Sugar: Copper Blue

     Bob Mould has been on a pretty good run the past couple years. He wrote an autobiography entitled See A Little Light, with the able assistance of Michael Azerrad. He put out a very solid solo album, Silver Age, with the able assistance of Jon Wurster and Jason Narducy (Great rhythm section for hire. I saw them with Robert Pollard, along with Tommy Keene on guitar). He worked with the Foo Fighters on their most recent studio album and was featured in their documentary, Back And Forth. And Merge Records reissued the entire Sugar catalog in deluxe packaging.
     My first exposure to Bob Mould was the band Sugar. I rushed out to buy Copper Blue on the strength of the singles "If I Can't Change Your Mind" and "Helpless". I bought it on cassette. That was the last cassette I would ever buy, because shortly after that I finally got a CD player. I had actually gone quite a while without listening to it when the reissue came out last year. Twenty years later it still sounded awesome. One track that stood out to me this time around was "Hoover Dam". I don't remember liking it much back in the day, but now I feel it might be one of his strongest songs. Maybe it's because I have more reference points now than I did then. It was a departure from his typical style. It gave me an Andy Partridge-y, XTC-ish vibe. Obviously, I still love "If I Can't Change Your Mind" and "Helpless". There really isn't a bad song on Copper Blue. The reissue includes a live show from 1992, which is fantastic. There is also a B-side, "Needle Hits E", that I can't believe wasn't on a proper album. Also included is the "album", Beaster, which I still don't like much. That said, I enthusiastically recommend this reissue to my kids.
     Now, let me take you on a walk down my rocky road with Bob Mould. He has the distinction of being the only artist I respect and enjoy that I've gotten rid of two of his CD's because I hated them so much. After Copper Blue, I began to work backward through Mould's releases. The library had his solo albums, Workbook and Black Sheets Of Rain, so I checked them out. They were alright, but I never bought them. Then I finally got around to trying Husker Du; the seminal band that inspired Nirvana and the Pixies. I bought Zen Arcade and I couldn't stand it. I eventually gave it away to a friend who wanted it. Then I bought his album Modulate on blind faith for reasons I still don't understand. It was electronic and horrible and I sold it in a garage sale. At this point, a normal person would have washed their hands of Bob Mould. Unfortunately, I'm not normal. I had a weird compulsion that I SHOULD like Bob Mould. I decided to return to Sugar and bought File Under Easy Listening out of a bargain bid. The fact I bought it from a bargain bid should surprise no one since every used CD store has at least five copies of F.U.E.L. in stock at all times. I'm not sure why though, because it's a very good album. When the reissue came out, I decided to give Husker Du another chance and bought Warehouse: Songs And Stories. It was fantastic. Then I looked up Husker Du on You Tube and found an awesome cover they did of The Mary Tyler Moore Show theme, "Love Is All Around". All of a sudden, it didn't bother me anymore that he was involved in WCW rasslin'. Not that there's anything wrong with wrestling; I just don't get guys practicing their special moves on each other and giving each other "shockers". It's probably just me. Peace.