Alternative rock lifers Nada Surf have returned with their ninth record, and while it may not be the ‘90s anymore, these guys show that they haven’t lost a step. 
Opening track “So Much Love” is a perfect indie pop song for 2020 and showcases all the best elements this band has always had. The band has gradually turned down the volume over the years, but the songwriting of Matthew Caws has stayed consistent. Listen to a song like “Live Learn And Forget” and you can hear elements of Death Cab For Cutie running throughout, which is a great comparison because both bands have been around for ages. This album is the perfect soundtrack for a walk around the city when you haven’t a care in the world.
The guitars get turned up on tracks like “Something I Should Do,” but that doesn’t detract from the overall peaceful ambience that’s been prevalent throughout the record. The last few minutes of the song have a very cool spoken word run that will instantly remind the listener of “Popular,” the band’s biggest hit from 1996. It’s a nice little throwback and it shows that they haven’t lost their sense of humor. “Looking For You” is nice and dreamy; reminiscent a bit of Echo & The Bunnymen, which is always a great thing to hear in this day and age.
There really isn’t anything that makes this record stand out and dynamic or dull and drab. It’s just a great indie rock record from a time tested band that refuses to do anything too drastic to alter their sound. Sometimes in this crazy music scene, this is exactly what we need in order to make ourselves feel better after turning off the radio due to the repetitiveness and lack of originality heard in today’s other music.