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Album Review
by SashaS
30-4-2002
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| Bob Mould's 'Modulate' |
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Bob Mould: 'Modulate'
(Cooking Vinyl)
Bob Mould discovers electronic side to his rocking soul
Bob Mould, for the memory-overloaded music fans, has become a veteran of indie, not only rock, but attitude and artistry. Initially a member of Hüsker Du, 1981-1987, he was the precursor of all things grunge, a post-punk noisenik who could harness pop element into the process. In 1988 he signed a solo contract with Virgin that produced a couple of albums, an introspective collection ‘Workbook’ (1989) and ‘Black Sheets Of Rain’ (1990).
He followed it with forming another trio, Sugar, that after three albums (debut ‘Copper Blue’, 1992, was the most successful) Mould decided to go alone, again. Two albums were released (self-titled in 1996 and ‘The Last Dog and Pony Show, 1998) before a long silence. Doing what, Bob?
“The last 4 years has been an interesting ride, to say the least. After 20 years of loud guitar rock band recording and touring, I decided to relearn the process of composition. Unlike the past, I turned to electronic tools – samplers, synthesisers, computer-based recorders – and found a new set of tones, colours, and processes with which to create pop songs.”
And, get settled for a surprise as a different set of influences, direction and impact are to unfold to your ears. Launching us into the techno-world is ‘180 rain’ that leans towards Peter Gabriel-esque ethno-flavoured cyber-pop; Mould with an echo of Word Music is certainly a hoot. Rather intriguing fanfare noises are mutated in ‘semperfli’, ‘homecoming parade’ gets pretty industrial to thrill Einsturzende Neubauten (or average NIN) devotees.
Minimalism of (Brian) Eno is recalled during ‘without’ with a certain theological air about it, it gets rockier on ‘slay/sway’, astuteness and precision of Kraftwerk are ‘acknowledged’ in ‘quasar’ but there are lighter, often dancey, moments on cuts like ‘Lost Zoloft’ or ‘Sunset Safety Glass’… Towards the end it gets more ambitious with songs trying to reach too far, spreading to incorporate some more mainstream sounds that simply prevent tunes from displaying beauty in glorious simplicity.
Back to Mould’s statement: “I hope that people approach this work with an open mind, with the understanding that I’m trying to find different ways to create songs and, while the work may not appear to be as sophisticated as the work of other who specialize in electronic-based music, I think the songs stand up as well as any I’ve written.”
Naught to worry about, this is a solid effort that can please and surprise anyone who doesn’t need surgical removal of (corpo) earplugs or hasn’t had his/her taste ‘amputated’ by hype.
7/10
SashaS
16-7-2002
Bob Mould’s album ‘Modulate’ is released 29 April 2002 on Cooking Vinyl
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