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Certain Songs #2562: Superchunk – “Garlic”

February 28, 2023 by Jim Connelly

Album: Tossing Seeds (Singles 89-91)
Year: 1990

. . .

As someone who learned early on that the stinking rose makes just about every type of meat that much more tasty — and once or twice ate the stuff raw (after several drinks, of course) — I absolutely couldn’t resist one of the other highlights of Tossing Seeds (Singles 89-91), the gloriously noisy “Garlic.”

Technically, “Garlic” wasn’t a Superchunk single, but rather occupying the b-side of a split single with Geek and Seaweed called “Three’s Company,” making it the perfect kind of artifact to be collected on Tossing Seeds (Singles 89-91).

Rising from the lungs
Seeping from my pores
I see your eyes are stung
I think i want some more

Mac McCauglan sings that opening verse with an almost matter-of-factness over a bunch of loud guitars, following it with a pre-chorus that indicates that he absolutely understands what he’s singing about.

And you breathe it out
And you sweat out
And you piss it out
And you work it out
And you cannot wash it
And you just can’t you lose it
And i think i lost it
Well i’ll always choose it

If you listen close enough through all of the lo-fi haze, you hear some cool hooky guitar playing counterpoint to the vocals — either Mac or Jack McCook, which continues through a chorus that I’ve always found utterly hilarious.

What goes in quiet
Comes out loud
I’m working from the inside out

C’mon!! Hooking a song called “Garlic” around a chorus of “What goes in quiet / Comes out loud”??? It may or may not be genius, but I’ve loved it to bits for 30 years.

Also helping: an utterly deranged guitar break in the middle of the song, featuring both Mac and McCook just going to town, which pretty much continues through the rest of the song, as Mac screams “inside out!”Yeah a couple more times before it ends.

“Garlic”

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Filed Under: Certain Songs Tagged With: Superchunk, Tossing Seeds (Singles 89-91), Train From Kansas City

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Previously on Medialoper

  • Certain Songs #2578: Supergrass – “Sun Hits The Sky”
  • Certain Songs #2577: Supergrass – “Alright”
  • Certain Songs #2576: Superchunk – “If You’re Not Dark”
  • Certain Songs #2575: Superchunk – “Endless Summer”
  • Certain Songs #2574: Superchunk – “Reagan Youth”

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