Bob Mould | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Bob Mould began his career as one of the angry upstarts of the hardcore punk scene, and over several decades hes matured into one of the elder statesmen of alternative rock without giving up his integrity, his intelligence, or the fierce passion of his best music. In the early 80s, Mould emerged as one of the founding members of Hüsker Dü, a Minneapolis-based punk band who blended furiously fast tempos with pop melodic structures on influential, groundbreaking albums like 1984s Zen Arcade and 1985s New Day Rising. After the breakup of Hüsker Dü, Mould launched a solo career with 1989s introspective, largely acoustic Workbook, but soon returned to a hard, angry sound on 1990s Black Sheets of Rain. In 1992, Mould formed another band, Sugar, who picked up where the pop-oriented sound of Hüsker Dü left off on albums like 1992s Copper Blue and 1994s File Under: Easy Listening. After Sugar split up in 1995, Mould returned to solo work, dividing his time between guitar-oriented efforts like 1998s The Last Dog and Pony Show and projects like 2002s Modulate that reflected his growing interest in electronic music. Mould walked a middle ground between the two styles on 2008s District Line, but with 2012s Silver Age, he re-committed himself to fluid but aggressive rock, and it was the first in a series of albums that reaffirmed his status as one of indie rocks strongest talents. Bob Mould was born in Malone, New York on October 16, 1960. He cut his teeth musically listening to singles his father bought used from a jukebox distributor, and in his early teens he picked up the guitar. Mould got a copy of the Ramones first album for his 16th birthday, and he soon immersed himself in punk rock. He moved to Minnesota to attend Macalester University in the St. Paul-Minnesota area, and there he met a fellow music fan named Grant Hart. Mould and Hart formed Hüsker Dü in 1979, and they released their first album, a loud and frantic live effort titled Land Speed Record, in 1981. After they signed to SST Records, Hüsker Dü became more musically ambitious, and musically and lyrically, 1984s Zen Arcade was a major critical breakthrough that opened the band to an audience outside the hardcore underground. In 1986, Hüsker Dü became one of the first bands who came up from hardcore to sign to a major label when they inked with Warner Bros. for the album Candy Apple Grey. 1987s Warehouse: Songs and Stories helped expand their audience, but personal difficulties and strife within the band had taken a serious toll, and by the end of that year, Hüsker Dü fell apart. After the band split up, Mould signed a solo contract with Virgin Records in 1988. The following year he released his first solo album, Workbook, which represented a major shift in sonic direction. Workbook was an introspective collection, featuring keyboards, acoustic guitars, and even strings. The album received excellent reviews and spent 14 weeks on the charts, peaking at 127; "See a Little Light" became a Top Ten modern rock hit. Mould returned to loud, guitar-driven rock on his second solo album, 1990s Black Sheets of Rain. Featuring the Top Ten modern rock hit "Its Too Late," Black Sheets of Rain received mixed reviews. Frustrated with the business operations of major record labels, Mould left Virgin after the release of Black Sheets of Rain; they would later release a compilation drawn from the two albums, Poison Years. Mould then formed an independent record company, SOL (Singles Only Label), which released 45s from new, developing acts as well as cult bands. In 1992, he formed a new trio, Sugar, with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis; the band signed with Rykodisc in the U.S. and Creation in the U.K. Sugars first album, Copper Blue, was released in the fall of 1992 to enthusiastic reviews and became Moulds most successful project to date. Copper Blue nearly went gold and spawned several alternative radio and MTV hits, including "Helpless" and "If I Cant Change Your Mind." In the spring of 1993, Sugar released the mini-LP Beaster, a more abrasive collection than Copper Blue that was recorded at the same sessions. Around the time of the release of Beaster, Mould, whose homosexuality had been an open secret in the music community, was forced out of the closet by various gay publications with hopes that he would embrace their political cause. He rejected their requests, but reluctantly discussed his sexual orientation in a 1994 interview with Spin Magazine; years later, he would become an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ issues and marriage equality. Mould wrote the material for the second Sugar album during 1993. The band began recording in the spring of 1994, but the sessions ground to a halt and the tapes were erased. Mould decided to give the album one more try, and it was recorded quickly late that spring. The album, File Under: Easy Listening, appeared in the fall of 1994. Although it received good reviews and was moderately successful commercially, it didnt match the performance of Copper Blue. In the spring of 1995, it was announced that Sugar were on hiatus. Besides, a collection of rarities and B-sides, was released that summer. By the fall, Mould had broken up the band and begun work on a third album entirely by himself. He played all of the instruments on his self-titled third album, which was released in the spring of 1996. The Last Dog and Pony Show followed in 1998, and Mould announced that after the supporting tour, he was giving up playing guitar-based rock music. In 2002, after a long period of musical inactivity, Mould returned with the electronics-heavy Modulate, followed by the more conventional Body of Song in 2005. After Blowoff, a dance project with Richard Morel that grew from a DJ night they regularly hosted, Mould returned to his guitar roots and paired up with Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty to record District Line in 2008. Mould inched back to alt-rock on 2009s Life and Times, then devoted himself to writing his autobiography with the assistance of Michael Azerrad. See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody was published in the summer of 2011. The following year, Mould returned to the sound of Sugar, playing the bands 1992 debut in its entirety while on tour, reissuing the bands catalog in deluxe editions, and, finally, reviving its sound on Silver Age, his first album for Merge Records. Recorded with Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster and Split Single bassist Jason Narducy, Silver Age was greeted with strong reviews, as was its 2014 successor, Beauty & Ruin, which also appeared on Merge and featured Wurster and Narducy in Moulds favored power trio format. Beauty & Ruin debuted at 38, Moulds highest chart placement to date. He once again worked with Wurster and Narducy for 2016s Patch the Sky, and for 2019s Sunshine Rock, the trio delivered an especially energetic, upbeat set that strongly recalled Sugars most celebrated work. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 17 Title: Workbook Released: 1989-05-02 Tracks: 11 Duration: 52:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sunspots (02:04) 2 Wishing Well (05:13) 3 Heartbreak a Stranger (05:53) 4 See a Little Light (03:32) 5 Poison Years (05:25) 6 Sinners and Their Repentances (04:06) 7 Brasilia Crossed With Trenton (06:40) 8 Compositions for the Young and Old (04:40) 9 Lonely Afternoon (04:30) 10 Dreaming, I Am (04:17) 11 Whichever Way the Wind Blows (06:27) |
| Workbook : Allmusic album Review : Arriving after years of sonic bombast in Hüsker Dü, the reflective, acoustic nature of Bob Moulds first solo album, Workbook, was a bold statement of renewal. Like all of Moulds work, its an intensely introspective record, finding him purging demons left over from the dissolution of Hüsker Dü. Instead of relying on raging guitars, Mould explores a wide variety of styles, from pure pop ("See a Little Light") to reflective folk laced with cellos. Its an astonishing array of styles, and the songs are among Moulds finest. For many observers, the record established him as a major songwriter, but it also established a way for underground post-punk artists to mature -- echoes of Workbook could be heard throughout the 90s, from R.E.M.s elegiac Automatic for the People to Nirvanas use of cellos on In Utero and Unplugged. But Workbook remains a stunning work of individuality, marrying a distinctive body of songs with an original musical vision. Occasionally, the production is a little too pristine, but the power of the songs cannot be diminished. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 17 Title: Black Sheets of Rain Released: 1990-08-10 Tracks: 11 Duration: 56:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Black Sheets of Rain (07:42) 2 Stand Guard (05:31) 3 It’s Too Late (04:03) 4 One Good Reason (06:18) 5 Stop Your Crying (04:31) 6 Hanging Tree (05:46) 7 The Last Night (04:00) 8 Hear Me Calling (04:57) 9 Out of Your Life (03:33) 10 Disappointed (04:10) 11 Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace (05:33) |
| Black Sheets of Rain : Allmusic album Review : A scalding, monolithic collection of soul-baring lyrics and primal guitars, Black Sheets of Rain is extremely powerful musically, but is also slightly monotonous. Nevertheless, the record features several inspired songs from Mould, including the catchy single "Its Too Late." | ||
 | Album: 3 of 17 Title: Poison Years Released: 1994-07-26 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:11:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Black Sheets of Rain (07:40) 2 It’s Too Late (04:03) 3 Stop Your Crying (04:31) 4 Out of Your Life (03:33) 5 Hanging Tree (05:46) 6 Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace (05:33) 7 Wishing Well (05:13) 8 See a Little Light (03:32) 9 All Those People Know (03:39) 10 Compositions for the Young and Old (live) (04:19) 11 If You’re True (live) (04:34) 12 Poison Years (live) (05:40) 13 Brasilia Crossed With Trenton (live) (07:09) 14 Shoot Out the Lights (live) (05:56) |
| Poison Years : Allmusic album Review : Drawing heavily from Black Sheets of Rain, this anthology of Moulds time at Virgin doesnt give enough space to the brilliant Workbook, but it does have several fiery live tracks, including a harrowing version of Richard Thompsons "Shoot Out the Lights." | ||
 | Album: 4 of 17 Title: Egøverride Released: 1996-04-09 Tracks: 4 Duration: 16:29 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Egøverride (03:32) 2 Wanted Was (04:00) 3 Eternally Fried (03:35) 4 Doubleface (05:21) |
 | Album: 5 of 17 Title: Bob Mould Released: 1996-04-29 Tracks: 15 Duration: 59:00 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Anymore Time Between (05:40) 2 I Hate Alternative Rock (02:55) 3 Fort Knox, King Solomon (03:34) 4 Next Time That You Leave (03:57) 5 Egøverride (03:54) 6 Thumbtack (04:59) 7 Hair Stew (04:03) 8 Deep Karma Canyon (03:01) 9 Art Crisis (03:27) 10 Roll Over and Die (05:11) 11 Wanted Was (B-Side) (04:01) 12 Eternally Fried (B-Side) (03:36) 13 Doubleface (B-Side) (05:21) 14 Fort Knox, King Solomon (Live) (02:55) 15 I Hate Alternative Rock (Live) (02:22) |
| Bob Mould : Allmusic album Review : As he was promoting the last Sugar album, File Under: Easy Listening, Bob Mould hinted that he was tired of working with a band and was fascinated by the simple, four-track recordings of Sebadoh and Guided by Voices. So, it didnt come as a complete surprise when he disbanded Sugar a year after the release of FU:EL and began working on a record by himself. Bob Mould, his third solo album, was recorded entirely by Mould, but it doesnt sound like a lo-fi project -- it doesnt have the professional production of Sugars records, but it has all their sonic detail. What has changed is the details themselves. Bob Mould may not surge on waves of loud guitars like Hüsker Dü or Sugar, but Mould is reaching into new territory, using distortion as a coloring device and exploring trancier melodies. And Mould sounds revitalized throughout the album -- although it is clear that this isnt a collection of first-takes, his obsession with making the album entirely on his own makes the music fierce and alive. Mould may be heading further into singer/songwriter territory with each album he releases, but he keeps his music away from stodginess by continually changing his approach and delving into new sonic territories. It also doesnt hurt that his increasingly bitter lyrics are gut-wrenchingly provocative and his melodies are consistently engaging. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 17 Title: The Last Dog and Pony Show Released: 1998-08-24 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:12:56 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 New #1 (04:47) 2 Moving Trucks (03:29) 3 Taking Everything (03:26) 4 First Drag of the Day (04:29) 5 Classifieds (03:03) 6 Who Was Around? (04:08) 7 Skintrade (05:43) 8 Vaporub (04:04) 9 Sweet Serene (03:26) 10 Megamanic (03:38) 11 Reflecting Pool (03:39) 12 Along the Way (04:20) 1 Interview (24:38) |
| The Last Dog and Pony Show : Allmusic album Review : Just before The Last Dog and Pony Show hit the streets, Bob Mould announced that his supporting tour would be the last time he hit the road with a full electric band. From this point on, he would be challenging himself, finding different musical avenues to explore and leaving his trademark tower of guitars behind. Presumably, this also meant that The Last Dog and Pony Show would be the recorded farewell to this sound, and it is indeed an excellent consolidation of all of his musical quirks and signatures. The Last Dog and Pony Show is the work of a craftsman, not a nakedly emotional confessional like Workbook or Bob Mould. Thats not to say the album is lightweight, since seriousness is one of Moulds signatures, but there is a sense of humor that hasnt been heard since Sugar, and he, overall, sounds more relaxed than he has in years. Hes so relaxed, in fact, that he lets down his guard on the cheerfully ridiculous pseudo-rap "Megamanic," the only track on Show that offers a musical departure from Moulds past. The rest of the record is clearly a Mould album, from the rushing rockers to the impassioned acoustic ballads, but the craft in both the songwriting and the production guarantees that the music never sounds like a retread, even if it does sound familiar. And thats not a bad way to draw to a close the first part of his career, if Mould does indeed turn his back on his signature sound. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 17 Title: Modulate. Released: 2002-03-12 Tracks: 14 Duration: 47:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 180 Rain (03:45) 2 Sunset Safety Glass (04:21) 3 Semper FI (03:58) 4 Homecoming Parade (02:03) 5 Lost Zoloft (03:18) 6 Without? (01:41) 7 Slay / Sway (04:09) 8 The Receipt (02:26) 9 Quasar (04:17) 10 Soundonsound (04:05) 11 Hornery (01:04) 12 Comeonstrong (03:43) 13 Trade (05:24) 14 Authors Lament (03:24) |
| Modulate. : Allmusic album Review : Its possible to understand, sympathize, and agree with every one of Bob Moulds reasons for making Modulate, without liking it all that much. Modulate appeared in 2002 after a long period of musical inactivity from Mould. Following 1998s The Last Dog and Pony Show, he retreated from music, spending several years writing wrestling scripts while working on his next move -- a move he telegraphed with the promotion of Last Dog and the album itself, which announced itself as the last of its kind. And it was. Although the songs on Modulate are clearly the creation of the man who penned classic tunes for Hüsker Dü and Sugar, theyre deliberately dressed differently -- theyre insular, one-man creations (even more so than Workbook), as that man tries to expand his art by grappling with new technologies and trends and a whole bunch of electronic instruments and computers. At times -- and these are front-loaded toward the beginning of the album -- hes more interested in what these new tools can do than using them to complete his songs, which illustrates just how determined he is to find a new way to make music. Its admirable that an artist is so determined to grow, even if its a self-conscious affair, and it makes sense that a musician as serious and dedicated as Mould would make an album like this, but it doesnt erase the fact that Modulate is the sound of growing pains. Since Mould is an accomplished songwriter, there are some good songs here (although there are many more that miss the mark), but the defining characteristic of this album is not the songs, but the approach to the songs -- the way he layers on sequencers and vocoders as if each subsequent overdub brought him further into new sonic territory, even when his writing hasnt changed that much. He has faith that a new way of writing will change the very character of his writing, and while that may have helped him write the record (we will never know -- its the kind of question only an artist can answer), it hasnt rejuvenated his music. The most surprising thing about Modulate is that it feels like it could have been released the same year as The Last Dog and Pony Show without anything being any different. Not that this album needed to be visionary, but Mould certainly wanted this to be a new start for his music. In the long run, it very well may prove to be that, but as an individual album in his discography, its one of his least-satisfying efforts. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 17 Title: Live Dog 98 Released: 2002-03-26 Tracks: 18 Duration: 1:14:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Moving Trucks (03:26) 2 Taking Everything (03:01) 3 First Drag of the Day (03:58) 4 I Hate Alternative Rock (02:35) 5 Stand Guard (04:28) 6 Classifieds (02:47) 7 Hear Me Calling (04:22) 8 Art Crisis (02:58) 9 Anymore Time Between (05:56) 10 Skin Trade (06:27) 11 Eternally Fried (05:18) 12 Roll Over and Die (03:49) 13 Lonely Afternoon (03:55) 14 Egoverride (02:55) 15 Reflecting Pool (02:35) 16 Disappointed (03:13) 17 Hanging Tree (07:49) 18 Man on the Moon (04:31) |
 | Album: 9 of 17 Title: Body of Song Released: 2005-07-25 Tracks: 21 Duration: 1:39:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Circles (03:56) 2 (Shine Your) Light Love Hope (03:58) 3 Paralyzed (03:54) 4 I Am Vision, I Am Sound (03:49) 5 Underneath Days (04:33) 6 Always Tomorrow (03:59) 7 Days of Rain (05:05) 8 Best Thing (02:50) 9 High Fidelity (03:48) 10 Missing You (02:50) 11 Gauze of Friendship (05:30) 12 Beating Heart the Prize (06:31) 1 Castor and Pollux (05:25) 2 Surveyors and Cranes (03:16) 3 Love Escalator (05:03) 4 Lowdown Ground (03:13) 5 My Old Friend (04:06) 6 Nihil (04:31) 7 (Shine Your) Light Love Hope (Morels Pink Noise mix) (07:19) 8 (Shine Your) Light Love Hope (Morels Pink Noise dub) (07:33) 9 Paralyzed (Loudbomb club mix) (07:59) |
| Body of Song : Allmusic album Review : In 1998, after the release of his album The Last Dog and Pony Show, Bob Mould announced he was hanging up his electric guitar and exploring other musical avenues outside of rock & roll. More than a few fans expressed some trepidation about Moulds career choice, and that buzz became a roar after Mould released Modulate in 2002, which found him diving head first into electronic music. At least in America, the vast majority of rock fans have not been able to come to terms with the rise of electronica, and regardless of the albums virtues or flaws, few listeners were willing to look past the hard, kinetic surfaces of the music and give the songs a fair hearing. It would appear this prejudice did not escape Moulds notice, as 2005s Body of Song was widely hyped as Moulds return to rock, complete with electric guitars and a live rhythm section. But a spin of the album suggests the album isnt so much a step back to the sound he pioneered in Hüsker Dü and Sugar as an attempt to have things both ways. (The fact that Mould spins regularly at a dance club in Washington, D.C., suggests he hasnt lost interest in electronic music as a creative form.) Many of the cuts on Body of Song sound as if Mould is still thinking club music, but is filtering it through the framework of a three-piece rock band; "(Shine Your) Light Love Hope," "Always Tomorrow," and "I Am Vision, I Am Sound" are dominated by echoed textures, lockstep rhythms, and vocoder-processed vocals that wouldnt be out of place on a house track, but with a live drummer (Brendan Canty from Fugazi on most tracks, who is predictably excellent) and Mould adding a layer of guitar over the top. And while Mould frequently bellows his lyrics with an approximation of the fury of his best-known work, most of the songs on Body of Song deal with deeply problematic relationships and on paper speak more of sorrow, confusion, and misplaced hope than the rage suggested by the bitter wailing he uses to bring them across. Body of Song ultimately feels more like an attempt by Mould to please both his audience and himself than a coherent and confident effort; while its hardly a failure, it lacks the courage of the admittedly flawed Modulate while falling short of the power of his masterpieces with Sugar and Hüsker Dü, existing in a strange middle ground that doesnt do this talented artist many favors, though theres enough emotional resonance in quieter tunes such as "High Fidelity" and "Gauze of Friendship" to remind you he still has plenty to offer when he knows where hes going. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 17 Title: District Line Released: 2008-02-05 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Stupid Now (04:05) 2 Who Needs to Dream? (03:57) 3 Again and Again (05:21) 4 Old Highs, New Lows (04:00) 5 Return to Dust (04:25) 6 The Silence Between Us (03:34) 7 Shelter Me (03:52) 8 Very Temporary (03:11) 9 Miniature Parade (03:34) 10 Walls in Time (06:13) |
| District Line : Allmusic album Review : Its tempting to call District Line a return to form for Bob Mould -- tempting, but not quite accurate. Mould might have started to wander into the electronic wilderness after his 1998s The Last Dog and Pony Show, a self-conscious farewell to rock & roll, but he revived his roaring guitars on 2005s Body of Song, so calling District Line a return to rock isnt right, even if its release on the maverick label Anti- suggests that this album may hark back to his Hüsker Dü years. Quite the contrary, actually: while there are plenty of guitars and molten pop hooks, Mould has yet to shake his inexplicable fixation on vocoders, and "Shelter Me" is a straight-up disco track, elements that he picked up in the years since Sugars disbandment. Such exploration is at the heart of Moulds restless artistic spirit, a restlessness hes possessed since Hüsker -- never forget that Zen Arcade was a concept album -- but whats striking about District Line is that Mould sounds calmer here, even relaxed. Thats not to say that he sounds complacent or that the passion has drained from his music, but for the first time hes able to mesh all his disparate musical interests into one cohesive album, one that sounds diverse yet unified. For as many different styles and moods as there are here -- "Stupid Now" surges upon coiled emotions, "Who Needs to Dream" and "The Silence Between Us" recall Sugars sweet pop, "Return to Dust" is a cavalcade of sound, "Old Highs New Lows" is the closest hes ever gotten to a full-on adult alternative ballad -- District Line never sounds showy. Its a consolidation of Moulds considerable strengths, an album that showcases his gifts as a writer and record-maker, one that touches upon almost every phase of his career, yet its filtered through a maturity that feels vital because of its unadorned honesty. Bob Mould isnt forcing himself to make music like he did when he was in his twenties, nor is he working through a series of ideas as he did in the early 2000s; on District Line, hes pulling all these strands together, and it makes for his strongest and best album in years. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 17 Title: Life and Times Released: 2008-04-07 Tracks: 10 Duration: 36:19 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Life and Times (04:11) 2 The Breach (03:45) 3 City Lights (Days Go By) (03:45) 4 MM 17 (03:39) 5 Argos (02:03) 6 Bad Blood Better (03:46) 7 Wasted World (04:00) 8 Spiraling Down (03:08) 9 Im Sorry, Baby, but You Cant Stand in My Light Any More (03:12) 10 Lifetime (04:46) |
| Life and Times : Allmusic album Review : Based on its title, its tempting to think of Life and Times as an autobiography, especially when armed with the knowledge that Bob Mould recorded this album while writing his actual autobiography (scheduled to hit stores in 2010). Its tempting, but not quite accurate, as this is less an orderly journey through the past than memories refracted through the prism of the present. Life and Times bears the unmistakable stamp of being latter-day Mould in how he consolidates his strengths, not embracing his electronica but not running away from it either, in how his writing has a casual, disarming frankness, particularly when recounting last nights sex on "Bad Blood Better." Still, theres no denying the reflective nature of Life and Times, how the past feeds the present in its subject and sounds, a description which suggests that this is a fragile, folky album, which isnt so -- this is Moulds purest pop since Sugar, its ballads surging with grace and its muscular songs built on skyscraper hooks. As immediate as Life and Times isnt nearly as diamond-hard as Copper Blue, which is a great part of its appeal: it flows naturally, the music never pushes, it settles, comfortable in its own skin. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 17 Title: Bob Mould + The Last Dog and Pony Show + Livedog98 Released: 2012-07-17 Tracks: 46 Duration: 3:25:59 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Anymore Time Between (05:40) 2 I Hate Alternative Rock (02:55) 3 Fort Knox, King Solomon (03:34) 4 Next Time That You Leave (03:57) 5 Egøverride (03:54) 6 Thumbtack (04:59) 7 Hair Stew (04:03) 8 Deep Karma Canyon (03:01) 9 Art Crisis (03:27) 10 Roll Over and Die (05:11) 11 Wanted Was (B-Side) (04:01) 12 Eternally Fried (B-Side) (03:36) 13 Doubleface (B-Side) (05:21) 14 Fort Knox, King Solomon (Live) (02:55) 15 I Hate Alternative Rock (Live) (02:22) 1 New #1 (04:47) 2 Moving Trucks (03:29) 3 Taking Everything (03:26) 4 First Drag of the Day (04:29) 5 Classifieds (03:03) 6 Who Was Around? (04:08) 7 Skintrade (05:43) 8 Vaporub (04:04) 9 Sweet Serene (03:26) 10 Megamanic (03:38) 11 Reflecting Pool (03:39) 12 Along the Way (04:20) 13 Bob Mould interviewed by Jack Rabid (24:39) 1 Moving Trucks (03:26) 2 Taking Everything (03:01) 3 First Drag of the Day (03:58) 4 I Hate Alternative Rock (02:35) 5 Stand Guard (04:28) 6 Classifieds (02:47) 7 Hear Me Calling (04:22) 8 Art Crisis (02:58) 9 Anymore Time Between (05:56) 10 Skin Trade (06:27) 11 Eternally Fried (05:18) 12 Roll Over and Die (03:49) 13 Lonely Afternoon (03:55) 14 Egoverride (02:55) 15 Reflecting Pool (02:35) 16 Disappointed (03:13) 17 Hanging Tree (07:49) 18 Man on the Moon (04:31) |
 | Album: 13 of 17 Title: Silver Age Released: 2012-09-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:08 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Star Machine (03:25) 2 Silver Age (03:02) 3 The Descent (03:54) 4 Briefest Moment (03:18) 5 Steam of Hercules (04:16) 6 Fugue State (03:32) 7 Round the City Square (04:04) 8 Angels Rearrange (03:16) 9 Keep Believing (04:24) 10 First Time Joy (04:53) |
| Silver Age : Allmusic album Review : Perhaps writing his autobiography put Bob Mould in a nostalgic mood, as The Silver Age -- arriving roughly a year after See a Little Light: The Trail of Rage and Melody, co-written by Michael Azerrad -- surges forth with a molten, melodic energy unheard in Moulds music since the days of Sugar. Its no coincidence Mould introduced The Silver Age by performing Copper Blue in its entirety during a series of summer concerts in 2012: it is the forefather of this roaring blast of overdriven pop. Once again working in a power trio format -- here supported by bassist Jason Narducy and drummer Jon Wurster -- Mould sounds liberated, eschewing any of the lingering sensitivity and fragility that echoed through parts of 2009s Life and Times, an otherwise powerful guitar pop record. Here, theres nothing but finely sculpted muscle, with even the handful of slower cuts--"Steam of Hercules," the closing "First Time Joy" -- grinding with precise purpose. Mostly, The Silver Age bursts forth with relentless momentum, alternating between such nervy, coiled explosions of energy as "The Descent" and the classic power pop of "Round the City Square." Moulds songwriting is lean and tuneful, as is the music itself. This may hearken back to Sugar, but isnt a complacent trip down memory lane: this is a king rightfully reclaiming his dominion. | ||
 | Album: 14 of 17 Title: Beauty & Ruin Released: 2014-06-03 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Low Season (04:08) 2 Little Glass Pill (02:39) 3 I Dont Know You Anymore (02:55) 4 Kid With Crooked Face (02:14) 5 Nemeses Are Laughing (03:23) 6 The War (03:40) 7 Forgiveness (02:54) 8 Hey Mr. Grey (02:03) 9 Fire in the City (03:14) 10 Tomorrow Morning (02:18) 11 Let the Beauty Be (03:16) 12 Fix It (03:25) |
| Beauty & Ruin : Allmusic album Review : There is a tension within the title of Beauty & Ruin, Bob Moulds tenth solo album, a tension that can also be heard in the music. Written and recorded in the wake of the death of Moulds somewhat estranged father, Beauty & Ruin is a heavier album than its predecessor Silver Age in both emotional and musical terms. Where that 2012 record was a reaffirmation of his strengths, a happy reclamation of all the blaring, candied punk-pop rush of Sugar, this digs deeper, finding room for the churning introspection of Beaster and a bit of the furious mania of prime Hüsker Dü. This versatility is confirmation that his 2010s band, anchored by bassist Jason Narducy (formerly of Verbow and now of Split Single) and Superchunk drummer Jon Wurster, might be his most accomplished supporting group ever, able to follow him through the storms and settle into the aftermath. Although this opens with the slow, grinding "Low Season" and eventually winds its way to the bright, open "Forgiveness," most of this record is devoted to turmoil, as Mould comes to terms with his impending mortality -- hanging over him through both the passing of his dad and his own middle-age -- by drawing sustenance from his signature combination of crystalline pop and molten noise. As loud as this gets, what matters is the subtleties of tone: Silver Age felt like a positive reclamation but Beauty & Ruin is somber, feeling sober even at its most joyous moments; "I Dont Know You Anymore," "Tomorrow Morning," and "Hey Mr. Grey" are fueled by ebullient hooks but what they deliver is clutched and coiled, hinting at the intensity of New Day Rising even when theres no denying Mould isnt attempting to reclaim his youth at all. This self-aware mortality is the trump card of Beauty & Ruin, as Mould neither denies his youth nor his age; as he explores his pain, he finds emotional and musical narrative to tie his past to his present and the results are powerful. | ||
 | Album: 15 of 17 Title: Patch the Sky Released: 2016-03-25 Tracks: 12 Duration: 41:01 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Voices in My Head (03:54) 2 The End of Things (03:37) 3 Hold On (02:55) 4 You Say You (02:59) 5 Losing Sleep (03:25) 6 Pray for Rain (03:20) 7 Lucifer and God (03:45) 8 Daddys Favorite (03:19) 9 Hands Are Tied (01:44) 10 Black Confetti (04:15) 11 Losing Time (02:11) 12 Monument (05:31) |
| Patch the Sky : Allmusic album Review : Bob Mould reconnected with his essential primal roar on 2012s Silver Age, embracing the endless possibilities of a power trio thanks to his allegiance with drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy. A rhythm section every bit as powerful as Hüsker Dü and as nimble as Sugar, Wurster and Narducy provided a needed anchor when life started to get heavy, as it did shortly after the release of Silver Age. Moulds father died, an incident that fueled much of Beauty & Ruin and, after that albums release in 2014, his mother died, too. Mourning and loss -- not precisely parental, either -- flows through Patch the Sky, the album that followed Beauty & Ruin in 2016, but the difference between this and its predecessor is how Mould summons strength through the pulsing lifeblood of his music. As songs, the 12 tunes on Patch the Sky often delve into darkness, but it rarely seems as if Mould is succumbing to gloom. Hes resisting, railing against the looming black clouds thanks to a considerable assist from his backing band, a rhythm section that allows him to explode and expand at will. Consequently, Patch the Sky winds up feeling bracing, even life-affirming, even though much of it finds Mould staring straight into the abyss, and thats because he finds his sustenance within the act of writing and making music. As the album rolls on, riffs cascade with molten urgency while melodies circle a psychedelic drain, signatures Mould has sported since the heyday of Hüsker Dü, but theres a vitality here due the muscle and flexibility of his band. Hes found a trio that executes the blasts of fury and the sullen dirges with equal fire and precision; plus they can be playful, as the unexpected syncopation of "Losing Sleep" proves. All this adds up to another midlife triumph from Mould, a record that harks back to his past while completely occupying the present moment, no matter how uncomfortable or painful that may be. | ||
 | Album: 16 of 17 Title: If I Can’t Change Your Mind (The Collection) Released: 2017-09-01 Tracks: 12 Duration: 49:58 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 If I Cant Change Your Mind (solo mix) (03:19) 2 Star Machine (03:25) 3 A Good Idea (03:47) 4 The Descent (03:54) 5 Changes (05:01) 6 The Act We Act (05:10) 7 Silver Age (03:02) 8 Doubleface (05:21) 9 Egøverride (03:54) 10 Your Favorite Thing (03:51) 11 Moving Trucks (03:29) 12 Anymore Time Between (05:40) |
 | Album: 17 of 17 Title: Sunshine Rock Released: 2019-02-08 Tracks: 12 Duration: 36:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Sunshine Rock (03:09) 2 What Do You Want Me to Do (02:30) 3 Sunny Love Song (03:00) 4 Thirty Dozen Roses (02:52) 5 The Final Years (03:25) 6 Irrational Poison (02:51) 7 I Fought (02:36) 8 Sin King (03:53) 9 Lost Faith (03:20) 10 Camp Sunshine (03:03) 11 Send Me a Postcard (02:34) 12 Western Sunset (03:19) |