Superchunk announce 'Here's to Shutting Up' reissue; Mac McCaughan touring

Superchunk are reissuing their out-of-print 2001 album Here’s to Shutting Up for its 20th anniversary. It’ll be out October 22 via Merge on CD, vinyl and limited edition orange swirl Peak Vinyl. All three formats come with “Bestial Warning,” a bonus CD of 13 previously unreleased demos; the vinyl editions feature a printed vellum overwrap, and the Peak Vinyl version also comes with a 24” × 24” color poster. Preorders are available.

Superchunk frontman (and Merge main man) Mac McCaughan reflected on the album: “We recorded Here’s to Shutting Up in the Cabbagetown neighborhood of Atlanta at Zero Return, the studio built by Brian and Rob (aka Birdstuff and Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard) of Man or Astro-man? Brian Paulson came with us to produce it. The studio itself was amazing. We also slept there in a dorm-like setting and stayed up too late. We had some great guest players on the record including the first appearance of a pedal steel on a Superchunk album, played by John Neff of Athens band Japancakes. Local Chris Lopez (The Rock*A*Teens) came over to sing backup vocals on “Art Class (Song for Yayoi Kusama).” I asked him to sing harmonies on the chorus and he was like, ‘Harmonies? Oh, I can’t sing harmonies.’ I still don’t believe him, but what he did sing is awesome.”

You can watch the video for “Art Class (Song for Yayoi Kusama)” below.

Mac and Jim of Superchunk will be playing a couple duo shows in July, including a Brooklyn show at Frankies 457 Spuntino 7/13 (make a reservation), and then Mac will be on tour with The Mountain Goats’ John Darnielle in September. He’s also just announced a few full-band solo shows after his dates with Darnielle, starting in Brooklyn at Union Pool on 9/28, then Philly, DC, Richmond and Carrboro. All dates are listed below.

Mac & Jim of Superchunk on tour:
Jul 13 New York, NY – Frankies 457 Spuntino
Jul 14 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar

Mac McCaughan on tour:
Sep 23 Wilmington, DE – The Queen* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 24 Holyoke, MA – Gateway City Arts Center* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 25 Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 26 Bethlehem, PA – Musikfest Cafe at the ArtsQuest* [SOLD OUT]
Sep 28 Brooklyn, NY – Union Pool^
Sep 29 Philadelphia, PA – Johnny Brenda’s^
Sep 30 Washington, DC – DC9^
Oct 01 Richmond, VA – Richmond Music Hall^
Oct 02 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle Back Room^
* solo performance w/ John Darnielle (the Mountain Goats)
^ full band performance