Beating heart the prize

Bob Mould Body of Song

You'd think in a year where there's a lot of alternative veterans turning out strong material (The Go-Betweens, Frank Black, Teenage Fanclub, The Posies) that it wouldn't be surprising that Bob Mould would deliver as well. However, Mould had sworn off guitar-driven rock (following release of Last Dog And Pony Show 1998) and released an electronica album (the disappointing Modulate 2002,) so to hear his return to solo and his band Sugar's sound it is a welcome surprise.

In between the past couple records, (besides writing wrestling scripts) Mould seems to have picked up a few studio tricks. One seemingly offensive trick is the vocoder... "(Shine Your) Light Love Hope" has it throughout, and it initially feels out of place - what exactly does the former Husker Du's frontman have to do with a Kylie Minogue-type of song? But it grows on you (like that damn Minogue song did, drats!) There's another track that utilizes it a bit w/ a sort of club feel ("I Am Vision, I Am Sound") but rest assured, the album is not a dance album. There's plenty of classic unabashed rockers like the opener "Circles," "Paralyzed" and "Best Thing", that makes you think of Sugar's Copper Blue, but also has emotional touches like "Gauze of Friendship" and "High Fidelity."

It's a bit unfocused, seeming to want too badly to please his fans old and new, but uncle Bob is forgiven for any slight with the closing epic "Beating Heart the Prize." Good to have him back, with or without the dog and pony show.

tags: playlist, music, bob mould