Majesty Shredding
Artist: Superchunk
Label: Merge
Time: 11 tracks/42 minutes

There is a definite trend lately among bands that had their heyday in the 90’s to record a new album or go on tour or both.  I think the Pixies jumpstarted it, and they’ve been followed by indie rock luminaries like Pavement, the Vaselines, and Sunny Day Real Estate.  Now Superchunk gets in on the action with their first release in nine years, Majesty Shredding.

I think the big question any Superchunk fan will ask is which version of the band is playing on this record?  The band’s last three releases were okay, but they seemed to lack the energy and passion that Superchunk has always been known for.  I know most fans are hoping for the Superchunk that turned in the one-two punch of Foolish  and Here’s Where the Strings Come In, and I’m happy to say that the long break has been good for the band, for they are back in fine form here.

The record kicks off with “Digging for Something,” a blast of pop punk bliss that will send you off playing air guitar or drums, depending on your instrument of choice.  It took me a few minutes to get to the rest of the record, because I kept playing this song over and over, relishing its perfection.  In addition to this one, the record is full of rockers such as “Crossed Wires,” “Slow Drip,” and “Learned to Surf.”  These songs carry on the traditional Superchunk sound from its earlier days, but those that loved the melancholy dirge rockers that Mac McCaughan penned for Foolish are also rewarded with tracks like “Rosemarie” and “Fractures in Plaster.”  The band doesn’t break any ground artistically here, but they do give their fans another collection of pop punk gems to cherish and rock out to.

To put it bluntly, this is a very good record from a band doing what it does best.  Listening to Majesty Shredding is a lot like receiving a visit from an old friend you haven’t seen in years.  They haven’t changed a bit, but that’s okay, because you loved who they were to begin with.

Eric Landfried 11/04/10