Mac McCaughan - Non-Believers (CD)

On May 5, Superchunk frontman Mac McCaughan will release Non-Believers, his first solo album under his own name. McCaughan wanted to use the album to explore his attraction to that early-'80s era of music when punk evolved into something more introspective, focusing on themes of isolation and eventually turning into post-punk and new wave. As he puts it, he was thinking about a time when bands were 'using keyboards and drum machines to relate through their music a disaffection or alienation' from society, school, whatever. The record is about a fascination with art that could only be made by someone far from where you are, but who maybe shares the frustrations and awkwardness of youth.