Superchunk released a compact new power-pop song titled “Erasure” on Tuesday. The track will appear next month on What a Time to Be Alive, out February 16th.
“Erasure” is squarely within Superchunk tradition, centering around Laura Ballance’s chugging basslines and the rattling, hyperactive drumming of Jon Wurster. Mac McCaughan adds his nasal, keening vocals and Jim Wilbur contributes scraping guitar. Superchunk also enlisted Katie Crutchfield from Waxahatchee and Stephin Merritt from the Magnetic Fields to sing on the track. Crutchfield adds high harmonies and Merritt brings his typically idiosyncratic bass voice to the mix.
“Erasure” is the second single from What a Time to Be Alive, which will be released on Merge Records, the label that McCaughan and Ballance founded in 1989. In addition to Crutchfield and Merritt, Sabrina Ellis, Skylar Gudasz and David Bazan also appear on the album.
“Part of [the reason the album features multiple collaborators] was wanting a feeling of community,” McCaughan said in a statement. “I think that’s important to not be completely bummed out about everything all the time.” What a Time to Be Alive tells the story of “powerful people who attempt to silence the marginalized.”
Following the album’s release, Superchunk plan to tour the U.S., Canada and Europe. The tour opens with a show in Baltimore on February 15th. After swinging up the West Coast, the band takes a break during March before returning to play East Coast gigs in April. The last show takes place June 2nd in Berlin. Bat Fangs, Swearin’ and the Rock*A*Teens will each take turns as Superchunk’s opening act.
Superchunk Tour Dates
February 15 – Baltimore, MD @ Ottobar*
February 17 – Richmond, VA @ The Broadberry*
February 21 – San Diego, CA @ The Casbah*
February 22 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Moroccan Lounge*
February 23 – Los Angeles, CA @ The Teragram Ballroom*
February 24 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall @ Noise Pop Festival*
February 26 – Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios*
February 27 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos*
February 28 – Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre*
April 3 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat^
April 4 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer^
April 6 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair^
April 7 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom^
April 8 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom^
April 26 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West#
April 27 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle#
April 28 – Asheville, NC @ The Grey Eagle#
May 25 – Madrid, ES @ Tomavistas Festival
May 27 – Glasgow, UK @ Stereo
May 28 – Leeds, UK @ Brudenell Social Club
May 29 – London, UK @ ULU
May 31 – Paris, FR @ Maroquinerie
June 1 – Kortrijk, BE @ De Kreun
June 2 – Berlin, DE @ Quasimodo
* w/ Bat Fangs
^ w/ Swearin’
# w/ The Rock*A*Teens
