Superchunk has been a fixture in the indie-rock scene for almost two decades. The release of Majesty Shredding ends their longest hiatus yet, nearly a full half of their existence.
Any worries that they were sitting idle for those nine years are thankfully unfounded. Their latest LP is a collection of highly polished, infectious music from a band at the height of their songwriting abilities, not one that is creatively exhausted.
Nearly every track is a testament to Superchunk’s ability to string together hook after hook, whether it be through the searing guitars or anthemic choruses—or sometimes multiple layers of each at once. Majesty Shredding is a throwback to the golden days of punk rock: an exercise in organized chaos with countless ideas, instruments and riffs running furiously through each song. Yet Superchunk effortlessly blazes through their music with a swagger that permeates the entire record, showing their experience and confidence.
The resulting effect is a series of frenetic tracks that leaves the listener with little time to take a breath. This unending energy and momentum ends up being both their strongest point and biggest flaw, as songs sometimes blend together without making lasting impressions. In fact, the most powerful and memorable tracks are stacked near the beginning, especially opener “Digging For Something” and the catchy “Crossed Wires.”
But even if Majesty Shredding seems to race through at breakneck speeds, it still proves one major point: Superchunk is hardly ready to call it quits.
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