Press

Rave Reviews of Karmic from Jack Rabid at Big Takeover
September 15, 2007

From Jack Rabid at Big Takeover:

Nada Surf "Karmic" EP

What a good idea to reissue this roaring New York power-pop trio’s debut EP, 1996’s five-song Karmic EP—originally on No. 6 Records—with an even rarer 7” bonus track. For Karmic isn’t stumbling baby photos; a couple of tracks such as the prototype-catchy Dinosaur Jr./’89 MBV-ish “Sea Knows When” show the full promise as well as a blueprint realized on their four LPs since. (A fifth LP is in production.) Meanwhile, interestingly, four other quickened songs betray a slight, perceptible Swervedriver influence (note: new San Diego label Hi-Speed Soul also signed that band’s Adam Franklin), mixed with a greater touch of Nada’s louder contemporaries, Ash. As an example, this original “Treehouse” is more vicious than its re-recording on the following High-Low, wherein Ric Ocasek’s production made them brief MTV stars (via “Popular”). Considering that these songs, going back to 1993, were plucked from a finished LP abandoned when an overseas record deal collapsed, it’s too bad the missing wasn’t unearthed. But this reissue nevertheless provides a double service: making the material available again, and reminding all that leader Matthew Caws had a songwriting knack, and a kickin’ guitar right from the git-go. Also on colored vinyl. (hispeedsoul.com)