I’m Working For Me…
I discovered Superchunk at a time when anything and everything I purchased from Matador Records was a winning move. Pavement’s Slanted and Enchanted, Railroad Jerk’s Self-Titled, Bettie Serveert’s Palomine, and Superchunk’s 1990 debut full-length, an irreverent sonic bomb brimming with a manic electricity unheard since England’s Buzzcocks. The rightful reason Superchunk’s debut has remained an important touchstone in the history of Underground Rock was it’s single “Slack Motherfucker”. At this time, the term Slacker conjured images of Richard Linklater’s indie film of Austin Eccentrics alongside Ethan Hawke’s sly, Reality Bitten goatee. What Superchunk Singer-Guitarist Mac McCaughan added to the Slacker connotation was some enthusiastic swearing launched over a mess of tangled guitar strings. And so began a career for four young folks from North Carolina, that now sees the band reforming in their twentieth year, releasing an excellent EP, and performing at Coachella.
The most enduring Superchunk line-up has featured de-facto leader McCaughan, Laura Ballance (Bass), Jim Wilbur (Guitar), and Jon Wurster (Drums). The band proceeded to issue albums through the Matador Records imprint but gradually saw Merge Records, the label that Mac and Laura had started, begin to evolve into something far bigger than its humble start. In 1995 the band began putting out music on Merge, and continued to do so until taking an ‘extended’ hiatus in the early 2000’s. ‘No band’ still meant busy times for Mac and Laura as Merge, thanks to successful acts Spoon and Arcade Fire, had grown into one of the worlds most successful independent record labels.
Superchunk’s Learned To Surf EP is a short, sweet summation of the band’s best sounds. The hooks are myriad in number, soaring volume and energy rife with crashing power chords and frosted by seething feedback. It is hard to say where this one falls compared to all the great music Superchunk has produced through the years - but it is very clear, this small set of songs is certainly as good as anything the band has done.
Note: I included Superchunk’s cover of Sebadoh’s “Brand New Love” as it was this very song that led me to Lou Barlow’s beautiful songwriting. “Learned To Surf” is acoustic and exists on the EP as this version and a full-band electric offering.
Superchunk - Brand New Love (Sebadoh Cover)
Superchunk - Learned To Surf (Acoustic)
