NADA SURF FOR FAULT ISSUE 10
Twenty years. Seven albums. Three guys. It’s obvious Nada Surf has experienced a steady and satisfying career, but they don’t plan on giving up their Lo-fi guitar tunes anytime soon. With all the hype surrounding their latest release, The Stars Are Indifferent to Astronomy, Matthew Caws (guitar/singer), Daniel Lorca (bassist/singer), and Ira Elliot (drummer/singer) are back on the road again after a short stint away from the world of studios and stages. Admired for their ability to function with the perfect balance of mainstream and underground charm, some might remember them for their noteworthy hit “Popular”, while others deem them indie rock veterans.
… We sat down with the guys in their Williamsburg, Brooklyn rehearsal space to hear a couple acoustic takes and get a few words with Caws, the lead singer/songwriter.
MATTHEW:I’m really pleased that things are going so well with this album, but my head is spinning a little bit from all the travel. I’m packing for a three-week bus tour through Europe, and I know that my efficiency while traveling is dictated to some degree by how intelligently/lightly I’ve packed—so, I’m trying to do a good job of it.
MATTHEW: When we released If I Had a Hi-Fiwe played our previous three albums over three nights at three different venues in New York. I listened to those albums quite a lot to brush up on the material, and I was left with a disquieting feeling that I think is familiar to a lot of songwriters: Was I writing about the same things over and over again? I was left with a desire to make a record that was a little different lyrically. Of course, it’s just a matter of degrees in that the majority of this album is written from experience and concerns within my own life, but I did manage to let more of the outside world in.