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Recording:
  Late Century Dream  
 
Artist:
  Superchunk  
 
Label:
  Merge  
 
Release Date:
  21.August.2001  
 
Reviewed by:
  PostLibyan  
         
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Review:
 

Hello, my name is PostLibyan and i am a Superchunk Obsessive. I suppose it all started in 1993 when i heard Like a Fool on the radio.... But rather than talk about the past, let's consider the present. Specifically, let's look at the Late Century Dream single, the first single off of Superchunk's most recent album, Here's To Shutting Up.

The single, obviously enough, starts with Late Century Dream itself. I do like this song, especially the drumming and the keys. It's a good song.

Up next is Length of las Ramblas, which, despite the seemingly en espanol name, is a keyboard-driven folksy number. It is typical of the slower 'Chunk songs these days, and is a pretty good example of that style. In fact, this song doesn't really seem to be of "b-side" quality at all. That is, if this had been placed on the album, it would have fit in quite well.

Becoming a Speck is a little more rocking. The drums cut loose (go, Wurster, go) and in general this song has a sort of Come Pick Me Up feel in the vocals, over some Indoor Living guitarwork. Could i be any more of a Superchunk geek? Okay, here's a translation for regular folks: the vocals are slow, almost falsettoed, and out in front of the other instruments. The guitars are separated across the channels on the verses: rhythmic arpeggios on the left, and slightly overdriven lead on the right. On the choruses, both guitars swell up into a mass that surrounds the listener. And again, this is a preety good tune.

Superchunk wrap up this single with the Acoustic Demo of Florida's On Fire, which both Malimus and i disliked on the album. This version doesn't sound like 'Chunk flirting with hair-metal (as the album version did), instead it's acoustic guitar and xylophone! The lyrics aren't the best Mac has ever written, but the guitar/xylophone combo really works well. I would say that i prefer this version to the one on the album, in fact.

So there you go. Overall, this is a good EP. Superchunk Obsessives will want it for the 2 b-sides, and if you are a casual fan i think that the strength of the 2 exclusive tracks might be enough to make you want this.

 
         
 
Related Links:
 

Artist:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superchunk
  http://superchunk.com/
  http://www.twitter.com/superchunk
  http://www.last.fm/music/Superchunk
  http://www.myspace.com/superchunkmusic
  http://www.mergerecords.com/
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Merge-Records/88476979019
Also on EvilSponge:
   Introduction to Superchunk
   Album: Superchunk
   Album: No Pocky For Kitty
   Compilation: Tossing Seeds (Singles 89-91)
   Album: On the Mouth
   Album: Foolish
   Compilation: Incidental Music 1991-95
   Album: Here's Where the Strings Come In
   EP: Laughter Guns
   Album: Indoor Living
   Album: Come Pick Me Up
   Album: Here's To Shutting Up

 
         

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