Nada Surf: The Dulcitone Files EP

Nada Surf: The Dulcitone Files EP
Nada Surf struggles and ultimately fails to stay relevant on their latest release, The Dulcitone Files. There’s no cause for concern though because the band has led something of a charmed career. Discovered by Ric Ocasek, Nada Surf landed a recording deal during alternative’s heyday back in ’96 which produced the single they’re still best known for today, “Popular.”
I don’t mean to insult their early records, but amongst the glut of rock groups during the mid-nineties it’s easy to understand why the band was largely forgotten. Add the lack of a single to either match or surpass the… well popularity of “Popular,” on their second commercial release, combined with a legal battle with Elektra which prevented any additional material from being released until the auties, bla bla bla… I’ve already wasted too much time on Nada Surf’s discog but I’m trying desperately to avoid reviewing this record.
It’s bad. We are busy people, you and I, and the five mid-tempo acoustic tracks on The Dulcitone Files doesn’t warrant our attention. The musicianship is neither catchy nor particularly inspired, the lyrics can be described in the same words a film pimp would use towards his prose, (basically trifling,) and the format is more appropriate for a new musician trying to break ground and at least put something out there on a limited revenue stream than an act that’s been in the business for over twenty years.
With a release like The Dulcitone Files, (by the way, could they have come up with a more convoluted title for an EP?) it’s time Nada Surf thank the rock gods for at least being one hit wonders, pick up their royalty checks from “Popular,” and laugh all the way to the bank as opposed to the studio. There are a lot of good acts putting out solid releases right now. And I’d rather point you towards any of them, or else encourage you to do your homework on some of the lesser known groups playing the festivals your readying yourself for this summer.
Rating: 2.2/10
MP3: Nada Surf “The Future”
Buy: iTunes