Nada Surf

They may not look the sort but Nada Surf are a gritty band that haven’t let cries of "one hit wonder,” being dropped from a major and soundtracking schmaltzy teen dramas affect their cred or music. Lucky looks to continue the impressive run they began with 2002’s Let Go and, unsurprisingly, it fulfils its promise. But their fifth full-length doesn’t provide the instant gratification of its two predecessors. Matthew Caws’ songwriting chops have taken a slight dip and require a little more attention than previous triumphs of immediacy like "Always Love” and "Blonde On Blonde.” There aren’t as many standouts this time but Lucky delivers as a whole, stringing together subtler moments like the country-ish bounce of "Here Goes Something” and the most likely of sing-alongs, "I Like What You Say.” A grower, sure, but Nada Surf’s quixotic product has always assured us that they’ll come out on top in the end.