Combining all those elements and making it work onstage, and making the concert flow seamlessly, is not an easy task, and just this little mini-section proved Nada Surf is a superb live act.Ī bit later, another song from the new album was also remarkably done, as the affirming, introspective “Out of the Dark” rode stellar guitar chording from Gillard and Caws to the point where it seemed like the epitome of rhythm guitar.
portrayed the blooming of romance with another gorgeous melody set atop a gritty rock foundation. And then right after that, “Rushing,” the first single off the new album, (with an accompanying short-film video filmed in Paris). “Friend Hospital,” as Caws introduced it, “a song about a platonic relationship,” was every bit as soulful and even heart-breaking as on the record, but the concert version rocked harder without losing any of the nuances. The frenetically pounding “The Way You Wear Your Head” proved the quartet's love of punk-rock fervor. And the ode to giving oneself over to romance, “Animal,” is not just one of the new CD's best tunes, it has the kind of infectious melody that makes it utterly irresistible when done live. The easy-paced march “Inside of Love” was delivered with a subtle hint of swing, so that it became a warm moment for the couples present. It did seem that Ira Elliott's pounding drums could've been a tad lower in the soundmix, so that Caws' vocals could've been higher and better understood, but even so, the inescapable lilt of “Jules and Jim” permeated the room. In the early part of the set, it was striking how the sort of laidback, contemplative feel of “*0 Windows” could be followed up immediately by the fast, throbbing fire of “No Quick Fix.” But that, after all, is a key to Nada Surf's singular appeal, touching your heart and rocking your shoes off in moment to moment musical surprises.
But the audience included a wide range of Beantown rock fans of all ages, as well as musicians from Guster and Okkervil River. There was a film crew with a couple of cameras shooting the concert, and extra iron barriers giving the film crew room to operate, so the club seemed more packed that it actually was. It's a song about missing people and appreciating their friendship and presence, and made for a nicely affirming conclusion to the night.Įarlier in the show, the band had played seven of the songs from their latest album, “You Know Who You Are,” (released March 4 on Barsuk Records), as well as a comprehensive selection from their previous seven studio efforts. Nada Surf's two-hour performance included 26 songs, including a lovely stripped down final encore of “Blizzard of '77,” where just singer Matthew Caws and lead guitarist Doug Gillard were strumming their acoustic guitars, and all four members were harmonizing on the choruses–along with a significant portion of the crowd. It is, however, always refreshing to hear a band which can skillfully integrate hard-edged and visceral rock with smart lyrics and sweet melodies underneath it all. (After a few weeks off the New York City band will spend the rest of the summer performing in Europe). This book will enlist ska-lovers as soldiers in the ska army, and challenge ska-haters’ prejudices to the core.It should not have been a surprise that Nada Surf's Saturday night show before about 700 fans at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston was a thumping and fiery rock 'n' roll delight, since it was the final show on this American tour. In a mix of interviews, essays, personal stories, historical snapshots, obscure anecdotes, and think pieces, In Defense of Ska dissects, analyzes and celebrates ska in exactly the way fans have been craving for decades.
Now the time to take to the streets and fight music snobbery, or at least crank up the ska without being teased ruthlessly. No longer do ska fans need to hide in the basement, skanking alone in their sharp suits, slim ties and porkpie hats. In Defense of Ska is the much-needed response to years of ska-mockery. "Why doesn’t ska get its due as a rich, diverse genre the way punk, metal, hip-hop and electronic music does? Or more to the point, why are ska fans so embarrassed of this music they love? The era of ska shame is officially over. In Defense of Ska author and podcaster Aaron Carnes joins the show to discuss Mu330's 1997 Asian Man Records release Crab Rangoon.
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