Record #45: Portastatic’s ‘The Summer of the Shark’
Portastatic is the brainchild of Superchunk frontman and Merge Records co-founder Mac McCaughan. McCaughan pretty much cemented himself as a patron saint of indie rock in the ’90s with the model he created for Superchunk: He started his own label and rejected the advances of larger record companies, opting instead to put out material on his own terms. As I understand it, Portastatic was a means for McCaughan to record music that’s a slight departure from the oft-imitated but rarely surpassed sounds of Superchunk.
The first few tracks on The Summer of the Shark are significantly more subdued, gentle and—dare I say?—tender than most of Superchunk’s material. At first, I wasn’t sure this was a record I’d be particularly into. It still has the same adroit but uncommon approach to pop that McCaughan is known for, but it’s nowhere near as energetic or powerful as I’d expected. At least not initially. As the record progresses, I found not only that I was enjoying the songs more and more, but also that The Summer of the Shark fits together cohesively, each song prodding you to see just what the next one will be all about. Certain tracks on Shark feature unlikely but still somehow perfectly poppy instrumentation. Organs, strings and horns are utilized smartly, and McCaughan’s thin tenor delivers melodies that, with each listen, become more appealing. After all, McCaughan is a vocalist that, at least seemingly, has been imitated by multiple followers (Apples in Stereo and Get Up Kids, maybe?). This is a record that I’m certain will grow on me even more.
