Originally conceived in the early ‘90s as a side project to satisfy Superchunk leader Mac McCaughan’s uncontrollable fecundity, Portastatic has become increasingly active through the years, while Superchunk has all but gone into hibernation. Some Small History is a double disc odds and sods collection of singles, covers, and unreleased rarities that traces Portastatic’s decade and a half existence. While many groups have put out such catch-all collections, few are able to sustain a high level of excellence over the course of two full discs (Fountains of Wayne’s Out of State Plates being one of very few examples that springs to mind.) Though the tracks on Some Small History are not chronological, it’s a relatively simple matter to trace the arc of Portastatic’s evolution through their music—from the low-fi freneticism of 1992’s “Starter” to the lush and soaring beauty of Ryan Adams’ “My Sweet Carolina” from 2006. Regardless of the complexity of the production, McCaughan’s heartfelt devotion to the songs, coupled with the compelling intimacy of his delicate, fragile vocals, draw the listener into the emotional vortex from which there is no escape. Whether he’s updating the Undertones’ “Teenage Kicks” and Prefab Sprout’s “When Love Breaks Down,” or offering up such vital originals as the jaunty “I Wanna Know Girls” and “Soft Fruit,” it’s impossible not to be charmed by McCaughan’s sincerity. And while Some Small History ends with galloping cover of Dylan’s “It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue,” it seems highly unlikely that Portastatic is anywhere the end of its run. (A quick word to the wise: the small print on the back of the disc warns that “This is a limited edition of 3,000.” Grab yours while you can.)
--Rick Schadelbauer [November 2, 2008]
