The Weight Is a Gift [SPECIAL EDITION]

Nada Surf

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 13, 2005)
• Original Release Date: September 13, 2005
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Special Edition
• Label: Barsuk
• ASIN: B000AMJDA6
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #142,372 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The follow-up to 2003's masterpiece, "Let Go" is a perfect pop album sure to alleviate the growing breathless anticipation among long-term fans and recent converts. It carries on the contemplative tone that characterized much of "Let Go" with tracks of heartrending beauty, introspection, wit, and often deceptively dark lyrics, while also displaying the band's penchant for pure pop melody. Produced by Chris Walla (Death Cab For Cutie, The Decemberists, The Thermals). The Special Edition includes a bonus CD featuring four non-album recordings.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars NADA SURF - The Weight Is a Gift, September 29, 2005

By	Jerrod L. Porter - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have read countless reviews of this album on other web sites and they always refer to Nada Surf, on the release of albums that are post-HIGH/LOW, as a one-hit-wonder band. I don't know about everyone else, but i have been following this band since HIGH/LOW and every album is great than the previous. This album is no exception. 'The Weight Is a Gift' is by far the best recording they have released yet. The song writing is top-knotch and the Engineering on the disc is flawless.

I should go on to tell you about the single on this record, but ever song is awesome. I cannot stop listening to this album. Thank you Nada Surf for making music that doesn't bore me after one listen.

I would for sure recommend this to any fan of the Beatles, Matthew Sweet, Superchunk, and any thing indie power pop.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Waiting for more....Nada Surf - Weight is a Gift , December 14, 2006

By	D. Gaynor "Label Junkie" (Midwest, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Matthews Caws is my hero, and my hero seems to have bad luck with women. I say this not to be mean, but after my friend and I listened to this album non-stop along with Let Go (a heavily suggested buy), he seems to be talking about how some girl screwed him over in each song. "Thank god the band's doing well," high fives to that. So back to my friend, we made it a mission to see them live, and hot damn it was worth it. Supported by Rogue Wave off of fellow west coast label Subpop, Nada Surf put on an intense and riveting show. I would say except for the lady who drowned herself in cheap perfume and decided to stand right in front of us; the show was perfect. These charming gents not only dig performing live but I also believe they don't take themselves super seriously. I especially like when bands collaborate and work with others or don't stick to a cookie cutter format for songs. Nada Surf is a prime example of a band branching out, and not falling victim to the bland band syndrome. They made a kid friendly track called "Meow Meow Lullaby". This song was part of a compilation CD, "For the Kids too!". Proceeds from CD were donated to help kids with MS. They have worked with other bands. Just recently Ira and Matthew helped America, the band, with support on a track or two on their new CD Here & Now even the boys of America were allowed to cover "Always Love" for the upcoming CD.

So after my cheerleading, I want to say Nada Surf and Chris Walla produced a wonderful CD. I would easily rank this solid effort in my top 5 albums of 2006. It is one of those CDs that I can listen all the way through and I don't want to skip over any tracks. I can't say it enough, Matthew Caws autobiographical journey, "The Weight is a Gift" is an excellent addition to anyone's collection.

3 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Nice sound, well produced., December 12, 2005

By	Y-Loc "I 'ear better over 'ere" (Lalaland) - See all my reviews

What a difference a new producer, new studio surroundings and a couple of years make!
"The Weight is a Gift" sounds a whole lot better than their previous effort "Let Go" in many ways. And I can only call their last one an "effort" because that's all it was, an effort.
Something changed in their sound. "The Weight...." is a much more refined sound mix, much more engineered, much cleaner sounding than their last one. Each instrument is clearly defined, and the overall mix is much more balanced and crisper.
Their songwriting skills have also stepped up a notch. "The Weight...." is not as pretentious as previous CDs. Lead singer Caws has finally figured out his voice, and his harmonizing is much more smooth and relaxed, a sign that he has matured a whole bunch - but that isn't to say that a couple of their songs do not sound too "light" and sometimes a tad too typical and boring - they could use some heavier, punchier sound to add to their swish of guitars.
"Let Go" was just an average sounding CD, and perhaps if the band went back to remix that CD to match the sound of "The Weight...." it would be a much better listen.
I'm giving it a 3, because it's taken them this long to figure out their "sound" and because bands like Coldplay has had an influence in the sounds of these modern-rock bands. I expect Nada Surf's next CD would be even better, as long as the band can stop singing about pedantic notions of romanticism... and mature even more.