Superchunk Song Review Project 1: "What Do I?"

"What Do I?" is probably one of the first songs Superchunk ever wrote and its kind of more grungy than what they really get good at later on. Its got lots of palm muted guitars and bendy note lead riffs thrown in here and there. The singing (which is nearly inaudible and put through a low grade distortion) is pretty seriously punk rock, complete with affected snottiness in the verse. "I preTEND I don't KNOW about the comPLICation!" I imagine Mac was making some screwed up bad-ass Henry Rollins type fierce-face as he recorded the vocals.

The chorus gets choppy and insistent and ends on the dirgy "YOOOOOOOOU" descending note thing, which is what gives it that grunge feeling. Then its back to the start of the song and now he's singing about breaking his back! That's so tough!!! He may have even said something about drugs! (or not!?!)

The song structure is really elementary. It goes:

AB(no singing)B(singing)CAB(no singing)B(singing)CA.

So, yeah, thats ABBCABBCA.

The song has some of the hallmarks of later Superchunk songs: squealy feedbacky guitar solos, Mac harmonizing with himself in the recording, pick slides and (most importantly) NERD RAGE.