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at a glance...
Hometown: Chapel Hill, NC
Year Formed: 1989
Members:
Jim Wurster -vocals, drums, percussion
Mac McCaughan -vocals, guitar, keyboards
Jim Wilbur -vocals, guitar
Laura Ballance -vocals, bass guitar
Guest Musicians:
Fred Lonberg-Holm -cello
Suzanne Roberts -violin
Ken Vandermark -saxophone
Bob Weston -trumpet
Jeb Bishop -trombone
Chad Nelson, Chris Manfrin -handclaps
Jim O'Rourke -vocals
Bands In The Family:
Humidifier, American Cousins, Spent, Glen Echo, Pee Wee Fist
Notes:
These guys have been playing "lo-fi indie rock" for so long that the term has become passe. Formed in 1989 in Chapel Hill, NC by Mac McCaughan (vocals and guitar), Laura Ballance (vocals and bass), Chuck Garrison (drums) and Jack McCook (guitar), the band has since enjoyed moderate commercial success and vast critical acclaim. After the band had released some singles on the McCaughan-run Merge Records in 1990, Matador put out debut LP Superchunk. McCook left the band after the release of the first album and James Wilbur was brought on to take McCook's place. Just prior to the release of the Steve Albini-produced No Pocky For Kitty (Matador) in 1991, Garrison left the band and was replaced by Jon Wurster. After finishing 1995's Here's Where the Strings Come In (Merge), Superchunk played the second stage at Lollapalooza with Beck, Pavement, the Jesus Lizard, Cypress Hill, Hole, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones and Sonic Youth. According to the Merge records website, the songs for Indoor Living (Merge) had to pass muster on a vintage steam organ before they could make the album, quite possibly a first for an album not made by Liberace. Now Come Pick Me Up (Merge) adds more musical complexity to consistently emotive and cathartic songs. In 1999 Merge Records re-released all of the albums originally released by Matador.
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Superchunk
Come Pick Me Up
Merge, Released 1999
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Vent your spleen children, it's the only way you are gonna keep yourself from going crazy. That's my credo, anyway. Maybe that's why it's always been so easy for me to listen to Superchunk's music. Now, with their latest offering, Come Pick Me Up, they throw me a curveball, and like Johnny Bench getting his knees wobbled by a Tom Seaver bender, I can only look up and say, "Nice pitch."
Where previous Superchunk albums like Foolish, Here's Where the Strings Come In and No Pocky For Kitty churn along like musical Insinkarators, Come Pick Me Up slows down the tempo a little bit, and perfects the blend of musical harmony and sweetness that songs like "Like A Fool" hinted at.
Produced by Jim O'Rourke and featuring eight guest musicians - including a brass section, a set of strings and two hand clappers -- the album's songs are brighter in quality and texture than anything Superchunk has done before. The sound is clean and fresh. Guitar parts are tight and well placed. Most importantly, you can understand what Mac McCaughan is saying because he's not screaming the whole time.
Have they abandoned punk rock aggression? Not really - but this album is more focused on understanding emotions and coping with maturity. Superchunk's lyrics are still about release and coping with frustration, but the tone has gotten sweeter. But rather than detract from Superchunk's original appeal -- raw emotion - this new approach allows the emotions to develop and open up more effectively.
Songs like "So Convinced," "Hello Hawk," "Pink Clouds," "Smarter Hearts" and "You Can Count on Me (in the Worst Way)" play like classically arranged pop tunes, minus the sappy lyrics and bland, top 40 non-feelings. Instead, these songs, easily the mellowest of the bunch, convey a pensiveness that flows into the ear instead of bludgeoning the senses.
Is this Superchunk's most polished album? Yes. Is it their best? Arguably so.
If you like Superchunk, check out:
Superchunk On The Mouth
Superchunk Foolish
Sonic Youth Goo
Pavement Slanted and Enchanted
--Sean Neumann
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