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So even when Lucky tries to turn down the glow, it still radiates with the oomph of a solid power pop release, making Nada Surf's fifth album a fine finale for a weekend well-spent.
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Alternative PressOrganically building upon thier contemplative-rock base, Lucky is full of intricate melodies and bridges, intense while at the same time awash with the delicate touch of human experience. [Mar 2008, p.144]
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A huge cast of supporting players like Ben Gibbard, John Roderick, Sean Nelson, and Juliana Hatfield add yet more depth to what might be Nada Surf's best work yet.
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Lucky is full of jangly little gems that could put a skip in the step of even the saddest of sacks.
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On record five, their lovely, surging melodies suggest a minor-league Coldplay, while singer-guitarist Matthew Caws recalls a lost golden age “when I could fix anything with sound.”
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Lucky aims high but once again falls short.
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Despite the subtly uplifting message, Lucky lacks the emotional heft of the former.
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MagnetNada Surf took it to The Next Level with 2003's near-flawless "Let Go" and has followed it up with two amazing, richly rewarding efforts. [Winter 2008, p.110]
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MojoPossessed of hazily catchy and irresistible choruses, the end result is an endearingly affectionate blend of radio-friendly AOR and homely indie-rock touches anchoring their grand pop to something human. [Mar 2008, p.106]
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Such is the band’s melodic power the sensation is like slipping into a warm bath rather than eavesdropping by the psychiatrist’s chair.
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The group’s fifth disc is an infectious collection of bright rock songs (Whose Authority) and calm, soothing numbers (See These Bones).
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While never unpleasant, Lucky represents a slowdown from the roll Nada Surf has been on.
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Lucky is a solid, almost reassuring album; it’s good to still have them around.
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Q MagazineEverytime they hit their stride, as on 'Weightless,' a delicious coupling of joyful guitar riffs and Matthew Caw's warm falsetto, it is quickly followed by a bog-standard indie jangle. [Mar 2008, p.108]
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Nada Surf have matured into a strong enough band to make an album like Lucky, which is full of such existential hand-wringing and one of the year's first great pop records.
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Nada Surf face everyday life's cacophony with a pleasant, unfaltering, even surgary approach. [Feb 2008, p.96]
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Nada Surf still occupies a murky middle ground between mainstream pop and straightforward indie-rock, resulting in modern power-pop that's ready for primetime teen dramas or Subaru commercials.
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An album to play loud and often.
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While Nada Surf is only a trio, in the studio it stacks up guitars and vocals, multiplying Mr. Caws’s thin voice into a dreamy or determined chorale.
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UncutThe Brooklyn-based veterns have beefed up the arrangements on LP number five, and Matthew Caws' material happily carries that weight. [Mar 2008, p.96]
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Under The RadarLucky’s music kicks high, the restlessness palpable. [Winter 2008, p.83]
User score distribution:
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Positive: 28 out of 29
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Mixed: 1 out of 29
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Negative: 0 out of 29
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Aug 11, 2011
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GManMar 18, 2008
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KGF.Mar 17, 2008