I was about to write that Superchunk’s solid, if unexceptional 1995 release, “Here’s Where the Strings Come In,” is pretty much only for fans of the band and devotees of the genre, totally forgetting for the moment that they used to be all who cared about indie rock.
The re-release of the album, which hit the presses because of Record Store Day on April 16, is a reminder that while things were really different logistically a decade and a half ago, they weren’t so different musically. Superchunk (and Merge Records) had their signature guitar-centric sound already entrenched by this point, and the disc sounds just as relevant today as it probably did originally: “Hyper Enough,” a minor hit then, could be a minor hit now. Each tune is passionate and hard-charging, but people other than ’chunk devotees may find that it all blurs together in their mind.
Setting my temporary amnesia aside for a moment, this pressing is fan-centric, as “Here’s Where” is only a noteworthy release as Superchunk’s “breakout” album. As such, there are acoustic demos to be had, as well as an official bootleg of a 2003 show (which was long after the “Here’s Where” era, but listeners will appreciate it nonetheless).
If for nothing else than a reminder that indie rock as we know it was in its grubby infancy as late as 16 years ago, “Here’s Where the Strings Come In” is a worthy re-release. —Stephen Carradini
