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nada surf, "let go"

My friend Matthew Caws went about his music career completely backward. His band, Nada Surf, had an MTV hit very early in their career, "Popular," and were then dropped (let go, get it?) by the major label that signed them and proceeded to make the best album of their careers on an indie label, without pressure or deadline. As he told me once: "It's as if we got to start over again, a new band." Matthew was living a musical life; working in a Brooklyn record store called Earwax, going to shows, writing music. In a way, "Let Go" is a record that asks "what if you had a second chance to do it all over again, the way YOU wanted to do it all along?" And then diving from head to toe into that opportunity. I've had "Let Go" kicking around in one format or another for more than twenty years and always find something new to love about it; isn't that the very definition of "Favoritte album?" "Blizzard of '77:" A mellow little piece of recoverred (drug) memory with a decidedly Elliott Smith vibe to it. Produced by then-Death Cab for Cutie member Chris Walla for $100, which the band paid to him in $1 and $5 bills from their merch sales at shows. "Treading Water:" Linked here, the sound of what adulting in Manhattan looked like then (and still does). "Always rushing, always late." "Neither Heaven Nor Space:" just high. "And if you sit long enough, you can hear ghost trains/As if the city speed is just in our brains/And coke's as close as we get to sugar cane." "Blonde on Blonde:" Living that below-14th Street life, soundtracked by Dylan. "Paper Boats:" a floaty, dreamy ode to depression. "Been thinking and drinking, all over the town/Must be gearing up for some kind of meltdown." Years later, Matthew and I met up while they were recording their album "Lucky" at a live-in studio in Seattle called Robert Lang (it's the same place where Dave Grohl recorded the first Foo Fighters album). He had just discovered he was a dad and was in the middle of a custody fight over the child -- the mother hadn't told him it was his, there were lots of complications -- and we were comparing notes on fatherhood and just generally in the same headspace about having plenty of problems but being fortunate to have them. He's one of my favorite humans and "Let Go" is his masterpiece.

@coreydubrowa

Oct 2, 2024

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Black box recorder songs

Like most people my age, I found Black Box Recorder on TikTok with their song Child Psychology. It wouldn’t be years after that I would give them a serious look, and oh boy was I late. They’ve completely taken over my life; they’ve shot up my list of favorite bands. If you like melancholic, introspective, and atmospheric English rock music, they are for you. My musical palate is already accustomed to Morrissey and The Smiths, so it was very easy for me to dive in. It’s been such an enjoyable plunge. I did some digging on the bandmates and found that one was in a band called The Auteurs; they make similar music. After reading this, close the app or tab and open your music service of choice. Firstly, listen to Child Psychology if you haven’t; it’s a great entry point. England Made Me, and Wonderful Life are great songs by them. You should have a good idea of their sound, but then. Secondly, listen to The Art of Driving, The English Motorway System, and The New Diana. Those batches of songs are found on great albums, and if you enjoy them, give the albums a listen. I really love their music, and they need more fans. I beg you, they deserve it.

@deadboyracer

Jan 28, 2025

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TRICK - ALEX G

Notes on my favorite songs from the 2012 Alex G album Trick.
Forever: Has elements of folk and bluegrass, sort of reminds me of Big Thief. But in reality it’s hard to classify. There's a push and pull to the lyricism and instrumentals that paint a picture of someone struggling with addiction.
Advice: Here you’re really introduced to his signature vocal layering and guitar droning. The lyrics fade into the background, and the noise takes over like a wave of distortion. 
Mary: The first of three character studies (and infatuations) on the album. Mary is a total fantasy, but not necessarily a happy one. She is both monstrous and seductive. She leaves you to rot.
Change: This one feels like a memory you’re desperately trying to hold on to. Its calm on the surface, but tinged with melancholy. The ending repetition is like a quiet resignation to the fact that things can never stay the same.    Clouds: Trick has a few instrumentals, but Clouds is one of the most enthralling. It really showcases his talent for creating atmosphere, and foreshadows his work on later scores for I Saw the TV Glow and We’re All Going to the World’s Fair.
Adam: Second character study. Tells the story of a childhood crush he had which manifested in him bullying the kid. 
Sarah: Third character study. To me, this is the most nostalgic sounding song on the album. The lofi melody paired with the chugging drums and rhythm guitar create a pace that matches Sarah’s running. There's definitely a lot here, including him admitting to breaking her down for his own gain. But the ending “Did I make a mistake?” provides some self reflection. He says he can't give her what she needs because he’s stuck in a dream, which tracks with the sound of the album. Perhaps he’s realized his apathy and destructive tendencies hurt more than just him.
Overall, Trick is atmospheric, textured, beautifully messy, and sometimes hard to listen to. The vocal and instrumental layering contribute to the storytelling, and there's lots of ways to interpret the meanings here. I’ve always found Alex G’s work enigmatic and kind of mysterious, but I think I'm most drawn to the ideas beneath the surface.  @PERFECTLYIMPERFECT

@hannahgechter

Jun 4, 2025

Top Recs from @ninaprotocol

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Hüsker Dü - Jan. 30, First Ave Pt. 1

Hüsker Dü were in limbo in 1985. Their relationship with SST was starting to sour after the legendary Twin Cities band’s release of New Day Rising, and by the end of the year they were in talks with major labels (September’s Flip Your Wig stayed with Greg Ginn’s label, but Warner swept in soon after). Now, five live recordings from the top of 85, split between those aforementioned albums, were unearthed and freshened up by the archival titans at Numero Group, who also put out the group’s 2017 box set Savage Young Dü.
Don’t expect a bootleg. The hometown show at Minneapolis venue First Avenue was recorded to 24-track tape for an intended release that never came to fruition. Jan. 30, First Ave Pt. 1 highlights the band’s brash, pop-pushing punk, proving that good things come in threes. Their raw presence surely silenced a few naysayers who, at the time, thought their melodic inclinations and genre bleed pointed towards a “commercial” sound. Some people don’t know what they’ve got until it’s gone … and then recovered by the label that introduced Duster to Gen Z.  - Madeline Frino

@ninaprotocol

Jul 8, 2025

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ear - Fetish/Valley Serpent

What if the entire Splice library was launched into the ether, prompting a Pokemon-esque scavenger hunt to catch ‘em all? This is what ear pulls off. And yet, the duo’s voices are the best instruments in the mix. Chopped notes and cheeky whispers and sharp breaths abound in their latest singles, “Fetish” and “Valley Serpent.” A cut-and-sew craft project of a song, “Fetish” shows impressive restraint for as long as possible before mutating multiple times. It’s not just a glazed ambient track, or bass-boosted electronic, or .5 speed breakcore. The disjointed lyrics are hypnotically aphasic, as if having a stroke could be a beautiful experience. “Valley Serpent” has the same structureless setup, shrouding a poignant piano ballad in blown-out artificial noise. For all they add, they know when to get minimal. The gentle recitation “feels like a burden” is scripted to haunt. The most Lynchian release of the year! - Madeline Frino

@ninaprotocol

4d ago

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eleu - r u shy or smthn

On eleu’s new single “r u shy or smthn,” it’s hard not to think about Erika de Casier when the chorus hits. The hook’s blend of cute and catchy lingers in the brain. It’s the artist's first song since her SOFT CUTE HARD EP, a heartfelt melding of hyperpop and R&B influences that eleu describes as being “unified by an aesthetic idea that each song stands on its own.”
Describing herself as a "mythical sorceress of play," eleu moves effortlessly between careful and confrontational, guided perhaps more by instinct than genre. There’s a quiet allure to her voice and songwriting. On this new track, the production takes a backseat, letting her melodic vocals take the lead. It’s a delicate, confident little ballad, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that de Casier-esque hook ends up looping in your head as you go about your day. - J.vienberg

@ninaprotocol

Jul 11, 2025