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Music

Superchunk

SUPERCHUNK opening for BROKEN ­SOCIAL SCENE at Sound Academy (11 Polson­), tonight (Thursday, December 9), 8 pm, all ages. $30. HS, RT, SS, TM. And acoustic in-?store at Sonic Boom (512 Bloor West), 3 pm. Free. 416-?532-?0334. See listing.


When Paul Westerberg wrote the song Left Of The Dial back in the mid-?80s, he might have been talking about Superchunk.

That poignant ode to college radio perfectly sums up the marginalized existence of bands like the Replacements and Superchunk in the years before you could find non-?mainstream music with a few computer keystrokes.

The melodic indie rock pioneers from Chapel Hill hit their stride during the 90s while being totally ignored by conventional FM stations and video channels. Instead, they relied on the college rock circuit, which gave them unwavering support.

Today it’s debatable whether there’s any need for the term “college rock.” University radio stations no longer dictate underground music scenes, and you’re more likely to hear Phish or Dave Matthews blaring from dorm-room stereos than so-?called alternative bands.

“College radio was the only place a band like us would get played,” says drummer Jon Wurster from his home in Chapel Hill. “That’s where you’d go to hear ‘uni-?rock’ or the way-left-?of-?centre stuff.

“Things are so different now. You could post a song and a million people could conceivably hear it that day.”

Superchunk, whose members also include singer Mac McCaughan, bassist Laura Ballance and guitarist Jim Wilbur, has proved more durable than most of the band’s Gen X peers. Their new album, Majesty Shredding (Merge), is an aggressive return to upbeat, high-?tempo melodic rock, with McCaughan’s vocals as impassioned as on unheralded early 90s classics On The Mouth, Foolish and Here’s Where The Strings Come In.

It’s also an obvious dismissal of the plaintive, plodding work on their last record, 2001’s Here’s To Shutting Up, which sounds like a band fiercely trying to escape itself.

“The last record was a little more down and quieter and not so rocking,” says Wurster. “You can’t help but notice when you play that people respond to the fast, poppier songs. I don’t think it’s pandering. It’s just more fun to play that stuff and see people get excited, too.”

College radio and underground scenes carried Superchunk through much of their career, but it’s important to note how much the band has done in return for independent music. McCaughan and Ballance formed Merge Records in 1989, the same year they formed the band, and it’s become one of the most respected and successful indie labels around.

Arcade Fire, who no doubt have had every major label promise them truckloads of money, have stuck with Merge throughout. Ditto for Spoon and Caribou. What’s more incredible is that McCaughan and Ballance have kept it all together despite their romance falling apart during the group’s mid-?90s peak.

“I’m still impressed at how they handled it,” recalls Wurster. “I can count the times there was any uncomfortableness on one hand. It was handled totally in private. Nothing ever seemed weird or dramatic during that time. It all worked out great.”

music@nowtoronto.com

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