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Superchunk Superchunk artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music

Superchunk.

8 Tracks: What was the Steve Albini sound? Almost everything

Artists like Superchunk, Neurosis, Pixies, Low, Mogwai and Joanna Newsom came to recording engineer Steve Albini when they had something righteous or defiant to proclaim. Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty **hide caption

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Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty

Merge Records: Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan

How I Built This

Merge Records: Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan

December 6, 2021 • As college students in the late 1980s, Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan launched two projects that came to define their trajectories as entrepreneurs: the "punky but poppy" band Chunk, and the scrappy record label, Merge. For decades, the partners juggled the demands of managing their own band while negotiating record deals and recording dates for other indie artists. But the two worlds also collided in happy ways: touring in their own band was a great way for Mac and Laura to discover new talent, and they also learned that musicians tend to trust a label more if its founders play in a band. Today, Chunk is still going strong as Superchunk, and Merge has morphed into one of the most influential labels in indie music, with bands like The Mountain Goats, Spoon, and Arcade Fire.

Merge Records: Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan

When making music breaks your body

Meric Long of the Bay Area band The Dodos found his voice in a distinctive guitar style. While writing the new album Grizzly Peak, he watched that ability begin to slip away. Shane Tolentino for NPR **hide caption

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Shane Tolentino for NPR

Superchunk On World Cafe

Superchunk inside the World Cafe Performance Studio Galea McGregor/WXPN **hide caption

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Galea McGregor/WXPN

Superchunk On World Cafe

Review: Superchunk, 'What A Time To Be Alive'

Superchunk's What a Time to Be Alive is out Feb. 16 on Merge. Lissa Gotwals/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Lissa Gotwals/Courtesy of the artist

Hear Stephin Merritt, Katie Crutchfield Sing On Superchunk's 'Erasure'

Superchunk's What A Time To Be Alive comes out Feb. 16. Lisa Gottwals/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Lisa Gottwals/Courtesy of the artist

Sense Of Place North Carolina: Mac McCaughan

Mac McCaughan (left) and the Non-Believers. John Vettese/WXPN **hide caption

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John Vettese/WXPN

Mac McCaughan On World Cafe

Review: Mac McCaughan, 'Non-Believers'

Mac McCaughan's new album, Non-Believers, comes out May 4. Lissa Gotwals/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Lissa Gotwals/Courtesy of the artist

Mac McCaughan And Waxahatchee In Conversation

Superchunk frontman and Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan (left) will put out his first album under his own name next month. Katie Crutchfield just put out her third album as Waxahatchee on Merge. Lissa Gotwals/Jesse Riggins/Courtesy of Merge Records **hide caption

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Lissa Gotwals/Jesse Riggins/Courtesy of Merge Records

Merge Records At 25

Superchunk bandmates Laura Ballance (left) and Mac McCaughan (second from left) founded Merge Records in 1989. Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist

Merge Records at 25

Ken Tucker's Top 10 Albums Of 2013

Jason Isbell's Southeastern was Fresh Air critic Ken Tucker's favorite album of 2013. Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Ken Tucker's Top 10 Albums Of 2013

Superchunk On World Cafe

Superchunk. Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist

Superchunk On World Cafe

Superchunk: Tiny Desk Concert

Superchunk performs a Tiny Desk Concert on Sept. 30, 2013. Abbey Oldham/NPR **hide caption

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Abbey Oldham/NPR

Superchunk: Tiny Desk Concert

On Its New Album, Superchunk Makes The Downtrodden Sound Upbeat

Superchunk's new album is titled I Hate Music. Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist

On Its New Album, Superchunk Makes The Downtrodden Sound Upbeat

First Listen: Superchunk, 'I Hate Music'

Superchunk's new album, I Hate Music, comes out August 20. Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs/Courtesy of the artist

Superchunk, 'I Hate Music'

New Music: Superchunk, John Vanderslice, Lily & Madeleine, More

Clockwise from upper left: Superchunk, John Vanderslice, Lily & Madeleine, Alpine, Dirty Beaches Courtesy of the artists **hide caption

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Courtesy of the artists

New Music: Superchunk, John Vanderslice, Lily & Madeleine, More

Superchunk On World Cafe

Superchunk recently performed songs from last year's Majesty Shredding on World Cafe. Courtesy of the artist **hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Listen Now

Superchunk In Concert

Superchunk performing live at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. Shantel Mitchell for NPR **hide caption

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Shantel Mitchell for NPR

Listen Now: Superchunk In Concert

Superchunk: Rock 'N' Roll For Young And Old

Superchunk has just released its first album of guitar-fueled rock in almost a decade. Jason Arthurs **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs

Superchunk: Rock 'N' Roll For Young And Old

Superchunk: An Indie-Rock Role Model

Superchunk in 2010 doesn't sound entirely different from the band that became a sensation in 1992. Jason Arthurs **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs

Superchunk: An Indie-Rock Role Model

First Listen Bonanza: Superchunk, Robert Plant, More

First Listen Bonanza: Superchunk, Robert Plant, More

First Listen: Superchunk, 'Majesty Shredding'

Superchunk is about to release its ninth album -- and first since 2001. Jason Arthurs **hide caption

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Jason Arthurs