Search - Nada Surf :: If I Had a Hi-Fi

Under the Cover of Greatness

K. Creighton | Seattle, WA | 06/09/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I've had a few months to marinate on this album thanks to the band's generous contribution to National Record Store Day. Even though I've been a passionate advocate for Nada Surf through every album since High/Low, I bought this one with a bit of hesitation. Anytime an artist does a covers album, I wonder if it will be destined for The Onion's annual list of least essential albums - records not good or bad, but ones that simply had no reason to exist. Covers are fine for b-sides, pleasant surprises during radio sessions and concerts; but anytime they show up on a proper album, let alone an entire album (cough, Peter Gabriel), I can only think the artist has a.) run out of steam; b.) a record contract to fulfill; c.) become a cover band like Me First & The Gimme Gimmes. With "If I Had a Hi-Fi" - none of the above applies. Since I am familiar with most of the covered artists, but not the songs, the album actually works as a proper Nada Surf album, perhaps their most melodic, energetic and urgent since their first two (High/Low and the tragically overlooked masterpiece The Proximity Effect).



The two songs of which I am most aware, "Enjoy the Silence" and "Love and Anger," are the hardest for me to digest because the originals are signature pieces from Depeche Mode and Kate Bush respectively. The lush, brooking darkness of the former and the frantic, fluttering bitter euphoria of the latter are missing, these tracks have the sharp corners sanded down - but they still jangle along and are a pleasant listen. It's the rest of the tracks where Nada Surf really finds its mojo and kicks into high gear. Electrocution is a high energy romp; Bye Bye Beaute is yet another winning song in the band's French canon; Evolucion has the most heartbreaking, exquisite violin line I've heard in pop music in years; Question (Moody Blues) is Nada Surf's most straight out rocker since their debut. My fave song is Love Goes On by the dearly departed Go-Betweens - absolutely breathtaking. Nada Surf clearly loves each of these songs. They sound tighter, fitter, happier than they have in ages. Instead of the stopgap until the next proper album I expected this would be, Hi Fi one of the band's most essential and enjoyable albums.

"

It's a Jangle Pop World

Tim Brough | Springfield, PA United States | 06/12/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Like a few fans out there, I've had "If I had a Hi-Fi" since National Record Store day and have been talking it up to friends for a couple of weeks. Granted, a covers album is usually a kiss-of-death for most bands, but this is one of the rare exceptions to the rule. Nada-Surf takes on a batch of their favorites and breaks out the Rickenbackers. Frankly, this is Jangle-pop nirvana. It's "Garage Days" for power-poppers. It's really that good.



Part of the reason I dig this so much is that many of the songs are relatively obscure. Dwight Twilley is one of my all-time power-pop gurus, and NS goes for his "You Were So Warm." Bill Fox is one of those obscure guys that only alt-freaks would know about, and they unearth one of his songs for the opening track. "Electrocution" is given such a work-over that is sounds like a great lost Roger McGuinn song. Add a Spanish band's song "Evolucion" that absolutely haunts, and you've already scored three bulls-eyes.



Then there's the not-so-obscure. The primary airplay is going to Depeche Mode's "Enjoy The Silence," which sounds like REM wrote it as opposed to manic depressive British Synth Dudes. Nada Surf turns the song completely on its head, which is no minor feat. Kate Bush's "Love and Anger" loses none of it's empathic qualities, also not an easy task, given her unique qualities. And finally, there's the revved up cover of The Moody Blues' "Question," which answers the question of what a jam session between The Moodies and The Byrds might have sounded like.



That's probably my favorite track on "If I Had a Hi-fi," followed closely by the Twilley cover. There's plenty of other songs here, but suffice to say that Nada Surf has joined The Editors as one of my favorite albums for 2010."