By Daiki Henderson
Available to purchase or stream at the links provided here:
[www.http://smarturl.it/Superchunk-WATTBA]
Superchunk is a rock band, formed in 1989. What a Time to Be Alive is their debut album, released after a 5 year hiatus. This album focuses on the anxiety and fear which has been brought on by the current political, social, and cultural climate in the United States of America. Even without this focus, the album holds up well on it’s own as a “normal” musical album.
Many of the lyrics directly concern the current political situation in America, with some of them making jabs at President Donald Trump. The lyrics sound anxious, sung to express disapproval of actions taken by political figures. Lyrics such as: “But all your bad choices /Are gonna cause suffering, yeah,” from the track “Bad Choices,” or “Hate so graceless/ and so cavalier,” off the track “Erasure” highlight the recent cloud of hate and paranoia being produced by powerful authority figures. The band themselves have come out and said that this album was written with a consciousness of the world their children are growing up in. This particular aspect of the album gives it a much deeper meaning than it may sound like at a surface level.
However, even looking at these lyrics totally detached from the current political atmosphere, they hold up on their own. The songs seem as if they could be talking about anyone as they seldom make any direct reference to current events or call out a specific politician. I feel as if I could have listened to the entire album thinking it was about a past relationship, or particular person in a band member’s life. The melodic hooks and choruses are very catchy and well-constructed. This gives the album a more universal appeal, because you can still enjoy it without knowing anything about current political issues in America.
Even though Superchunk’s lyrical content sounds grim and fearful at times, their vocal delivery does not. Lead vocalist Mac McCaughan and his backing vocalists sing these tunes in an energetic and happy tone. This surprising contrast adds a compelling sense of irony to the album. It also makes the album more of a “happy listen” if you are not paying attention to the lyrics, letting it pick you up if you are in a bad mood.
Along with the lively, happy tone of the vocals; the band delivers backing tracks that are loud, lively, and mostly joyous. The live rock arrangements sound very organic, which is a stark contrast to much of the music I have been listening to lately, and attracts copious amounts of radio play. The energy and happiness generated by the way these songs are played inspires happy feelings despite the lyrics being anxious and the subjects being discussed usually being dire. I especially like the title track “What a Time to Be Alive” as it is very energetic and evokes a feeling of joy.
We can forget sometimes how exuberant, cheerful, and fun a real rock combo can be when compared to today’s routine drum loops and all-digital studio magic. The comparatively raw blend of guitars, drums, and bass on What a Time to be Alive can be truly exhilarating to hear. However the fact that this album is also a protest album of sorts gives it even more potential impact—especially at a time when so much of the U.S. population feels angry and confused.
I personally think that Superchunk’s What a Time to be Alive will still be fun listening many years from now, despite lyrics that criticize the depressing events of today.