When is a cover song better than the original? Only you can decide. This week Superchunk takes on Spoon’s “Anything You Want.” MAGNET’s Edward Fairchild pulls the pin. Take cover!
Superchunk and Merge Records founder Mac McCaughan introduces this song by talking about the label problems Spoon faced and how the band came to Merge. When he launches into this acoustic version of its song, it’s easy proof for why he and fellow Superchunk member Laura Ballance are running the best record label in the U.S.—you can tell McCaughan is obviously a big fan. This clip is from a 2009 performance at the University Of North Carolina’s student bookstore.
The Cover:
The Original:
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6 Comments
Far be it from me to be picky, but when Mac is all by his lonesome, he goes under the name Portastatic. And he even released a studio version of this on his recent ep under the Portastatic name. I could understand calling it Superchunk if Laura was playing bass or something, but this is clearly all him. If this were some blog I’d let it slide, but I thought Magnet was supposed to know this shit.
Shouldn’t it be Portastatic vs. Spoon?
this is actually from a book signing where mac and laura played a few songs together and then laura sat awkwardly next to mac as he played some songs solo. i think it has been referred to as ‘portachunk.’
Laura is sitting next to him, just out of frame. You can watch other videos from the same uploader that feature her on bass.
@fudge – “portachunk” love it!
voted for the orig…but an acoustic version can’t really be compared to a full band version.