Sugar | ||
| Allmusic Biography : After two solo albums, ex-Hüsker Dü guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould formed Sugar in 1992, with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis; the band signed with Rykodisc in the U.S., Creation in the U.K. Sugars first album, Copper Blue, was released in the fall of 1992 to enthusiastic reviews and it 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 was forced out of the closet by various gay publications, with hopes that he would embrace their political cause; he rejected their requests. 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 was 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 to work on a third album entirely by himself. Mould played all of the instruments on his self-titled third album, which was released in the spring of 1995. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 8 Title: Copper Blue Released: 1992-09-04 Tracks: 10 Duration: 45:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 The Act We Act (05:10) 2 A Good Idea (03:47) 3 Changes (05:01) 4 Helpless (03:05) 5 Hoover Dam (05:27) 6 The Slim (05:14) 7 If I Can’t Change Your Mind (03:18) 8 Fortune Teller (04:27) 9 Slick (04:59) 10 Man on the Moon (04:32) |
| Copper Blue : Allmusic album Review : How ironic that after years fronting the hugely influential but desperately overlooked Hüsker Dü, Bob Moulds first project with new band Sugar, 1992s Copper Blue, would become the most commercially successful project of his career. Of course, it was released just as the seeds sown by his former band were bearing bountiful fruits in the post-Nirvana alternative nation, which provided ample explanation for its phenomenal success. But Sugar were well deserving of their success, regardless of time and place. A more aggressive, contemporary guitar attack aside, stunning power punk masterpieces like "The Act We Act," "The Slim," and "Fortune Teller" bear all of the vintage Mould musical traits: tell-tale lyrics, great hooks, and snappy melodies. Its all underpinned by that unexplainable, chilling tension between innocent beauty and dark melancholy that fans came to expect from Mould, and topped by his somewhat nasal, almost timid vocal harmonies. Other highlights include the 60s-style "If I Cant Change Your Mind," the loud, beautiful guitars of "Man on the Moon" and "Helpless," and the tongue-in-cheek Pixies tribute "A Good Idea." | ||
 | Album: 2 of 8 Title: Believe What Youre Saying Released: 1994 Tracks: 4 Duration: 15:12 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Believe What Youre Saying (03:57) 2 Going Home (02:39) 3 In the Eyes of My Friends (03:32) 4 And You Tell Me (05:02) |
 | Album: 3 of 8 Title: File Under: Easy Listening Released: 1994-10-06 Tracks: 34 Duration: 2:12:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Gift (04:14) 2 Company Book (03:45) 3 Your Favorite Thing (03:51) 4 What You Want It to Be (04:13) 5 Gee Angel (03:56) 6 Panama City Motel (04:07) 7 Cant Help You Anymore (03:29) 8 Granny Cool (03:33) 9 Believe What Youre Saying (03:56) 10 Explode and Make Up (04:54) 11 Mind Is an Island (03:37) 12 Frustration (05:18) 13 Going Home (02:39) 14 In the Eyes of My Friends (03:32) 15 And You Tell Me (05:02) 16 Believe What Youre Saying (Campfire mix) (03:52) 1 Gift (04:11) 2 Company Book (03:27) 3 Hoover Dam (03:08) 4 After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere (03:41) 5 Where Diamonds Are Halos (04:20) 6 Slick (04:03) 7 Going Home (02:13) 8 Running Out of Time (02:28) 9 Frustration (04:37) 10 Changes (03:43) 11 Cant Help You Anymore (02:58) 12 Helpless (03:03) 13 If I Cant Change Your Mind (03:04) 14 In the Eyes of My Friends (03:11) 15 Clownmaster (02:43) 16 Gee Angel (04:17) 17 Explode and Make Up (04:39) 18 The Slim (08:36) |
| File Under: Easy Listening : Allmusic album Review : Given Bob Moulds reputation for searing electric rock & roll, it may be easy to think that the title of File Under: Easy Listening is ironic, and it is to a certain extent. But beneath the loud guitars lie the friendliest, most relaxed pop songs Mould had ever written. "Your Favorite Thing" and "Cant Help You Anymore" are two of Moulds most direct, pop-oriented songs, driven by instantly memorable melodies and hooks; they are also the most conventional songs on the record. The best moments come when Sugar push the boundaries a bit, whether its on the country-rock of "Believe What Youre Saying," the swirling "What You Want It to Be" and "Company Book," the searching ballad "Panama City Motel," or "Explode and Make Up," which bristles even at its most delicate moments. Mould throws in one classic spite-fueled rocker, "Granny Cool," but the records finest moment is "Gee Angel," a powerhouse melodic scorcher. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 8 Title: Gee Angel Released: 1995 Tracks: 4 Duration: 18:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Gee Angel (03:56) 2 Explode and Make Up (03:19) 3 The Slim (04:39) 4 After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere (06:21) |
 | Album: 5 of 8 Title: Besides Released: 1995-07-25 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:09:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Needle Hits E (03:21) 2 If I Cant Change Your Mind (solo mix) (03:19) 3 Try Again (04:41) 4 Where Diamonds Are Halos (live) (04:17) 5 Armenia City in the Sky (live) (03:26) 6 Clownmaster (03:20) 7 Anyone (live) (02:43) 8 JC Auto (live) (06:02) 9 Believe What Youre Saying (Campfire mix) (03:52) 10 Mind Is an Island (03:37) 11 Frustration (05:20) 12 Going Home (02:41) 13 In the Eyes of My Friends (03:35) 14 And You Tell Me (05:02) 15 After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere (live) (03:21) 16 Explode and Make Up (live) (04:41) 17 The Slim (live) (06:26) |
| Besides : Allmusic album Review : Few bands released as many smokin B-sides as Sugar, and here are 12 of those songs, plus some of the live versions and solo versions that also appeared on the EPs. If youve never heard such ashen cuts as "Mind Is an Island," "And You Tell Me," the live cover of the Whos "Armenia City in the Sky," and Barbes "Anyone," you have them all served up on a single platter for you. Its fair to consider this a fourth Sugar LP, as without a doubt it is commensurate with the quality and greatness of the other three. The first 25,000 or so of this compilation came with a bonus CD recorded on the File Under: Easy Listening tour. Far from being just some ho-hum nicety, the live CD is ungodly. What a punishing trio! The opening "Gift" alone is enough to stop the heart stone-still dead; Bob Moulds opening guitar squeals are so revved up you feel like someone put his amp against your ear. "Changes" is almost unrecognizable and takes on an entirely new dimension as a speed-burner. "Gee Angel" sounds as if the entire stage will explode at its rocket launch. "Going Home" seems twice the speed of the original, and twice as cruel too -- it feels like being thrown from a car! Barbes McCartney-ish booming bass is the perfect, supple support. Drummer Malcolm Travis thunder-slam of a snare drum and anvil-dropping 16th-note rolls are as devastating as a 400-pound weight dropped on your head, whipping so furiously. After 100 to 150 plays, this recording still captivates like the Kennedy-assassination Zapruder film, only the gore here is the broken down and painful human relationships that come spilling out of Moulds mouth and the viciousness of the bands tight playing and air raid attack. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 8 Title: Beaster Released: 2012 Tracks: 6 Duration: 30:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Come Around (04:51) 2 Tilted (04:08) 3 Judas Cradle (06:15) 4 JC Auto (06:13) 5 Feeling Better (06:22) 6 Walking Away (03:01) |
 | Album: 7 of 8 Title: The Joke Is Always on Us, Sometimes Released: 2013-11-04 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:03:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Gift (04:11) 2 Company Book (03:27) 3 Hoover Dam (03:08) 4 After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere (03:41) 5 Where Diamonds Are Halos (04:20) 6 Slick (04:03) 7 Going Home (02:13) 8 Running Out of Time (02:28) 1 Changes (03:43) 2 Cant Help You Anymore (02:58) 3 Helpless (03:03) 4 If I Cant Change Your Mind (03:04) 5 In the Eyes of My Friends (03:11) 6 Clownmaster (02:43) 7 Gee Angel (04:17) 8 Explode and Make Up (04:39) 9 The Slim (08:35) |
 | Album: 8 of 8 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) |