(Photo Credit - Annie Dressner)
Advance Review - Nada Surf: Never Not Together (February 7, 2020)
No secret here, but I've been an unabashed Nada Surf fanatic for years. They have consistently been in my top listened to artists on Spotify for years, I've seen them live and screamed every word to every song they played, and I own almost all of their albums on vinyl. So when Never Not Together was announced, needless to say, I was excited.
The album is chock full of vintage Nada Surf bangers like "So Much Love", "Come Get Me", and "Looking for You". I knew based off the strength of the three single releases "So Much Love", "Looking for You", and "Something I Should Do" that the album was going to be strong. After having listened to the entire thing, that assumption wasn't wrong.
Never Not Together is highly melodic with dynamic vocals from vocalist/guitarist Matthew Caws. Additionally, the rhythms are downright captivating, locking you in with their slightly distorted guitars, fantastic bass work, and great percussion. The album also includes some of the traditional low-key tracks that Nada Surf is known for, such as "Just Wait" and "Crowded Star". That's what I've always loved about this band, is their ability to kick it up when necessary and drop you down at just the right moment as well. Caws and company close out the record with a couple of dynamic tracks in "Mathilda" and "Ride in the Unknown".
My only criticism of the album would be that I wish there was more, as the album comes in at only nine tracks. That aside, I've been reckoning with where the album ranks among Nada Surf's other work. I'm sure as it ages it will take it's place among the band's very best (and that's not said lightly). Most of all, what Never Not Together shows is that Nada Surf, a band that's been together since 1990 still has the mettle to put out dynamic work. You're going to want to get your hands on this one, it's a winner.
Rating - 5/5
NADA SURF
WORLD TOUR 2020
JANUARY
14 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theatre
15 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge (SOLD OUT)
17 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
18 – San Diego, CA – Casbah (SOLD OUT)
19 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubadour (SOLD OUT)
20 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubadour
22 – Phoenix, AZ – The Crescent Ballroom
24 – Austin, TX – The Mohawk
25 – Dallas, TX – The Kessler Theater
27 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
28 – Charlottesville, VA – Southern Café & Music Hall
29 – Washington, DC – The Black Cat
30 – Philadelphia, PA – World Café Live
31 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg
FEBRUARY
1 – Cambridge, MA – The Sinclair (SOLD OUT)
2 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
25 – Cambridge, UK – J2
26 - Lille, FR - Le Splendid
27 – Cologne, DE – Live Music Hall
28 - Strasbourg, FR - La Laiterie
29 - Rennes, FR - Le MeM
MARCH
2 - Lyon, FR - Le Transbordeur
3 - Tolouse, FR - Le Bikini
4 – Valencia, ES – Sala Moon
5 – Murcia, ES – Sala REM
6 – Madrid, ES – La Riviera
7 – Bilbao, ES – Antxokia
8 – Pamplona, ES – Zentral
9 – Mérignac, FR - Le Krakatoa
11 - Paris, FR - La Cigale
12 – London, UK – Electric Ballroom
13 – Manchester, UK – Academy 3
14 – Dublin, IE – Button Factory
15 – Glasgow, UK – St Luke’s
APRIL
1 – Amsterdam, NL – Paradiso
2 – Brussels, BE – Orangerie Botanique
3 – Hannover, DE – Swiss Life Hall *
4 – Leipzig, DE – Haus Auensee *
5 – Vienna, AT – Arena
6 – Stuttgart, DE – Wizemann
7 – Milan, IT – Santeria Toscana
8 – Zurich, CH – Dynamo
9 – Munich, DE – Mufatthalle
10 – Berlin, DE – Columbiahalle *
11 – Berlin, DE – Metropol
12 – Hamburg, DE – Fabrik
14 – Stockholm, SW – Nalen
15 – Oslo, NO – John Dee
16 – Copenhagen, DK – Vega
17 – Bremen, DK – Pier 2 *
18 – Dortmund, DE – Warsteiner Music Hall *
MAY
21 – Toronto, ON – Horseshoe Tavern
22 – Montreal, QC – Cafe Campus
23 – South Burlington, VT – Higher Ground Ballroom
24 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall
25 – Portland, ME – Port City Music Hall
26 – Northampton, MA – Iron Horse Music Hall
27 – Fairfield, CT – The Warehouse
29 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Small’s
30 – Cleveland, OH – Grog Shop
JUNE
2 – St. Louis, MO – Old Rock House
3 – Maquoketa, IA – Codfish Hollow Barn
4 – Minneapolis, MN – Fine Line
5 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
6 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Pyramid Scheme
7 – Detroit, MI – The Magic Bag
JULY
13 – Aix-les-bains, FR – Festival Musilac #
* Die Perfektion Tour w/Madsen
# FESTIVAL APPEARANCE