The Atlanta Journal, November 20, 1995

Superchunk:  Cathartic and bittersweet

BYLINE: Staff reports;
Sonia Murray, staff writer

BODY:

If the reigning notion of what a successful, Southern college-town band
should sound like is Hootie & the Blowfish or the Dave Matthews Band, former
cult acts whose mellow, melodic vibes signify date-night frolic and hefty 
beer sales, then an outfit like  Superchunk  really is alternative rock. The 
foursome from Chapel Hill, N.C., which has released six albums on its own 
label, insists on a cathartic, buoyant but bittersweet sound grounded in 
crunchy power chords and anthemic squalls. Playing Friday for about 
1,000 fans at the Masquerade, Superchunk  reveled in the mesh of its twin 
guitars, and the rallying propulsion of its rhythm section, as vocalist 
Mac McCaughan pushed his thin vocal range above the din. Often as not, 
noise subsided into fragments of melody, while the singer re-enacted 
domestic turmoils: "Last year, last night/I'm tired, let's fight!" That's 
a world away from "I only wanna be with you."

Steve Dollar, staff writer