Superchunk: I Hate Music

For a band that's been together as long as Superchunk (24 years and counting), you might expect to find a message in the title of their 10th studio album. But I Hate Music doesn't signal any real revolution. This is more of the same high-powered indie rock that made Superchunk's name in the 1990s, like Fountains of Wayne without the pop intellect. The breezy collection mostly leans toward snot-nosed punk (Void, Staying Home), but the lighter bounce of Your Theme and Low F are standouts, displaying Mac McCaughan's vocal and guitar skills without being reduced to aimless showboating. Casual bystanders might be unimpressed by the lack of variation and a single stone-cold killer tune, but there are plenty of meaty riffs here to maintain the old guard's loyalty. superchunk.com
Download: Your Theme, Low F