Portastatic

Portastatic: Image

Features

“It’s a Gut Feeling About the Music”: An Interview with Mac McCaughan

By Drew Fortune

After founding the influential Merge Records, the inimitable Superchunk, and the prolific solo project known as Portastatic, Mac McCaughan is finally ready to look back at his career, his bands, and those wonderful four-track recordings that he thought he lost 'lo those many years ago. [3 March 2009]

Just Making Records: An Interview with Portastatic

By Jon Langmead

Mac McCaughan creates string charts and listens to tropicalia while running Merge Records, and he doesn't mind if you haven't listened to Superchunk. [13 October 2006]

Reviews

Portastatic: Some Small History

By Matthew Fiander

McCaughan has given us a glimpse into his archives not to show us a set of products, but to show us a process, and to see Portastatic grow from a 4-track solo side project into an essential indie rock band. [17 September 2008]

Portastatic: Be Still Please

By Dan Raper

Another excellent addition to the Portastatic catalogue, this time expanding Mac McCaughan's orchestral pop leanings. [10 October 2006]

Portastatic: Bright Ideas

By Lance Teegarden

Besides being a friendlier sonic cousin of Indoor Living, Bright Ideas is not unlike Speak Kindly of Your Volunteer Fire Department, Robert Pollard's 1999 solo album, in that it plays to an indie elder statesman's strengths and may get core fans all frenzied again. [12 September 2005]

Portastatic: Autumn Was a Lark

By Kevin Jagernauth

After the title track steals the show, the rest of the record feels flat and lifeless. One wonders if McCaughan is biding his time waiting to be reunited with his Superchunk friends.

[21 November 2003]

Portastatic: The Summer of the Shark

By Rob Horning

The Summer of the Shark stubbornly refuses to be memorable, becoming less distinct and more elusive with each listen. This perpetual anonymity benefits some songs, allowing the subtle mood swings they chronicle to surprise with each listen.

[5 June 2003]

Portastatic: Looking for Leonard

By Fred Kovey

Although his main band is waning in popularity as the remaining indie guitar rock fans get too old to go to club shows, Mac McCaughan continues to develop as a musician and a songwriter.

[22 May 2001]