Superchunk Really has Arrived

New Music this Week!
Someone You Should Know
by Julie Stoller

Boston Date this week!
Tue 9/21/10 at Royale

What a great time to be a ‘90s hipster. Bands who were in their heyday at that time - Pavement, Guided by Voices, Teenage Fanclub, Swans – all seem to be touring this year. The latest in this wave of really cool bands of yore is the powerhouse foursome from Chapel Hill, North Carolina - Superchunk.


Loved by many and highly regarded for sticking to their indie roots, Superchunk released their first three albums on Matador Records, despite interest from the majors after their debut. When Matador decided to partner with Atlantic Records for distribution, they moved to their own label (founded by Mac McCaughan and Laura Ballance), the now legendary Merge Records. DIY at its finest. They were at the center of a raging Chapel Hill music scene (Squirrel Nut Zippers, Ben Folds Five, Archers of Loaf), and in addition to putting out their own classics like Here’s Where the Strings Come In (recorded at Boston’s Fort Apache Studios) and Come Pick Me Up, Merge was also home to many notable artists, among them McCaughan’s Portastatic, Neutral Milk Hotel, Conor Oberst, Arcade Fire, and The Magnetic Fields.


Both pretty and powerful, striking a nice balance between ear-catching melodies and punk explosion, Superchunk’s music has an urgency and a vibrancy that gets the adrenaline going, propelled by McCaughan’s high-pitched, exuberant vocals. They’ve just released their 9th album, Majesty Shredding, their first full-length release since 2001’s Here’s To Shutting Up. If “Digging For Something” is any indication, they haven’t lost any of their youthful power. As they haven’t been in Boston since 2001, here’s a chance to relive some of that exciting past, and celebrate a true indie band as they scream into the future.

At Royale on Tuesday, Superchunk will be performing with fellow Merge Records band Versus, who recently released On the Ones and Threes, their first album in ten years. Tickets are still available online.

Superchunk
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