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.