Customer Reviews

High/Low

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

In a time when music is defined by 10 bands who all seem to share the same vocalist, it's good to take a step back about 8 years to a time when bands like Superdrag and Nada Surf were spitting out a few hits. Though the only band that has had a shelf life of more than a few years is Weezer, Nada Surf gives them a run for their money with High/Low. If you like "Regretfully Yours" by Superdrag or "The Blue Album" by Weezer then High/Low is the album for you. With catchy melodies surpassed only by the ripping guitar tones and the wonderful lyrics, High/Low makes for a great listen from start to finish. After recently getting this CD I am shocked that Nada Surf's only hit was the gimmicky "Popular" -- there are definitely 2 or more hits on this CD.

If you like Superdrag, Weezer, or the Pixies, then get this CD. Also, try and get a copy of "Where is my mind: A tribute to the Pixies", Nada Surf does the titles track, and damn, they do it good.

High/Low.

Released in 1996 this LP caused quite the stir in the rock world. Mostly for the smart and sassy tune "Popular." You might still hear that tune occasionally on a alternative rock station.

People who looked past that one hit and picked up this gem were treated to one of the perhaps most overlooked rock albums of the 1990s. Some accused it of being a poor Weezer rip off. I argue its superior in so many ways and its an essentual 90s rock album.

Its an album with Umph. It picks you up, and at least in my case inspires me. When you hit play "Deeper Well" starts pumping and sucks you right into the album. The vibe and the swagger of the record are infectious.

The pacing and song layout are almost perfect.

Ric Ocasek does a masterful job getting a great power sound out of the band. It sounds like a clean garage band recording. For a loud heavy album, its intimate sounding which is quite an accomplishment. All the instruments sound great.

Standout Tracks:
Psychic Caramel
Deeper Well
Stalemate
The Plan
Popular
Zen Brain (a perfect closer)

Sadly after this, Nada Surf changed musical directions. Unhappy with this direction shift they were dropped by Elektra Records. I honestly can't blame Elektra Records. When I shelled out $30 plus dollars for "Proxmity Effect" (AU import only in those days) because I was dying to hear it - I was extremely let down. It wasn't what I was expecting. The fun & inspiration was gone, as was the swagger. "Proximity Effect" is a morose, depressing, angsty and even preachy record. I listened to "Let Go" a couple of years ago, which didn't appeal to me either.

Fans of newer Nada Surf releases tend to look down at this effort. This is because it being a louder, brasher, faster, sassier record while having this b*tchin' swagger. Thats not what Nada Surf is today.

This album proudly stands on its own compared to the subdued material that came later.

I'll take this album over anything they've done since. It still inspires me on multiple levels and its brillance still shines brightly.

...are the times when i can't talk"

I firmly believe that Nada Surf's debut album is one of the best rock albums of all time. I bought this album cos I'd heard "Popular" on MTV2 a few times, and thought I might throw it on a few compilation tapes - what I didn't expect was that the rest of the album would be so good, and so unlike Popular! Each song on here is unique and brilliant in it's own right. The lyrics are written from a detached outsiders point of view, but often stuffed with spite and hatred. While some reviews on here rather unfairly compare the band to Weezer, I'd say that "The Get Up Kids" are a better comparison. Weezer have never sounded this vicious, and that Nada Surf do it with only 3 members makes it even better. The song writing and guitar playing are particularly self assured, with time changes and other experimental traits pushed to the forefront - for example, one song uses distorted vs undistorted guitar to create a riff out of one note. Genius.
Also, like all good albums it gets better with each listen, and I should know, as I've been listening to it at least once a day for about a month now. Maybe I'm biased, maybe I'm hypnotized, maybe I need to get out more, but this album shines like an undiscovered and unpolished gem from one of American music's worst years of recent times. Try it and see.
Sadly the band have been going down hill since this peak, with neither "Proximity Effect", nor "Let Go" recapturing the angst and the anger vented on this disc.

I love this album. Simple as that. From start to finish it is amazing, i have to repeat just about every single song they blow my mind. Geek Rock rules, Amazing lyrics, just an amazing CD. yes i bought it for 'Popular' and i was rewarded. I, like a fool, lent it to my best friend and she won't give it back she likes it that much too! Buy it you won't be dissapointed

The only thing that I had to complain about with this album was that it ended. :)

A gem of a find if You take the chance to listen to it. This cd is very underated, and I dont know what to call it, it has a Emo Indie feel to it. Anyways the best songs on the album are,"Zen brain", "Stalemate","Treehouse", "Sleep", and the radio friendly "Popular".

This is a really good album of punchy rock... while it is labeled "alternative" by some, Nada Surf is so straightforward and refreshing on HIGH/LOW, they seem to be channeling the best parts of Jimmy Eats World and Weezer at the same time. The songwriting quality is excellent, and the lyrics are often meaningful, witty, or poignant, hinting at the moments of genius to come on future CDs like LET GO.

So if you like quality power pop/alterno-rock, give HIGH/LOW a spin. "Zen Brain" alone is worth the price of admission.

a decade after its release, this album still touches me. it brings back a lot of memories. if you think nada surf is just about "popular," you're missing out. every song is frustrated and melancholy. "deeper well" voices frustration at a romantic partner. "the plan" seems to be about feeling trapped in life and trying to find a plan, a way out and what to do. stalemate, treehouse and icebox are all great songs that lament a dying relationship. "psychic caramel" is the weakest, i think it's about the environment. "hollywood" is a surprisingly emotional song about trying to fit in with the cool people in every phase of life. and "zen brain" closes with sadness over aging and things not changing. this is great, original alternative rock music. the guy who says they're trying to be weezer doesn't have a clue. i'm a huge weezer fan too, and though they are similar to weezer in some ways, such as making catchy pop-rock and quirky lyrics, nada surf has NO interest whatsoever in being weezer, and prove it even more with their follow-up to this, the proximity effect. i recommend that one too. but if i had to pick only one to take to a desert island, it would definitely be this one.

I think it is kinda sad that this band doesn't have as much of a following as other bands. Most people that I've talk to never even heard of them. They certainity deserve a lot more recognition!

I also like the "Goo Goo Dolls" a lot, but think Nada Surf has just a little bit more of an edge. "Deeper Well" is played with as much energy as "Long Way Down" (by the Goo Goo Dolls) and "The Plan" is even more intense. I also think "Popular", "Stalemate" and "Zen Brain" are also excellent as well.

Definitely worth your money.

With few exceptions, this album sloshes through with pretty mechanical inclanations..Nada Surf were obviously just starting out, and by no means is it a bad debut rock alternative album, but it is definitly the wrong place to start, hardly hinting at their greatness to come..