Wow, this album is so awesome and one of the best albums I have ever listened to. I learned of Nada Surf from their mid-90's radio hits "Popular" and "Treehouse" from the album High-Low. About 8 years went by where I totally forgot about the band, but then when I was in my downloading of 90's hits craze almost two years ago, I downloaded the songs "Popular" and "Treehouse," eventually followed by "The Plan" and "Stalemate" which were secondary hits of theirs. Soon, I was addicted and got as much of Nada Surf's stuff I could. Once I heard this album, I couldn't beleive how great it was. I read many reviews in the media that this album was their lowest selling and biggest dissapointment. WHAT THE HELL? That shows you how ignorant the media is because all they listen for is mainstream garbage. If you want to hear radio hits get High-Low because this album is much more unique and has such a variety.

The first song, "Hyperspace" is a great and catchy song and a good start to the album. It is really unlike their previous stuff in the sense that it is more indie sounding. It is not the best song on the album, but it is still a supurb song. The second track, "Amateur" is the self-proclaimed "single" from the album. I beleive this song got some radio play in the UK. It is a cool song with a really cool chorus and has a cool temp change near the middle. The third track, "80 Windows" is definitly one of the best on the album. It is a softer song with the greatest lyrics; it has so much meaning to it. The fourth song, "Mother's Day" is also one of my favorites and one of the heavier songs on the album. It is more of a comic song than serious and the ending is really funny (Blue balls and all that bull****, blue balls and all that bull****!). The 5th song, "Troublemaker" is a very unique song. When I first heard the album I never gave this song a chance at all. However, I actually listened to it and the more I did the more it grew on me. It is one of the most emotional songs I have ever heard and has a great tune and probably the 2nd best on the album. Now track six, "Bacardi" is by far the best song on the album and one of the best songs I have ever heard from any band. I go against everything I believe (my belief that nothing is perfect) by giving "Bacardi" a 10/10, but it is just that good! It is so heavy, has wicked bass guitar, and a major temp change towards the end. It is about the after-effects of partying, something I can definitly relate to. It is such a feel good song that gets you pumped up as hell. The seventh track, "Bad Best Friend" is another really good song, but is probably the least good song on the CD. It has more of a poppy tune and the lyrics aren't something I relate with. The eighth song, "Dispossession" is a song that was one of my favorites when I first heard the album, but was surpassed by almost all of the other songs. It is a good heavy song with an interesting chorus. Moving on, "The Voices" is one of my favorite tracks. It just has an all around good melody. "Firecracker," track ten, is also one of the best songs on the album. It is the only song on the album Nada Surf made a video for (I think) and I think it was also a single from the album. The song definitly makes sense and I can relate to it. "Slow Down," the next song is probably the most underestimated song on the album. When I first heard it, I didn't like it that much. But, WOW, is it good. Another one of the best songs on the album (notice a pattern?). The following song and track twelve, "Robot" is the original last song of the original release of the album. The lyrics are quite interesting and it has a real nice tune. It is also the longest track on the album. This version is much better than the less heavy version on North 6th Street. The final two tracks are two songs that were included on the re-release of the album in the U.S. "Silent Fighting," track thirteen, is an old b-side (from the High-Low era) which has not been re-recorded. It is a great song though with a really catch meldoy. I also really like the lyrics. The final track "Spooky" is so freaking awesome. The original version of this song was later released on North 6th Street and isn't as good. This version, however, is really cool and some of the lyrics have been changed up. I beleive this track was a b-side to this album. Anyways, this album is definitly one that should be picked up by anyone who just likes good music. I could see people who are into punk to soft slow alternative getting into this album.

...Appartantly it did get released in Australia, but it was hard to find in New Zealand, where I'm from...There is not a bad track from start to finish (I have the 13 track version, with no bonus tracks). The album kicks off with the singalongable "hyperspace", and if this song doesn't make you feel good then I'd say you need councilling. Next comes "amatuer", a very positive song that might even make the more sentimental listener cry with it's soaring chorus "I know I'm just an amatuer, but I gotta try". Other highlights include "Mother's Day" an absolutely brillant and chilling song about the world's hatred of rapists. "80 Windows" is a beautiful account of a lonely man in a lonely world of his own creation. The album closes with two brilliant, emotional songs. Slow down has one of the catchiest verses that I've heard in a long time, and Robot, well, you have to listen to it to believe it. Nuff said, this is an awesome album from a little known band, let's hope they get the success they deserve.

There is really no word to describe this cd's excellence, so I chose fantabulous, as in fanstastic and fabulous. I admit I had only known Nada Surf from "popular" and didn't really like it, but recently my friend had played this cd and I can't get enough of it. If you are even wasting your time reading this review, you obviously have some interest in Nada Surf, so I say to you sir: stop wasting your time and get out your wallet. The only problem is finding the damn album at stores, NO ONE here in colorado seems to have it. Thank god for amazon.

Back in 1995 I heard popular by Nada Surf on the radio. I thought the band sounded great. Almost six years later I saw them on Napster reconized the name, and downloaded hyperspace. The very next day I bought their new CD "The Proximity Effect" with average expectations. Since then the CD has not left the CD player in my truck, and is probably the most underated CD's and bands I've ever come across. Number 1 hyperspace is unbelivable, number 2, Amatuer, my favorite song on the CD is one of my favorite songs ever. Along with these 80 windows is great, Mothers Day is a more up tempo catchy and serious rock song, Troublemaker, number 5, is my second favorite song on this CD - from there they are all great, escially when you get to Robot towards the end. Overall, with not one bad song on the whole CD, Nada Surf put out what I would consider one of the top five albums ever (Weezer taking spots one through 3, then the Ataris). Take a chance and buy the CD, it really is unbelivable.

Every now and then I look at my album collection and think, "That's it! I can't imagine ever listening to a new album that is better than what I've got". I was thinking this before I got the proximity effect, it proves how wrong you can be! I always thought Nada Surf were OK, but this album knocked me for six, the songs are amazing, they play with passion AND are subtle. 80 windows and Robot have to be two of the greatest songs I've ever heard. Whilst Nada Surf deal with touchy subjects, they never do so in a tacky or overstated way. Now I have to wonder if I'll ever hear anything that tops this.