Record Store Day 2011 may have pushed the holiday to the point of oversaturation, but at least indie rock act Nada Surf has stayed true to the day's tenants–for two years in a row, the group has offered a limited edition, unique release of quality tunes. Last year saw the release of a covers album, If I Had a Hi-Fi; this year brings The Moon Is Calling, a two-track seven-inch previewing the group's eventual seventh album.

Nada Surf's discography can be summed up with two songs: "Popular", the group's grunge guide to dating, and "Happy Kid", one of the band's first tracks released after their indie rock makeover. Nada Surf has slowly built up a reputation thanks to beautifully melancholy songs like "Happy Kid" that eclipses the one-hit wonder status of "Popular", but it also means the group has rarely deviated from this formula on Let Go (2002), The Weight Is a Gift (2005), Lucky (2008) or Hi-Fi. The Moon Is Calling continues that soft rock trend.

But hey, the guys have a winning formula, and both songs sound pleasant. "The Moon Is Calling" packs an agreeable chorus and moves along nicely. "You're Going to Miss the Wood" is slightly surprising, if only for the propulsive 16th note beat provided by drummer Ira Elliot. This song actually has some bite to it, thanks mostly to the urgent way Elliot beats his kit.

Whether or not "Wood" reflects the upcoming full-length is unforeseeable. Not to bury the lead, but Moon can be summed up thusly: Nada Surf still sounds Nada Surfy.