I Hate Music, by Superchunk

In 2010, Superchunk came back from an "extended hiatus" with the aptly titled Majesty Shredding. Now, after a three-year hiatus, the Chapel Hill fearsome foursome returns with I Hate Music.

Apparently the hatred of music sounds something like a cross between a late ’90s Superchunk album and lead songwriter Mac McCaughan's side-project, Portastatic. For the most part, Hate is a melodic-rock outing not far-removed from recent releases by the likes of Fountains of Wayne and Teenage Fanclub. Great company, for sure, but the edges seem a bit too smoothed out for the ’Chunk. While Majesty Shredding songs such as "My Gap Feels Weird" and "Learned to Surf" roared with the classic, hyper-active energy of No Pocky For Kitty, Hate is a much more subdued affair. Believe it or not, the mid-tempo numbers on here steal the show from the rockers, which seem somewhat forced this time around.

If you're a fan, there's still plenty to make you smile on this release, though. After a mellow start, opener "Overflows" blossoms into a full-fledged anthem that ranks with the band's best work, while "Low F" and "Breaking Down" both sneak in just enough crunch to feel like On the Mouth leftovers.

Album: I Hate Music
Artist: Superchunk
Label: Merge
Songs: (1) Overflows (2) Me & You & Jackie Mittoo (3) Void (4) Staying Home (5) Low F (6) Trees of Barcelona (7) Breaking Down (8) Out of the Sun (9) Your Theme (10) FOH (11) What Can We Do