Hard to believe Superchunk’s fourth LP is 30 years old. It’s as fresh, D.I.Y and brilliantly angsty as ever.
Some fans mulled over the possible meanings behind the cover art of Foolish. Perhaps a bit too much. It was understandable, though the artist Laura Ballance didn’t make a big deal of it. The self-portrait featured Ballance in the foreground, and a dead rabbit hanging unsettlingly in the back.
Yes, the LP’s completion followed the break-up between Superchunk bassist Ballance and vocalist/guitarist Mac McCaughan. And though it may have been hell to play these songs on tour with some raw heartache in tow, Superchunk’s fourth release (recorded by Brian Paulson) was heralded for its supercharged sound – huge, full, downright anthemic, true to their incredible live sound. Paulson and fellow wizard Steve Albini knew exactly what to tweak and sharpen in mixing it to draw out its intensity.
A 2011 LP reissue included extra treats for superfans, like a live recording of a 1994 show at First Avenue in Minneapolis during the band’s Foolish tour, acoustic B-sides, rehearsal recordings, and Clambakes, Vol. 6: One in a Row.
This year, the band celebrates Foolish‘s 30th anniversary with a whole new tour, including a stop in Austin tonight at Radio East on Montopolis Dr. Doors at 7 p.m.
