Everyone’s banging on about the Japandroids record being the album of the summer and it kind of is: big choruses, woo-hoo’s and driving tunes (despite it being winter in Australia). However, I’d contend that Superchunk’s This Summer actually sounds like a better song of the season. The Japandroids are in such a hurry to get to the beach it’s like they’re on a speed binge and grinding their teeth to nubs with their big rock moves. This Summer feels, surprise, like summer because it is a leisurely cruise with an awesome mix tape in the stereo, your girl on your arm and nothing but clear skies ahead. It’s all cold beer, sweaty seats and a low key nostalgia that pretty much everyone can relate to. The song is just the right pace with the requisite feedback key change (classic Superchunk move) to indicate exactly when to pump your fist in the air prior to the solo. I hate to say it but these punks are ageing with grace and perspective that is both befitting the vintage of the band and shock, horror, making them more relevant that a lot of the younger indie bands around these days (we all got old). The 7inch is backed with a cover of Bananarama’s Cruel Summer which sounds like exactly how you’d imagine it, it’s ok but perfunctory (Superchunk do good covers but they’ve done better than this). As far as I know, this is the only Superchunk release this year so go get it Chunk-heads (I just checked and it’s on Australian itunes so I guess that mean’s it’s everywhere). To use a well worn phrase I am totally too old and uncomfortable to use, this is the summer jam you’ve been waiting for...
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