Over the summer I wrote about rediscovering Superchunk's On the Mouth, a record I listened to a lot when it came out but hadn't paid attention to in years. I had reason to listen to it again today and remembered how much I adore "Swallow That," which is slower and longer than most of their songs but all the more intense because of it. I'd place it in the category of the indie rock "anti-ballad," an underrated subgenre.
One thing I'm appreciating more about Superchunk this time around is their judicious use of dissonance. Their songs consistently veer off the beaten pop punk track without losing the lightness of touch that distinguishes their aesthetic from art rock. At the same time, though, that lightness is suffused with gravity. There's menace in the background of their bounciest moments and even more when, as is the case on "Swallow That," the bounce is slowed to a fitful tumble.
