Just as virtually every review of Beck's Odelay began by mentioning "Loser," so, too, must this review address Nada Surf's MTV hit, "Popular," from their 1996 debut, High/Low. Of course, Beck's Mellow Gold was a much more promising debut, and he's since recorded five mostly outstanding records that have more than disproved the one-hit wonder status initially bestowed upon him. Nada Surf, on the other hand, have only made The Proximity Effect since their first record. Needless to say, their fate is still up in the air.

I remember the cheerleaders in the "Popular" video, but to be honest, I don't remember the song very well. I think the verses were talky, and then there was that catchy, ironic chorus, "I'm popular." I don't remember the rest of it. Kind of a King Missile-type thing. So, even as far as hits by sweater-wearers go, it wasn't nearly as memorable as "Loser."

Nada Surf actually completed The Proximity Effect in 1998, whereupon it was released in Europe, supposedly "selling briskly and garnering critical acclaim" (this according to the press release; I guess I'll take their word for it). But their U.S. label, Elektra, couldn't pinpoint an obvious single on the album, so they chose not to release it. Nada Surf eventually regained the rights and have now released it on Mardev, their new, self-owned label.

The Proximity Effect opens interestingly enough, with a guitar somehow manipulated to resemble bagpipes, and quick drums like a skipped heartbeat. But "Hyperspace" quickly delves into uninspired driving pop-rock à la the Foo Fighters. Aside from the notes in his higher register, which sound like Brian Wilson on speed (rather than on, say, anti-depressants), singer/guitarist Matthew Caws' voice is pretty unexceptional. Think Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, but with limited inflection and without defining characteristics-- a particularly apt comparison given that most of Nada Surf's music recalls Weezer's early work.

The following number, "Amateur," is one such song that makes it impossible to ignore the Weezer influence. With decent hooks and spontaneous drums, Nada Surf seals the comparison with self-doubting lyrics that scream, "Hey, look at me-- I'm ironic and messed up!" Delivering his lines in a cavalier, "Buddy Holly" sort of way, Caws sings, "You said I should get professional help/ It always makes me cry/ I know I'm just an amateur/ But I've gotta try."

"80 Windows" is another track with great potential. Relying on a slower, more reflective mood, the song glides along like a pick-up on a country road. It's pleasant enough until Caws delivers the central lines, "The moon is closer to the sun than I am to anyone." When I first heard this, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. In a bad way.

The same problems plague the rest of the album. "Bacardi" is another decent, introspective number, but it's about someone getting drunk on Bacardi and watching "The Late Show." Employing handclaps to encourage the listener, "Bad Best Friend" would have a certain sing-along quality if... well, just look at the title, for Christ's sake! And snatching its opening riff from Nirvana's "Stay Away," "Dispossession" features addictive, manipulated background vocals that give the song an interstellar, searing quality. But without being clever or intentionally funny, Caws talks (not sings: remember "Popular?") about leaving behind his coat and belt and not wanting them back.

Weezer are a prime example of how maudlin and ironic pop music can move a music snob to dance and mope without guilt. And while not as sharp, curvy, or ensnaring as Weezer's, Nada Surf's hooks would suffice if not for unavoidably sub-par lyrics. They wear their hearts on their sleeves while also addressing the banality of human emotions and actions, but do so without the inventiveness to ensure that the songs will bounce around my head a week from now.

-Ryan Kearney