Nada Surf Karmic CD

Originally issued in the mid-1990s and re-released after 2005's lauded THE WEIGHT IS A GIFT, the KARMIC EP offers up a portrait of Nada Surf in its formative stage, before the New York City-based power-pop band made the leap to a major label (for '96's HIGH/LOW) during the alt-rock boom. With its relatively lo-fi production and restless energy, KARMIC highlights Nada Surf's punchy, guitar-driven attack more than frontman Matthew Caws's earnest charm or keen songcraft (see the surging "Telescope" and the revved-up "Treehouse," a track that would also appear on HIGH/LOW), making it perhaps better suited for diehard fans than latter-day converts.

Containing tracks originally recorded for an LP that was never released, the Karmic EP has a couple of good moments that reflect the tail end of early-'90s alterna-rock, opening with "Telescope," which shows some promising guitar texture underneath a solid melody. "Sea Knows When" is vaguely influenced by Urge Overkill and R.E.M., and "Everybody Lies" is saved by a great bassline and some nice organ. "Treehouse" picks things up with a high-energy riff and seems to be the connecting force of the EP, finding the early Nada Surf taking elements of Pavement in an extremely pop direction. Although it suffers from some flat recording, closing track "Nothing" sounds like it might be great live. [The 2007 reissue included the bonus track "Pressure Free."] ~ Scott Janovitz

Containing tracks originally recorded for an LP that was never released, Karmic has a couple of good moments, reflecting the tail end of early-'90s alterna-rock, but shows little of the confident band Nada Surf later became. The EP opens with "Telescope," which shows some promising guitar texture underneath a solid melody. "Sea Knows When" is vaguely influenced by Urge Overkill and R.E.M., but holds little of interest as a complete song. Similarly, "Everybody Lies" lacks any real direction melodically, but is saved by a great bassline and some nice organ. "Treehouse" picks things up with a high-energy riff and seems to be the connecting force of the EP, finding the early Nada Surf taking elements of Pavement in an extremely pop direction. But while the closer, "Nothing," sounds like it might be great live, it suffers from some flat recording. [The 2007 reissue included the bonus track "Pressure Free."] ~ Scott Janovitz

Reissue of the band's EP that launched all that major label interest a decade ago, now with a bonus track ("Pressure Free") that was only available once on a long-out-of-print 7" single.

Recorded in 1995.

Nada Surf: Aaron Conte, Daniel Lorca, Matthew Caws.

Unknown Contributor Roles: Aaron Conte; Daniel Lorca; Matthew Caws.

Nada Surf includes: Matthew (vocals, guitar).