Intriguing much? Nada Surf is releasing an album of 12 covers of their favorite songs, titled if i had a hi-fi. The songs are all over the place genre-wise, including blues, spanish music, power-pop, and everything in between.
Although a great deal of thought went into the song selections, the band’s intent is not to make an overarching musical statement. Singer-guitarist Matthew Caws says, “We really just wanted to do it organically, whatever we felt like covering in the moment, rather than trying to sum up our influences or something. It’s whatever we were excited about in the months before making it. And I think we got to everything we wanted to.”
The news comes as a bit of a surprise considering they were looking to take some time off after an extensive tour for their 2008 album Lucky. Nada Surf aren’t strangers to this whole “covers” thing – their version of “If You Leave” (originally by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) garnered plenty of publicity.
Nada Surf – “If You Leave” (OMD Cover) [MP3] (not on if i had a hi-fi)
A pretty monstrous tour is lined up for the guys as well, and the only way to get the physical album (initially) is by attending one of the shows. You can pre-order tickets here, starting January 6. Dates after the jump (NYC and D.C. are both listed!).
2010 Tour Dates:
MARCH
25 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom (“Let Go”)
26 – Brooklyn, NY – Bell House (“The Weight is a Gift”)
27 – Brooklyn, NY – Music Hall of Williamsburg (“Lucky”)
29 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace
30 – Montreal, QC – Cabaret du Musee Juste Pour
31 – Northampton, MA – Pearl Street
APRIL
01 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
02 – Washington, DC – 9:30 Club
03 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club
13 – London, UK – ICA
15 – France – Printemps de Bourges Festival
17 – France – Strasbourg Artefact Festival
18 – Utrecht, Holland – Tivoli De Helling
19 – Brussels, Belgium – Botanique
20 – Cologne, Germany – Gloria
21 – Lausanne, Switzerland – D! Club
23 – Zurich, Switzerland – Abart
24 – Vienna, Austria – WUK
25 – Prague, Czech Republic – Lucerna Music Bar
26 – Berlin, Germany – Lido
27 – Hamburg, Germany – Knust
28 – Paris, France – Trabendo
29 – Madrid, Spain – Joy Eslava
30 – Murcia, Spain – Estrella Levante SOS 4.8 Festival
MAY
01 – Galicia, Spain – Villagarcia de arosa
15 – Longirod, Switzerland – Long’l’rock Festival
24 – Solana Beach, CA – Belly Up Tavern
25 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubadour
27 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
29 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom