LAST MINUTE PLANS: Nada Surf At Metro

By Tankboy in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 2, 2012 7:40PM

Almost every article about the band talks about Nada Surf's mid-'90s hit single "Popular" and the unlikelihood that what appeared to be a one-hit-wonder band would transform into such a dependably vibrant musical entity. So let's start there. The band kept a relatively low profile after that single so when they released the stunning, and deeply emotional, Let Go in 2002 it came as a shock to many. No one doubted the group's musical talents before but this was a stirring collection of songs showing the band working well outside of its regular comfort zones.

Sine then the trio has kept the quality of their releases at a high level. Their approach is the usual guitar, bass and drum construct, but even in the most immediately catchy of their material there's a complexity at work that thrills the listener. One their latest album, The Stars Are Indifferent To Astronomy the band has put together a collection of primarily fast-paced tunes behind lead singer Matthew Caws' delicate tenor. It's the interplay between the music and his voice that creates such plaintively pretty music. This is some of the most sensitive loud guitar rock you're going to hear this year, but there's none of the cloying qualities that statement might bring to mind present in this music. It's quietly thrilling, and we're excited to see the songs further brought to life when the band plays Metro this evening.

Check out their video for "When I Was Young," the first single off their latest album.

Nada Surf plays tonight, April 2, at Metro, 3730 N Clark, 9 p.m., $23, 18+