Mac McCaughan
is nothing if not prolific. As if cranking out the indie rock for
Superchunk
wasn't enough, in 1994 he started
Portastatic
as an outlet for his solo recordings and songs that wouldn't fit within the
esthetic. The two bands ran neck and neck for years in terms of both frequency of release and high standard of quality until
was semi-retired in the early 2000s.
never slowed, though, and now some might be bold enough to say the side project has surpassed the day job band. Doubters should check some of the recent
releases or maybe this collection of single tracks, demos, versions, and cover songs for some independent verification.
Some Small History
is a career-spanning set that documents
McCaughan
's growth as a songwriter, his knack for knocking out a stunning cover version (his take on
Hot Chip
's
"And I Was a Boy from School"
is worth the price of admission, and the acoustic treatment of
the Undertones
'
"Teenage Kicks"
somehow makes one of the most joyous songs ever written into a melancholy ballad) and gives fans a chance to have all these rare and collectable songs in one handy package. The non-chronological track list may frustrate strict collector types, but the quality and rarity of the tracks here should take away any slight sting the sequencing may inspire. Full of emotional songs and the kind of inspired performances that made him an indie rock hero,
is a true treasure for fans of
and
. ~ Tim Sendra