About this item

Misfits & Mistakes: Singles, B-sides & Strays 2007–2023 is Superchunk’s fourth singles compilation, a massive, 4-LP (or 2-CD) collection covering their triumphant return from hiatus. The amount of ground covered within its gorgeous packaging is staggering: 50 songs, 16 of which are on physical media for the first time, sourced from out-of-print releases, digital singles, compilations, and more, a vital piece of the Superchunk canon.

Featuring extensive liner notes by Mac McCaughan (with additional notes from Laura Ballance), Misfits & Mistakes tells the story of each release, from why they chose to cover songs by The Misfits, The Cure, Destiny’s Child, and Bananarama, to working with collaborators like Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee), Jane Wiedlin (The Go-Go’s), Eleanor Friedberger, Damian Abraham (Fucked Up), Norman Blake and Raymond

McGinley (Teenage Fanclub), and more!

Mac writes:
Who knew it would take a cartoon hamburger to kick off a new period of activity for Superchunk? When we recorded “Misfits and Mistakes” for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force soundtrack at Overdub Lane in Durham, we also recorded the first version of “Learned to Surf” which gave us an on-ramp for making new music after 8 years of playing sporadic gigs. It also reminded us what we liked about playing Superchunk songs, whether they’re our own or written by our musical heroes. This collection covers a lot of ground, from heavy touring years to a pandemic where we made singles and an album at home. One difference between this comp and our first three is that this time span completely falls in the digital age; the distance from a final mix to everyone hearing it is shorter than ever. I’ve always liked artists that were prolific—throwing out singles in between albums when you least expect it. A surprise release from your favorite band is one of the few things that can still bring a little excitement to what can seem like an endless deluge of “content” (puke). Hopefully the wild swings between lo & hi fi and originals and covers on this comp still allow for some coherence and, more importantly, convey what’s FUN about this punk rock thing.

TRACK LISTING

SIDE A
1. Learned To Surf
2. Misfits & Mistakes
3. Screw It Up
4. Knock Knock Knock
5. Learned To Surf (Acoustic Demo)
6. In Between Days
SIDE B
7. Crossed Wires
8. Blinders (Fast Version)
9. February Punk
10. Digging For Something (Acoustic Demo)
11. Horror Business
12. Sunny Brixton
13. Bad Influence
14. Where Eagles Dare
SIDE C
1. This Summer
2. Cruel Summer
3. Void
4. Faith
5. I Hate History
6. Glue
7. Me & You & Jackie Mittoo
8. Sunset Arcade
9. White Screen
10. Breaking Down (Acoustic)
11. Children In Heat
12. Say My Name
SIDE D
1. Good Morning
2. I Don’t Feel Young
3. Free Money (with Eleanor Friedberger)
4. Oh Oh I Love Her So (with Eleanor Friedberger)
5. Up Against The Wall
SIDE E
6. Break The Glass
7. Mad World
8. Child’s Christmas In Wales
9. Break The Glass (Acoustic)
10. What A Time To Be Alive (Acoustic)
11. Erasure (Acoustic)
SIDE F
1. Our Work Is Done
2. Total Eclipse
3. Bum My Trip
4. Can’t Stop The World
5. Political Song For Michael Jackson To Sing
6. There’s A Ghost
7. Alice
SIDE G
8. Endless Summer
9. When I Laugh
10. Everything Hurts
11. Making A Break
12. Group Sex (with Jane Wiedlin)
13. Blinders