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While I listen to that Supreme Clientele 2 that\u2019s out now by Ghostface Killah, I figured I\u2019d offer up reviews by a couple of artists here as well. Cheers!<\/em><\/p>\n You think back to a band\u2019s debut or a song that defined it, and that\u2019s when reality hits you right in the head. \u201cSlack Motherfucker\u201d was 35 years ago, but everyone bounced to it when the band kicked out the proverbial jam. The song was off the band\u2019s debut self-titled album, released back in 1990. It\u2019s safe to say we\u2019re living in a time when coining new words or phrases is acceptable, so yes, North Carolina\u2019s Superchunk<\/strong> just might fit the bill of Classic Indie Rock. With certainty, a list will probably form soon.<\/p>\n While the band has survived the test of time alone, its membership has shifted, which many may not have expected, but then again, they did. Longtime drummer Jon Wurster exited the band back in 2023. However, you can still find him on Instagram sharing memes (but he continues drumming, contributing to Bob Mould\u2019s fantastic Here We Go Crazy<\/em>, and has also worked with The Mountain Goats, Robert Pollard, and many others.) Enough of that though, this is about Superchunk, who jump back in the fray with its new Songs In the Key Of Yikes<\/em><\/strong> (Merge Records) after 2022\u2019s Wild Lonliness<\/em>. Alongside Mac McCaughan, Laura Balance, and Jim Wilbur since\u00a0 2023 is Laura King, filling out drums and backing vocals. With the new album, Superchunk seems to do what it does best after decades of honing its songwriting skills.<\/p>\n Throughout the new album, we get furious melodies and pop hooks, literally from beginning to end. It starts with \u201cIs It Making You Feel Something,\u201d which delivers everything tenfold as the band\u2019s control efforts are relentless, as Mac\u2019s signature vocal whine captures the essence of it all. Mind you, it isn\u2019t a diss, it\u2019s just a fact. While he\u2019s never had the perfect voice, he\u2019s utilized it to his and the band\u2019s advantage. The melodies are furious as I mentioned, and it\u2019s turned up on the frenzied \u201cBruised Lung\u201d where guitars roll all around the rhythm, and Mac, well, his voice is perfectly nestled within the mix, and you might tend to hear something new every time you listen to it. The song is dynamic and probably one of the best songs ever written, recorded, and performed!<\/p>\n Superchunk has rarely ever tripped up as far as songwriting goes, allowing songs to breathe and take on a life of their own. \u201cClimb The Walls\u201d is a good example as instruments walk briskly along musical sidewalks clear of debris, churning out some thick riffs atop rhythms that are friendly & easy going, with a closing occasional guitar solo. It\u2019s a maturation of sound & skill. Even the quieter moments like \u201cCue\u201d are completely unassuming, but with a melody that\u2019s quick to reel you in. It\u2019s a slow build, but when it happens, the rhythm doesn\u2019t change; it charms us all, never relinquishing its grasp. Now with \u201cEverybody Dies,\u201d I\u2019m reminded that music isn\u2019t always what it might seem, and with its upbeat rhythm, distorted guitars, and chewy melody, it\u2019s offset by Mac\u2019s lyric,s which are darkly hued. In his story here, yeah, everybody dies.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to succumb to Superchunk and its clever use of melody with Mac at the helm, and on Songs In the Key Of Yikes<\/em>, which will never be confused with Stevie Wonder\u2019s album of a, um, similar name, is a laid-back, punchy power grab that moves with ease. Come on, Superchunk doesn\u2019t always need to move at a pace filled with fervor; the band knows how to write songs that will capture your attention at every turn. While I\u2019m always in for the chaos, there\u2019s no mayhem here, just beauty.<\/p>\nSUPERCHUNK \u2013 SONGS IN THE KEY OF YIKES<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n