Without hyperbole, Majesty Shredding is hands down the best Superchunk album in years—a statement that's easily backed up by the disc's awesome punk-laced indie pop. And it's even easier to defend once you consider that the band hasn't put out a full-length for the better part of a decade. Speaking to the Straight from his Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home, singer Mac McCaughan explains that the group has merely been hibernating since 2001's Here's to Shutting Up and is now ready to head out and try new things. For starters, Superchunk is playing Las Vegas for the first time in its 21-year career.

“It is kind of exciting to play our first-ever show in Nevada. Now we can check that state off the list,” he says as he packs his bags for the Matador Records anniversary party in Sin City. “We've certainly driven through it, but for whatever reason it doesn't strike me as an incredibly rock 'n' roll place. Maybe they just never wanted us.”

However modest the quartet (McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance and drummer Jon Wurster) might be, Superchunk has still got it going on. While there have been slight changes in its approach over the years, Majesty Shredding—its ninth long-player—finds the outfit still focused on the off-kilter hooks that made it a buzz band back when it released its classic No Pocky for Kitty in 1991.

The speedy “My Gap Feels Weird”, for instance, has the foursome hitting it full force through layers of buzz-saw guitars and quirky time shifts. But despite the tune flying as if played by sugar-jonesing teenagers, it finds the elfin-voiced McCaughan on the other side of the generation gap, trying to identify with a group of sullen kids sitting on a street corner.

Superchunk takes an equally punched-up approach on zippy numbers “Rope Light” and “Learned to Surf”. McCaughan chalks up the extra energy to writing the bulk of Majesty Shredding on his own.

“In terms of tempo or things being more frantic and punk rock, that kind of song is harder to write in a group setting,” he says.

“I knew it wasn't going to sound like Here's to Shutting Up,” he continues, alluding to that disc's lush orchestral arrangements and almost adult feel. “It wasn't going to have as many keyboards or strings or anything like that. I felt it was going to end up on the more rocking end of the spectrum.”

While the bulk of Majesty Shredding will likely have fans pogoing like mad, the release does allow a mellower moment or two. Wilbur's solo on the adorable slow-dance number “Rosemarie” soars straight out of a '50s high-school prom night, which complements McCaughan's calls to the girl of his dreams. The acoustic guitars that kick off “Hot Tubes” also manage to bring a bit of a country twang into the vocalist's repertoire.

No matter the style, Superchunk is finally back from its sabbatical. But even though it's ready to take Majesty Shredding on the road, the long-running act knows it has to factor in its bulky back catalogue. Considering this is the band that came to fame with its Kinko's-bashing “Slack Motherfucker”, you know that Superchunk won't shirk its duties to its devoted fans.

“We have so many songs to choose from,” McCaughan admits. “We made a list of songs to choose from before the tour started. But our sets are a little bit longer than they used to be. I definitely feel it the next morning, after each show.”

Superchunk plays the Biltmore Cabaret on Wednesday (October 13).