High/Low (album)

High/Low
Studio album by
Nada Surf
ReleasedJune 18, 1996[1]
RecordedDecember 1–20, 1995
StudioElectric Lady, New York City
GenreAlternative rock, power pop
Length36:31
LabelElektra
ProducerRic Ocasek
Nada Surf chronology
High/Low
(1996) 		The Proximity Effect
(1998)

High/Low is the debut studio album by the American band Nada Surf, released in 1996.[2][3] It contains the hit single "Popular".[4] High/Low was produced by Ric Ocasek.[5] Nada Surf supported it by touring with Superdrag and the Gravel Pit.[6]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Chicago Tribune[8]
Christgau's Consumer Guide(dud)[9]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[10]
Entertainment WeeklyB−[11]
Pitchfork7.4/10[12]

The Baltimore Sun noted that "there's an almost elegant austerity to the album's sound, but what ultimately brings the songs into focus is the band's ultra-efficient playing, which is so sparing you'd think the recording studio charged them by the note."[13] The Ottawa Citizen concluded that Nada Surf "may have been moulded by a superior studio presence, but the root of their sound, guitar-driven and heavy on the backbeat, speaks of an energy that was harnessed and focused, not manufactured."[14]

Track listing

All tracks written by Matthew Caws and Daniel Lorca, except where noted.

  1. "Deeper Well" – 3:55 - written by Caws, Lorca and Robert Randall
  2. "The Plan" – 4:31
  3. "Popular" – 3:48 - written by Caws, Lorca and Gloria Winters
  4. "Sleep" – 3:47
  5. "Stalemate" – 3:38
  6. "Treehouse" – 2:43
  7. "Icebox" – 3:17
  8. "Psychic Caramel" – 4:00
  9. "Hollywood" – 2:20
  10. "Zen Brain" – 4:28

Personnel

Nada Surf

Production

  • Bruce Calder – engineer, mixer
  • George Marino – mastering
  • Ric Ocasek – producer
  • Andy Salas – assistant engineer

Charts

Album

Year Chart Peak

position

1996 Billboard 200[15] 63

Singles

Year Song Chart Position
1996 "Popular" Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[16] 11

References

  1. ^ Borzillo, Carrie (August 10, 1996). "Elektra's Nada Surf Finds 'Popular'-ity". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 32. pp. 11, 76.
  2. ^ Blush, Steve (2016). New York Rock: From the Rise of the Velvet Underground to the Fall of CBGB. St. Martin's Publishing Group. p. 368.
  3. ^ Catlin, Roger (November 15, 1996). "Popularity Has Its Price for Nada Surf at Toad's". Hartford Courant. p. A4.
  4. ^ Sherr, Sara (July 19, 1996). "Superdrag/Nada Surf". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
  5. ^ Maples, Tina (August 16, 1996). "The rise of power-pop". Cue. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 4.
  6. ^ Dunn, Michael (July 25, 1996). "'Popular' trio rides the wave". Florida/Metro. The Tampa Tribune. p. 3.
  7. ^ "High/Low Review by Ned Raggett". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  8. ^ Kot, Greg (August 8, 1996). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. pp. E9B. ProQuest 2190270185.
  9. ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "Nada Surf: High/Low (Elektra '96)". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. p. 221. ISBN 0-312-24560-2 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ Larkin, Colin, ed. (2006). "Nada Surf". Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 6 (4th ed.). MUZE. pp. 106–107. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4 – via Internet Archive.
  11. ^ Browne, David (June 21, 1996). "High/Low". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
  12. ^ Schreiber, Ryan. "Nada Surf High/Low". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 23, 2001. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  13. ^ Considine, J. D. (July 25, 1996). "Nada Surf High/Low". Features. The Baltimore Sun. p. 8.
  14. ^ Blanchfield, Mike (August 24, 1996). "Nada Surf has bloodlines, sound to stay at high tide". The Ottawa Citizen. p. E3.
  15. ^ "The Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 34. August 24, 1996. p. 128.
  16. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Record Research. p. 173.