http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44143&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rssAs if he doesn't have enough to do, Mac McCaughan of Superchunk and Merge Records fame has been putting out solo records under the name Portastatic since 1993. While Portastatic seems to give Mac the freedom to experiment with some more sedate sounds and arrangements that don't fit Superchunk's caffeinated aggression, every consecutive Superchunk record is invariably influenced by Portastatic's explorations. Piano, synths, and horns made their way on to Superchunk's 1999 LP <I>Come Pick Me Up</I> after Mac toyed around with them on the 1997 Portastatic LP <I>The Nature of Sap</I> first. Yet throughout, he's got the same knack for peeling back his own flesh to show you the pain and angst in his naked soul, and the same way with both a tender phrase and a barbed rejoinder. If Superchunk represents the fight with your girlfriend, Portastatic sounds more like the end of the night -- winding down afterward with your head on your hand on the bar, bitter as hell and still in love, tearing the labels off your beers and wishing you'd said the right thing. Or at least that life didn't suck so hard. The funny thing is, and this is gonna sound corny, but maybe life isn't so bad if Portastatic's playing and you know some other shmoe has suffered well past closing time, too.Indie/Alternativeen720Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:28:43 -0800 http://static.realone.com/rotw/images/logo_rhapsody_113x22.gif http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=art.44143&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss As if he doesn't have enough to do, Mac McCaughan of Superchunk and Merge Records fame has been putting out solo records under the name Portastatic since 1993. While Portastatic seems to give Mac the freedom to experiment with some more sedate sounds and arrangements that don't fit Superchunk's caffeinated aggression, every consecutive Superchunk record is invariably influenced by Portastatic's explorations. Piano, synths, and horns made their way on to Superchunk's 1999 LP <I>Come Pick Me Up</I> after Mac toyed around with them on the 1997 Portastatic LP <I>The Nature of Sap</I> first. Yet throughout, he's got the same knack for peeling back his own flesh to show you the pain and angst in his naked soul, and the same way with both a tender phrase and a barbed rejoinder. If Superchunk represents the fight with your girlfriend, Portastatic sounds more like the end of the night -- winding down afterward with your head on your hand on the bar, bitter as hell and still in love, tearing the labels off your beers and wishing you'd said the right thing. Or at least that life didn't suck so hard. The funny thing is, and this is gonna sound corny, but maybe life isn't so bad if Portastatic's playing and you know some other shmoe has suffered well past closing time, too. http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537448&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 5 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 7537448 tra.7537448 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Bright Ideas alb.7536835 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/5/0/0/730056_170x170.jpg 2005-08-05 00:00:00.0 2005-08-05 00:00:00.0 true Through With People tra.7537448 195000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537448&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537448&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907697&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 6907697 tra.6907697 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Autumn Was A Lark alb.6884846 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/1/2/0/680219_170x170.jpg 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 true Autumn Got Dark tra.6907697 168000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907697&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907697&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1322567&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 20 Jun 1995 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 1322567 tra.1322567 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Slow Note From A Sinking Ship alb.219187 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/3/1/6/526139_170x170.jpg 1995-06-20 00:00:00.0 1995-06-20 00:00:00.0 true Running Water tra.1322567 168000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1322567&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1322567&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1983392&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 22 May 2001 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 1983392 tra.1983392 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Looking For Leonard alb.226066 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/8/2/2/542286_170x170.jpg 2001-05-22 00:00:00.0 2001-05-22 00:00:00.0 true Sweethearts Of The World tra.1983392 144000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1983392&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1983392&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11573627&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 11573627 tra.11573627 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Sour Shores alb.11571491 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/0/8/7/897809_170x170.jpg 2006-09-12 00:00:00.0 2006-09-12 00:00:00.0 true Sour Shores (Acoustic Demo) tra.11573627 258000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11573627&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11573627&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1322560&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 20 Jun 1995 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 1322560 tra.1322560 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Slow Note From A Sinking Ship alb.219187 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/3/1/6/526139_170x170.jpg 1995-06-20 00:00:00.0 1995-06-20 00:00:00.0 true When You Crashed tra.1322560 238000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1322560&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1322560&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1888508&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Sat, 1 Jan 2000 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 1888508 tra.1888508 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 De Mel, De Melao alb.280214 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/1/5/7/6/836751_170x170.jpg 2000-05-09 00:00:00.0 2000-01-01 00:00:00.0 true Baby tra.1888508 263000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1888508&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.1888508&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.3318316&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 8 Apr 2003 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 3318316 tra.3318316 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 The Summer Of The Shark alb.273835 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/4/5/7/6/836754_170x170.jpg 2003-04-08 00:00:00.0 2003-04-08 00:00:00.0 true Clay Cakes tra.3318316 261000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.3318316&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.3318316&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907709&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 6907709 tra.6907709 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Autumn Was A Lark alb.6884846 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/1/2/0/680219_170x170.jpg 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 true San Andreas (Live) tra.6907709 158000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907709&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907709&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907707&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 6907707 tra.6907707 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Autumn Was A Lark alb.6884846 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/1/2/0/680219_170x170.jpg 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 true You Know Where To Find Me (Live) tra.6907707 243000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907707&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907707&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907702&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 31 Jan 2003 00:00:00 -0800 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 6907702 tra.6907702 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Autumn Was A Lark alb.6884846 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/1/2/0/680219_170x170.jpg 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 2003-01-31 00:00:00.0 true NYC, Raining, 5 AM tra.6907702 55000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907702&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.6907702&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.22992478&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 9 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 22992478 tra.22992478 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Some Small History alb.22972466 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/1/3/6/1396319_170x170.jpg 2008-09-09 00:00:00.0 2008-09-09 00:00:00.0 true Little Fern tra.22992478 219000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.22992478&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.22992478&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.22992495&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 9 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 22992495 tra.22992495 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Some Small History alb.22972466 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/1/3/6/1396319_170x170.jpg 2008-09-09 00:00:00.0 2008-09-09 00:00:00.0 true San Andreas Crouch tra.22992495 168000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.22992495&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.22992495&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537447&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 5 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 7537447 tra.7537447 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Bright Ideas alb.7536835 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/5/0/0/730056_170x170.jpg 2005-08-05 00:00:00.0 2005-08-05 00:00:00.0 true Bright Ideas tra.7537447 317000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537447&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537447&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537453&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Fri, 5 Aug 2005 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 7537453 tra.7537453 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Bright Ideas alb.7536835 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/5/0/0/730056_170x170.jpg 2005-08-05 00:00:00.0 2005-08-05 00:00:00.0 true The Soft Rewind tra.7537453 233000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537453&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.7537453&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11573625&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 12 Sep 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 11573625 tra.11573625 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Sour Shores alb.11571491 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/9/0/8/7/897809_170x170.jpg 2006-09-12 00:00:00.0 2006-09-12 00:00:00.0 true And I Was A Boy From School tra.11573625 318000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11573625&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11573625&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11439475&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 11439475 tra.11439475 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Be Still Please alb.11430048 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/3/0/7/897037_170x170.jpg 2006-10-10 00:00:00.0 2006-10-10 00:00:00.0 true Sweetness And Light tra.11439475 280000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11439475&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11439475&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11439472&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 10 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 11439472 tra.11439472 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Be Still Please alb.11430048 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/7/3/0/7/897037_170x170.jpg 2006-10-10 00:00:00.0 2006-10-10 00:00:00.0 true Sour Shores tra.11439472 277000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11439472&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.11439472&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10334421&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 6 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10334421 tra.10334421 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Original Film Score For Who Loves The Sun alb.10334232 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/3/0/7/1017036_170x170.jpg 2006-06-06 00:00:00.0 2006-06-06 00:00:00.0 true A Bit Pastoral tra.10334421 40000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10334421&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10334421&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10334427&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 6 Jun 2006 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10334427 tra.10334427 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Original Film Score For Who Loves The Sun alb.10334232 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/6/3/0/7/1017036_170x170.jpg 2006-06-06 00:00:00.0 2006-06-06 00:00:00.0 true Last Kiss Music tra.10334427 86000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10334427&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10334427&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327584&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 23 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10327584 tra.10327584 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Perfect Little Door alb.10318174 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/4/9/1/851943_170x170.jpg 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 true Had (W/ Vandermark) tra.10327584 493000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327584&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327584&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327585&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 23 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10327585 tra.10327585 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Perfect Little Door alb.10318174 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/4/9/1/851943_170x170.jpg 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 true Hey Salty (W/ Vandermark) tra.10327585 303000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327585&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327585&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327586&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 23 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10327586 tra.10327586 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Perfect Little Door alb.10318174 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/4/9/1/851943_170x170.jpg 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 true Late Night Wait Around (W/ Vandermark) tra.10327586 406000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327586&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327586&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327587&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 23 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10327587 tra.10327587 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Perfect Little Door alb.10318174 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/4/9/1/851943_170x170.jpg 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 true Broken Arm (W/ Vandermark) tra.10327587 342000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327587&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327587&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327588&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss Indie/Alternative Tue, 23 Oct 2001 00:00:00 -0700 Top Tracks by Portastatic on Rhapsody Online 10327588 tra.10327588 Portastatic art.44143 0.99 Perfect Little Door alb.10318174 http://image.listen.com/img/170x170/3/4/9/1/851943_170x170.jpg 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 2001-10-23 00:00:00.0 true When You Crashed (W/ Vandermark) tra.10327588 475000 http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327588&variant=play&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss http://www.rhapsody.com/goto?rcid=tra.10327588&variant=data&rws=%2Fportastatic%2Ftop-tracks.rss