In interviews, Superchunk’s Mac McCaughan has said that I Hate Music‘s title is about coming to terms with music’s limits in the face of adult concerns like death and loss. But just like on 2010’s masterful Majesty Shredding, Superchunk’s way of communicating that sobering message is with some of the most joyous, life-affirming power pop imaginable. Full of instantly hummable melodies that feel like old friends, and lyrics that flirt with nostalgia while avoiding its pitfalls, I Hate Music‘s care and craft never once sounds complicated. Superchunk makes its particular brand of awesomeness sound near-effortless.
This article appears in Sep 5-11, 2013.