Nada Surf Revisiting the Past, a Rock Trio Discovers an Unexpected Need for Speed
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DECEMBER 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM SPOTLIGHT ío Mons R José del Ira Elliot, Matthew Caws, Daniel Lorca NADA SURF Revisiting the past, a rock trio discovers an unexpected need for speed IN EARLY 2010, NADA SURF TREATED the gear and take a day off on the other end hometown fans in New York City to full to readjust,” Caws says. “Before you know it, performances of what were then its three the feeling is gone. In this case, we wanted most recent albums. The material in question to record it right in the practice space.” spanned 2002 to 2008—years in which Well, not entirely—basic tracks were cut the trio enjoyed a remarkable second act, over five days in a proper studio facility just cultivating a newfound cult success that three blocks away, so close the members eclipsed their lone mainstream pop hit, were literally able to roll their amps over 1996’s “Popular.” Taking stock of the Nada without losing any momentum. The speedy Surf catalog, singer, guitarist and songwriter sessions suited the urgent and outward- DECEMBER 2011 M Matthew Caws realized how much he and looking material, which covers topics ranging MUSIC & MUSICIANS his bandmates tended to go from “zippy live from environmental degradation and man’s band” onstage to “slightly restrained” pop insignificance in the universe to finding MAGAZINE outfit in the studio. “It saved us from going optimism amid chaos. “You don’t want further down roads we didn’t need to go to get to the end of your life and realize down,” Caws says. “You need a blend of a you’ve just been ruminating about your little underconfidence and overconfidence, own place,” Caws says. the accelerator and the brakes.” Despite all the big-picture thinking, one The following year, as Caws began of the disc’s most affecting moments comes writing Nada Surf’s seventh studio album, on “Teenage Dreams,” as Caws finds himself The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, he “moved to a tear” by break-dancing teens on sought to capture the spirit of the Brooklyn the subway. “Sometimes a burst of creative rehearsal room where the trio—also including energy, like seeing someone burn white hot bassist Daniel Lorca and drummer Ira for a second, can remind you what we’re Elliot—had always played faster and less self- here for,” he says. “Aside from surviving and consciously. When the time came to record, helping others survive, the other thing we’re they opted to stay put rather than travel to here for is living a little electric, whenever a studio in another city. “When you go to we have the opportunity.” Seattle or somewhere, you have to pack up –Kenneth Partridge 22 M mag 16.indd 22 1/12/12 11:57:18 PM.