High/Low (album)
| High/Low | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
_cover_art.jpg) | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 18, 1996[1] | |||
| Recorded | December 1–20, 1995 | |||
| Studio | Electric Lady, New York City | |||
| Genre | Alternative rock, power pop | |||
| Length | 36:31 | |||
| Label | Elektra | |||
| Producer | Ric Ocasek | |||
| Nada Surf chronology | ||||
| ||||
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
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [7] |
| Chicago Tribune | [8] |
| Christgau's Consumer Guide |  [9] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [10] |
| Entertainment Weekly | B−[11] |
| Pitchfork | 7.4/10[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
[edit]All tracks written by Matthew Caws and Daniel Lorca, except where noted.
- "Deeper Well" – 3:55 - written by Caws, Lorca and Robert Randall
- "The Plan" – 4:31
- "Popular" – 3:48 - written by Caws, Lorca and Gloria Winters
- "Sleep" – 3:47
- "Stalemate" – 3:38
- "Treehouse" – 2:43
- "Icebox" – 3:17
- "Psychic Caramel" – 4:00
- "Hollywood" – 2:20
- "Zen Brain" – 4:28
Personnel
[edit]Nada Surf
Production
- Bruce Calder – engineer, mixer
- George Marino – mastering
- Ric Ocasek – producer
- Andy Salas – assistant engineer
Charts
[edit]Album
| Year | Chart | Peak
position |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Billboard 200[15] | 63 |
Singles
| Year | Song | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Popular" | Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[16] | 11 |
References
[edit]- ^ Borzillo, Carrie (August 10, 1996). "Elektra's Nada Surf Finds 'Popular'-ity". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 32. pp. 11, 76.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Catlin, Roger (November 15, 1996). "Popularity Has Its Price for Nada Surf at Toad's". Hartford Courant. p. A4.
- ^ Sherr, Sara (July 19, 1996). "Superdrag/Nada Surf". Features Weekend. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 15.
- ^ Maples, Tina (August 16, 1996). "The rise of power-pop". Cue. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. p. 4.
- ^ Dunn, Michael (July 25, 1996). "'Popular' trio rides the wave". Florida/Metro. The Tampa Tribune. p. 3.
- ^ "High/Low Review by Ned Raggett". AllMusic. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ Kot, Greg (August 8, 1996). "Recordings". Chicago Tribune. pp. E9B. ProQuest 2190270185.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Browne, David (June 21, 1996). "High/Low". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 3, 2024.
- ^ Schreiber, Ryan. "Nada Surf High/Low". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on November 23, 2001. Retrieved June 4, 2024.
- ^ Considine, J. D. (July 25, 1996). "Nada Surf High/Low". Features. The Baltimore Sun. p. 8.
- ^ Blanchfield, Mike (August 24, 1996). "Nada Surf has bloodlines, sound to stay at high tide". The Ottawa Citizen. p. E3.
- ^ "The Billboard 200". Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 34. August 24, 1996. p. 128.
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2008). Joel Whitburn Presents Rock Tracks 1981-2008. Record Research. p. 173.
