What Is Your Secret?

Alright folks, it's past midnight and I find myself with absolutely nothing to do barring the prospect of yet another restless night. Consequently, I've decided to make use of my spare time/inability to adhere to normal sleeping habits to lionize one of the most underrated indie bands in recent memory: Nada Surf. These eternal underdogs never quite receive the credit they deserve. Other indie bands, chiefly Death Cab for Cutie and Bright Eyes, have made the jump to mainstream visibility while Nada Surf is inexplicably left behind. Well that isn't going to be the case here at I Am Not A Camera. My espousal for this band shall be proclaimed on the rooftops if need be. But back to the matter at hand. If one were to dissect this entire situation (which I have valiantly attempted to do), it becomes difficult to see why this New York trio isn't selling twice as many albums as they are now. Their songs are crisp, catchy, and concise. Isn't that what defines a pop song structurally? It must have just boiled down to the luck of the draw.

While it seems as though the Brooklyn boys have finally attained their sonic niche, their popularity has only decreased since their debut LP, released more than a decade ago. The band's first two full-length efforts, High/Low and The Proximity Effect, were raw and passionate documentations of who these 3 boys were at the time. Said albums also showed glimpses of just how infectious Nada Surf's tracks could be. However, it was clear that the group had yet to hit its stride. Then came 2003's Let Go, an album that found Nada Surf finally forging itself an identity. The release was critically acclaimed (in addition to having a pretty neat CD cover) and it seemed as though Nada Surf had finally entered the winners' circle. At long last, they could sit at the adult's table. Sadly enough, the band could not maintain its high standing in the genre in the wake of more accessible radio-friendly groups cashing in on the blossoming indie craze. Franz Ferdinand and The Killers meant business (pun fully intended). And while these bands were churning out strokes of genius (and by genius I mean horse dung) such as "Somebody told me that you had a boyfriend who looked like a girlfiend" or "If I move this could die, if eyes move this could die. I want you...to take me out!", Nada Surf were toiling away in the studio with producer/Death Cab member Chris Walla working on The Weight is A Gift. Their steadfast dedication to the album shines through the second "Concrete Bed" comes pouring out of the disc. And the band continue to deliver track after track of catchy thoughtful rock. Nada Surf manages to do so in quite versatile a fashion as well, balancing jauntier numbers with pensive, introspective tracks. Simply put, Nada Surf know how to write a good tune. Don't believe me? Well there isn't much I can do about that but call you a douchebag. So remedy your douchebaggery outbreak at once and give Nada Surf a spin.