Superchunk Songs In The Key Of Yikes
Superchunk's Songs In The Key Of Yikes arrives as a bracing, emotionally charged set that pairs melodic punk energy with a streak of dark humor. Across three professional reviews, critics point to the record's push-and-pull between jubilant hooks and anxious, politically tinged lyrics, and the consensus suggests the band remains vital and sharp more than three decades into their career.
Reviewers consistently praise the album's songcraft and its knack for turning existential angst into singalong catharsis. The collection earned a 78/100 consensus score across three professional reviews, with critics highlighting “Is It Making You Feel Something”, “Everybody Dies” and “Stuck in a Dream” as standout tracks that exemplify the album's juxtaposition of upbeat melodies and bleak lyricism. Pitchfork and Dusted Magazine underscore the record's punk-tinged power pop - urgent, riff-driven moments like “Stuck in a Dream” and “No Hope” deliver galvanizing momentum, while PopMatters singles out “Care Less” and “Train on Fire” for their immediate crowd-pleasing hooks.
While critics celebrate the band's chemistry and resilience, some note an undercurrent of worry and topical political rage that keeps the record from feeling purely celebratory - an exuberant bummer, as reviews describe it. Taken together, the critical consensus frames Songs In The Key Of Yikes as a thoughtfully crafted, punchy entry in Superchunk's catalog that balances nostalgia and urgency, and offers several of the best songs on Songs In The Key Of Yikes for both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
Care Less
1 mention
""Care Less" is an upbeat song about trying to take a break from the constant swirl of anxiety"— PopMatters
Stuck in a Dream
1 mention
"the spiky “Everybody Dies” is chased by the galvanizing gallop of “Stuck in a Dream.”"— Pitchfork
Is It Making You Feel Something
3 mentions
"" Is it making you feel something? " the band asks, in the song of the same name,"— Dusted Magazine
"Care Less" is an upbeat song about trying to take a break from the constant swirl of anxiety
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Is It Making You Feel Something
Bruised Lung
No Hope
Care Less
Climb the Walls
Cue
Everybody Dies
Stuck in a Dream
Train on Fire
Some Green
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 4 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
Superchunk return with Songs in the Key of Yikes, a lean, punk-tinged collection that foregrounds urgency and worry while still finding communal warmth. The reviewer's voice prizes direct hooks and rueful observation, so the best songs - “No Hope” and “Stuck in a Dream” - stand out because they pair spiky propulsion with galvanizing gallop. McCaughan’s nagging anxiety is vivid across the record, yet the band’s chemistry makes those anxieties feel shared rather than solitary. In short, for listeners asking what the best tracks on Songs in the Key of Yikes are, start with “No Hope” and “Stuck in a Dream” for their urgency and melodic bite.
Key Points
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The best song, "No Hope," is best because it pairs a careening energy with a rallying lyric that crystallizes the album’s urgency.
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The album’s core strengths are its taut, punk-tinged hooks and the warm chemistry that makes anxious songs feel communal.
Themes
Critic's Take
Superchunk sound exactly like themselves on Songs In The Key Of Yikes, that fizzy collision of joyous melody and bleak lyrics that makes you answer questions about the best songs on Songs In The Key Of Yikes with a grin. The review puts particular emphasis on “Bruised Lung” as exhilarating and on “Is It Making You Feel Something” as the record's direct provocation - both exemplify the band’s caffeinated euphoria and shadowed despair. The writing voice is exuberant but exacting, celebrating how blasts of trebley choruses and crunchy riffs let lines like “Everybody Dies” and “No Hope” land as rallying, cathartic anthems. In short, the best tracks are the ones that marry pogo-friendly melodies to sharp shards of anguish, and those moments are plentiful here.
Key Points
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The best song moments (notably "Bruised Lung" and "Is It Making You Feel Something") pair exhilarating playing with shadowed lyrics.
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The album's core strength is its fizzy intersection of upbeat melodies and acidic, existential lyrics delivered as cathartic anthems.
Themes
Critic's Take
In his clear-eyed praise, Brian Stout presents Superchunk’s Songs in the Key of Yikes as a potent, hook-filled return, singling out “Is it Making You Feel Something?”, “Care Less” and “Train on Fire” as the record’s best songs. He writes with the measured enthusiasm of a longtime fan, noting that the band’s sharp lyricism and bright melodies make these best tracks on Songs in the Key of Yikes immediate crowd-pleasers. The review emphasizes songcraft over nostalgia, arguing that these top tracks combine memorable riffs, big choruses, and dark humor to deliver one of Superchunk’s strongest newer-era releases.
Key Points
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The best song, "Train on Fire", delivers classic Superchunk thrills with an immediately recognizable riff and singalong "yeah, yeah" moments.
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The album’s core strengths are sharp songcraft, memorable riffs, dark humor, and a politically minded but resilient outlook.
Themes
