Album: What a Time to Be Alive
Artist: Superchunk
Release Date: 2018 February 16
Favorite Tracks:
- “What a Time to Be Alive”
- “Reagan Youth”
- “Break the Glass”
Thoughts:
Superchunk is a band I’ve been aware of since the 1990s, but never got around to listening to them. When I heard positive reviews of their new album full of protest music, I decided I should check it out. The sound is clearly very 90s, jangly indie-pop, which is good if you like that style and are feeling nostalgic, not so much if you like hearing musical styles grow and evolve. The album is short, the band is tight and the lyrics are pointed, making it both breezy and angry. Superchunk is at it’s best on a track like “Reagan Youth,” both a tribute to the 80s punk band and a recognition of what’s become of the youth who grew up under Reagan. Maybe not the great protest album of our time, but definitely worth a listen.
Rating: ***
Panorama of the Mountains 