Come Around – Sugar
Whether he’s recording as the guitarist and co-leader of Hüsker Dü, as a solo artist, or as the leader of Sugar, you generally know what you’re going to get from Bob Mould. I understand that he’s diversified somewhat on some of his later solo albums, but for a good deal of his career, his sound is based on walls of guitar noise framing his pretty melodies and emotive vocals. Mould released a staggering amount of music quickly – Hüsker Dü released five LPs, including two double albums, between 1984 and 1987, before he moved on to a solo career. In 1992, in the wake of Nirvana’s success, which Hüsker Dü helped pave the way for, he formed the power trio Sugar.
Sugar released two good albums, 1992’s Copper Blue and 1994’s File Under Easy Listening, but I’ve always felt that their best work was contained on the 1993 EP Beaster. Comprised of out-takes from Copper Blue, its intensity is comparable to the punk aggression of Hüsker Dü. But the EP’s opener ‘Come Around’ has an acoustic base, with its minimal lyrics essentially repeating the title like a mantra, with Mould’s roaring electric guitar adding punch.
‘Come Around’ is both beautiful and intense, another excellent song from an alternative rock hero, tucked away on an EP that deserves a wider audience.
Aphoristical
Graham Fyfe is fascinated by pop music, and he may be the only blogger in the world to cover Neil Diamond and Ariana Grande.
Unbelievably I’ve just posted a Sugar article. I come to check your site and so have you! Great minds think alike, it seems.
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I was going to say, did you guys co-ordinate these posts?!
That’s a pair of recommendations from a pair of reliable sources, sold!
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Is it live? Can’t see it.
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Sorry, found it…. I love Hoover Dam.
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it is an awesome song.
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My favourite Sugar release. A fitting title, too. I actually prefer Sugar to Husker Du. I never liked File Under Easy Listening, though.
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I like File Under Easy Listening, but it’s their least exciting release.
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Loving the Mould live on here right now. I agree with you Beaster is a career high for Bob
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Cool! I think it’s at least overlooked – feels as thought out and almost as long as their official albums. And it’s way more intense.
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That should have been ‘Mould Love’ but I have sausages for fingers
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