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defrogContinuing yet again with the Old Guys Are The Future Of Music meme:
Bob Mould, as you may know, is my hero. His distinctive guitar sound has been probably the biggest single influence on me as a guitar player, regardless of where he’s deployed it – in Husker Du, Sugar and as a solo artist. I want to be like him. If that involves being gay, so be it. I’m cool with that.
Fandom!
That said, I’ll be the first to admit his solo work can be patchy, particularly since his "comeback" in 2005 after spending several years writing electronica and wrestling scripts. Body Of Song was a decent warm-up for the excellent District Line, but 2009's Life And Times didn’t really work for me. It was good, but it didn’t really grab me by the collar and punch me repeatedly in the face like I know Mould is capable of doing. (That’s a good thing, BTW. Don’t judge.)
His follow-up, Silver Age, is out now. And Jesus Christ, is it a kick in the head.
It may be the product of Mould playing old Sugar material on tour between albums, but either way Silver Age is practically a Sugar reunion album, only with Mould as the only original member left. It’s got everything a good Mould album should have – snarling lyrics over loud angry guitars with lots of open chords for maximum harmonics that sound like they could put you in the hospital if you touch yr stereo speakers.
Better yet, the songwriting is some of the best of Mould’s career. It may follow a familiar template, but it’s a hell of a template – ten songs and not a dud on here.
Listen to the opening track. If you dare.
Sure, I’m biased. So what? I’m biased in every episode of this series. Sue me.
In that sense, I’ll admit that people who don’t get Mould will continue to be unimpressed. For the rest of us – or at least me – I think this is easily Mould’s most kinetic and exciting album since Sugar’s Beaster EP, and his most awesome solo effort since Black Sheets Of Rain.
As a fanboy, I’m pleased to know he can still do stuff like this. Hopefully I’ll still feel that way once the euphoria wears off.
Play it loud,
This is dF
Bob Mould, as you may know, is my hero. His distinctive guitar sound has been probably the biggest single influence on me as a guitar player, regardless of where he’s deployed it – in Husker Du, Sugar and as a solo artist. I want to be like him. If that involves being gay, so be it. I’m cool with that.
Fandom!
That said, I’ll be the first to admit his solo work can be patchy, particularly since his "comeback" in 2005 after spending several years writing electronica and wrestling scripts. Body Of Song was a decent warm-up for the excellent District Line, but 2009's Life And Times didn’t really work for me. It was good, but it didn’t really grab me by the collar and punch me repeatedly in the face like I know Mould is capable of doing. (That’s a good thing, BTW. Don’t judge.)
His follow-up, Silver Age, is out now. And Jesus Christ, is it a kick in the head.
It may be the product of Mould playing old Sugar material on tour between albums, but either way Silver Age is practically a Sugar reunion album, only with Mould as the only original member left. It’s got everything a good Mould album should have – snarling lyrics over loud angry guitars with lots of open chords for maximum harmonics that sound like they could put you in the hospital if you touch yr stereo speakers.
Better yet, the songwriting is some of the best of Mould’s career. It may follow a familiar template, but it’s a hell of a template – ten songs and not a dud on here.
Listen to the opening track. If you dare.
Sure, I’m biased. So what? I’m biased in every episode of this series. Sue me.
In that sense, I’ll admit that people who don’t get Mould will continue to be unimpressed. For the rest of us – or at least me – I think this is easily Mould’s most kinetic and exciting album since Sugar’s Beaster EP, and his most awesome solo effort since Black Sheets Of Rain.
As a fanboy, I’m pleased to know he can still do stuff like this. Hopefully I’ll still feel that way once the euphoria wears off.
Play it loud,
This is dF
