It took me a while to come around on ’90s indie rockers Superchunk, and I’m not entirely sure why.  Because hmm, let’s see what traits Superchunk have in common with the kind of music I usually graduate towards: Raw ear-pumping melodies?  Check.  Ties to the ’80s/’90s alternative scene?  Check.  A lead singer that loves joyously shouting at the top of his lungs?  Check.  A desire to be pretty darn catchy while still rocking the fuck out?  Checkitty Check Check Check.  So I suppose it should come as no surprise that I’m pretty down with the band’s follow-up to their ass-kicking 2010 comeback album.

Majesty Shredding, the comeback album in question, was pretty great because it saw Superchunk effectively channeling the energetic quality of their early ’90s stuff without any regard for the fact that the indie landscape had changed considerably in the ten years since they had released an album.  I Hate Music is in many ways a continuation of this, as songs like “Me & You & Jackie Mattoo” and “FOH” have that great teenage-inspired scrappiness that Superchunk have always exuded, no matter what their age.

Thankfully though, I Hate Music never quite sees Superchunk as a band just rehashing their old sound just for the sake of having some fun.  No, there’s actually a bittersweet quality to some of the songs, which occasionally mix Superchunk’s dependably effervescent qualities with a twinge of longing and regret.  I think the opening track “Overflows” lays out the album’s M.O. quite nicely, as it starts as a contemplative ballad and eventually leads to joyous refrains of “Let’s go!/Don’t let go, let go!”.  Which has a nice contradictory quality to it, while admitting that veteran bands like Superchunk are probably at their best when simultaneously pushing themselves forwards and backwards at the same time.

Favorite Tracks: “Overflows”, “Me & You & Jackie Mattoo”, “FOH”

It was just the other day that I found myself squeezed into the front row of a sold out Grouplove performance at the iconic Emerald City venue “The Crocodile”. The show was a blast and notable for a handful of reasons. Most notably, it was the live debut of most of the songs off of Grouplove’s new album “Spreading Rumours” (the very posh British spelling). Additionally, they were selling the new album at the show, despite the fact that it’s not due out until September 17th. The band had a lot to live up to following the commercial hits of their first album, but after hearing most of this album from a crowd and then from my headphones, I think it’s safe to say they’ve topped themselves.

Following up their 2011 party-pop debut Never Trust a Happy Song, this L.A. quintet has yet again captured a youthfully fun feel with even more bells and whistles. The band brims with energy on shout-a-long tracks like the heavy “Borderlines and Aliens” or the faintly synth-pop opener “I’m With You”. “Ways to Go” occupies the role of infectious lead single with its simplistic keyboard riff and bouncy electro-drum beat. Its my personal choice for fun-in-the-sun song of the summer.

A strong sense of collaboration and good vibrations attaches itself to Grouplove’s music, they have fun and I have fun listening to them. I particularly enjoy the interplay between Kurt Cobain-esque frontman Christian Zucconi and the band’s endlessly jovial backup vocalist Hannah Hooper. The whole musical affair comes off like a hippy-dippy house party where the fun never stops.

Like the first album, there’s one minor kick that tugs at my ripped jeans. Spreading Rumours feels very frontloaded. The five best songs are the five first songs. The rest of the bunch is passable but not nearly as memorable. Still, the album has a better feng shui than its predecessor, more balanced. Not to mention that armed with this new material they put on a helluva show. Only time will tell if the rest of the music world will be tapping its toes or wagging its finger at Spreading Rumours for being too sugary sweet. Either way, I’m content to hold on to this pop/rock cavity.

Favorite Tracks: “I’m With You,” “School Boy,” “Ways to Go”

Though my clothes are still soaked from my own tears, I thought I’d take a broment to talk about Brothers: a Tale of Two Sons. Published by 505 Games and Developed by Swedish game studio Starbreeze Studios (in collaboration with Swedish film director Josef Fares), Brothers is the best downloadable game I’ve played since Journey. In fact, Brothers is the best downloadable game I’ve ever played.

Released on Xbox Live last month and now available on Steam and PS3, Brothers is a whimsical adventure game built off of the highly inventive concept of single player co-op. What that means is that each character (a younger brother and an older brother) are controlled separately, one with the left control stick and one with the right. The results are like a series of brain dominance tests (think of patting your head while rubbing your stomach). With this control scheme you must solve various puzzles and overcome obstacles. There’s not really any combat to speak of but that hardly matters. Brothers is not only appealing because of it’s unconventional gameplay but its deeply engrossing world and powerful narrative.

First off, I gotta come clean. When I found out each brother was going to be controlled separately I saw an opportunity. Instead of playing this by myself I shared the controller with my girlfriend. Now you’d think that would make it easier, and in some areas it was, but in others it was even harder. Two minds trying to row a boat or guide a hang-glider is not an easy accomplishment. I’d compare it to a Mario Party mini-game with a lot of, “What the hell are you doing? No, turn it left! Left!” I love co-op and look for any opportunity to make it memorable.

Gameplay aside, it’s the atmosphere that makes Brothers so memorable. The story is simple, two brothers must traverse across a magical world to get medicine for their ailing father. Like something out of a Grimm fairy tale, the boys must traverse through the lands of trolls, giants, and other mystical creatures to reach their destination. Most memorably, the boys encounter an owl/cat-like creature which may be the closest I’ll ever get to the still unreleased game The Last Guardian, at least from an emotional standpoint.

The game is brief (about three hours) but I guarantee the experience will be long-lasting. Though I do warn you that Brothers is absolutely heartbreaking, but it’s that same boldness that makes it so impressive. I love everything about it; the gameplay, the atmosphere, the visual design. If it was just a little a longer it would in my opinion be a perfect game. Nothing impresses me more than games with a powerful cinematic sensibility and in that department Brothers is a masterpiece.