DeViCom CD-Review: Nada Surf

Containing tracks originally recorded for an LP that was never released, Karmic has a couple of good moments, reflecting the tail end of early-'90s alterna-rock, but shows little of the confident band Nada Surf later became. The EP opens with "Telescope," which shows some promising guitar texture underneath a solid melody. "Sea Knows When" is vaguely influenced by Urge Overkill and R.E.M., but holds little of interest as a complete song. Similarly, "Everybody Lies" lacks any real direction melodically, but is saved by a great bass line and some nice organ. "Treehouse" picks things up with a high-energy riff and seems to be the connecting force of the EP, finding the early Nada Surf taking elements of Pavement in an extremely pop direction. But while the closer, "Nothing," sounds like it might be great live, it suffers from some flat recording.