Bob Mould - Life & Times

Still feisty

You’d expect a record with this title to be a retrospective collection but that’s firmly not the case. A fizzy half hour’s worth, the 10 new songs here are largely concerned with Mould’s relationship with the world around him, for good and for bad.

There’s much contrast to be had, such as on The Breach, a surprisingly intimately-delivered paean to loneliness and confusion that blasts into the pleading, rocking REM-ish chorus full of fire. MM17 comes on with punky energy from the outset, Argos sounds like Foo Fighters in full flow and Bad Blood Better gets all cinematic and cracked-out with Mould’s vocal husky and regretful. It’s good stuff from someone who’s entirely at ease with his art.

The erstwhile Hüsker Dü and Sugar frontman played most of the instruments here, the only other musician being drummer Jon Wurst, on loan from Superchunk. As a result the album has an almost demo-like quality that, at times, actually renders the sentiments and songs naked, though you can’t help wondering what a full band playing together would add to the frisson. It’s a ninth solo album that sounds like a debut, which, after 30 years in alternative music, is some achievement.

3 stars 3 stars 3 stars

Anti | 270142

Reviewed by Joe Shooman
<< Back to Issue 363

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