Nada Surf - The Weight Is a Gift

I’ve always felt that one of Nada Surf and Matthew Caws’ biggest strengths is creating deep personal connections with listeners through intensely introspective songs. That trend remains intact with The Weight is a Gift, and so does the trend of their growing musicianship. Where The Proximity Effect advanced lyrically over the trio’s youthfully energetic and angst-ridden debut High/Low, and Let Go took the band a step further in almost every category, The Weight is a Gift hones an infectious brand of pop-craft that is stamped on every song. Lead singer Caws and crew manage to avoid the double-edged pop sword that provides instant rewards and future headaches, despite pushing the envelope. The result is a collection of insanely catchy songs that retain their meaningfulness over many listens. The opener, “Concrete Bed,” is the crown jewel of this phenomenon, and the refrain from “The Blankest Year” is still ringing in my head. I thought I heard the influence of New Order in the song “Do it Again,” and I wondered if the subtle earmarks of Sondre Lerche could be heard in “Your Legs Grow” (The band did some shows with the Norwegian boy-wonder in 2003). Regardless, Nada Surf has chosen their influences well and retained the individuality of their sound. This time around, answers outweigh questions, with Caws boldly tackling love and relationships with a simple tact. “Always love,” sings Caws, “Hate will get you every time.” Sometime back when the band was supporting Let Go, I had the privilege of running into Caws after a breathtaking show in a nondescript music hall. In my usual clumsy and socially-challenged manner, I briefly confessed that it seemed he and the band “pulled ideas from my head and made them into songs.” I’m not sure if he got what I meant, and he was probably a little creeped out, but he was very nice about it. Nada Surf’s legs have grown, and so have the legs of their fans. [www.nadasurf.com]