Album Review: The Sound of Yourself by Mac McCaughan

The latest solo album from Superchunk chap and Merge Records head honcho Mac McCaughan finds him in contemplative and somewhat ambient mood. Having recently spent a large chunk of time concentrating on creating a score for the Amy Poehler Netflix movie Moxie, he was at something of a loose end when that project concluded, but not before becoming increasingly influenced by the works of Brian Eno and Fennesz (amongst others). Those influences are evident in the more subdued and soft focused passages of music found on The Sound Of Yourself.

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"Will you ever get used/To the sound of yourself," Mac McCaughan asks on the title track of his latest record, only the second one released under his own name. The question doubles as the first lines sung on The Sound of Yourself, which follows the unexpected instrumental opener "Moss Light." The opener bubbles with rolling percussion while synths, horns, and chimes build up to create a serene yet mysterious ambiance. Is this the record we'd expect from the indie rock veteran? Indeed, it's hard not to take the album's title as a challenge McCaughan made for himself.

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