Because Because. Their first drummer was called Dan, later alluded to in the song The Plan (High/Low). Dan is then replaced by Aaron Conte, with whom the band records its first 7" : The Plan/Telescope (1994/Stickboy), as well as the demo tape Tafkans, the raw version of High/Low. Those raw versions are later released on their second 7", Deeper Well/Pressure Free (1995/Deep Elm Records), on the Karmic EP and on North 6th Street.
Aaron leaves the band in january 1995 and is replaced by Ira Elliot, former drummer of the Fuzztones (1984-1985), a very active band of the eighties NYC scene, whose fans included Matthew and Daniel. They had always wanted play with him, but wanted to achieve a higher level before asking him. Ira's arrival into Nada Surf is a founding event, as since then, Matthew and Daniel's ambition is greatly improved, in order the keep him in the band.
So, when meeting former Cars, and Weezer producer, Ric Ocasek after a show at the Knitting Factory, they have the guts to hand him, with little hope, a copy of Tafkans. Three weeks later, Ric calls them back, but he wants to record all the songs. Meanwhile, the band finalize a contract with Elektra, through an executive who was working for its indie branch No.6 Records, on which Karmic had been released in 1995. A producer and a label: High/Low is in the works.
Actually, the negociations with Elektra didn't go smoothly, so Ric also connected them to Maverick Records, and the band flew to L.A. for an audition which was quite hectic, as Matthew had the flu, and they had to rent gear.
Popular is nada surf's first single, released in June 1996, which made them well-known over the world. 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. It was also used in France in a TV commercial for the radio station Fun Radio, which was then the most influent teenager radio station. The whole song, except for the chorus, is made of parts of a book, Penny's Guide to Teen-Age Charm and Popularity (Gloria Winters, 1964, Prentice Hall), whose advice are taken sarcasticaly by Matthew Caws. Those parts are spoken, and not sung.
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