The Hüsker Dü Album-by-Album thread

[imagnrywar]

Originally Posted by czeskleba

"Celebrated Summer" is a song that works really well as a totally acoustic song, evidenced by the fact it was frequently on the setlist for Bob's solo acoustic shows well into the 90's.

Bob still plays this one often, but now it's almost always part of the electric portion of his show.

[mecano]

I have the 12" single of "Don't Want To Know If You Are Lonely" .I always loved the "industrial" cover and its one of Hart's most beautiful songs

[czeskleba]

Warehouse: Songs and Stories (1987)
1. "These Important Years" (Mould) – 3:49
2. "Charity, Chastity, Prudence, And Hope" (Hart) – 3:11
3. "Standing In The Rain" (Mould) – 3:41
4. "Back From Somewhere" (Hart) – 2:16
5. "Ice Cold Ice" (Mould) – 4:23
6. "You're A Soldier" (Hart) – 3:03
7. "Could You Be The One?" (Mould) – 2:32
8. "Too Much Spice" (Hart) – 2:57
9. "Friend, You've Got To Fall" (Mould) – 3:20
10. "Visionary" (Mould) – 2:30
11. "She Floated Away" (Hart) – 3:32
12. "Bed Of Nails" (Mould) – 4:44
13. "Tell You Why Tomorrow" (Hart) – 2:42
14. "It's Not Peculiar" (Mould) – 4:06
15. "Actual Condition" (Hart) – 1:50
16. "No Reservations" (Mould) – 3:40
17. "Turn It Around" (Mould) – 4:32
18. "She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)" (Hart) – 3:19
19. "Up In The Air" (Mould) – 3:03
20. "You Can Live At Home" (Hart) – 5:25

So we arrive at the final album, recorded from August-November 1986, capping an amazing three-year run in which they recorded 7 LPs' worth of great music. I really like this album, but (to continue the ongoing Who analogies) it reminds me a bit of Quadrophenia in that it's vaguely inferior to the stuff which came before it. I can't quite put my finger on what it is... maybe a slight downturn in the quality of songwriting, especially from Grant. There are many very good songs, but no really GREAT ones that rival the very best of the Zen through Candy run. There's no "Green Eyes" or "Celebrated Summer" here. To me this album also doesn't flow naturally, but just feels like a random collection of songs. Perhaps it's the rigid Bob/Grant/Bob/Grant alternation pattern which dominates most of the album.

Reportedly Warner's pressured them to use an outside producer on this record, but they resisted. Yet we still see the gradual change in their recorded sound continuing. The bass is more audible here than on any previous recording (not that it's gonna make anyone think of Live at Leeds). The vocals are also higher in the mix, ala REM's Document. You can understand what they're singing much more clearly throughout. Still it's hardly an audiophile experience sonically, nor a radio-friendly production.

Let's see, what do I like? "Too Much Spice" is my favorite track. "Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope", "Back from Somewhere" and "She's a Woman (And Now He is a Man)" are my other Hart favorites. I also really like the rockabilly/Elvis pastiche, "Actual Condition." Not a combination I would have guessed would work, Hüskerbilly. Unfortunately, Grant also contributes the lyrically awful "You're a Soldier" which is subtle as a flying mallet and just as insightful. I wish his voice had been buried in the mix on this one.

On the Bob side, "Could You Be the One" continues his run of fine pop songs, and is excellent. I also like "These Important Years" and "Bed of Nails." Meanwhile, the cheesey thunder sound effects in the maudlin "Standing in the Rain" don't do much for me.

I want to keep the thread moving so I'm posting this today, but I think I may give this another listen and see if anything else occurs to me. I have to admit I've listened to this album much less than all of the others in the post-Zen Arcade run.

As to the outtakes... for the first time since Everything Falls Apart, Greg finally gets them to record another one of his songs. And are they able to find room for it, even on a double album? Of course not, it's relegated to the b-side of the "Could You Be the One" single. George Harrison thought he had it bad. Anyway, Greg's song, "Everytime" is actually pretty good, though I'm not sure why he chose to sing it in that growly type voice. The other outtake is Bob's "Gotta Lotta" which deserves nothing better than to be a b-side.

Images as usual are courtesy of the excellent Hüsker Dü Database.

[imagnrywar]

It took me a long time to "get' Warehouse. In fact, for a long time, I considered it the worst HD album - none of the songs stood out to me, and the performances seemed uninspired and sterile.

I eventually grew to love this album, and now, it's my favorite or second favorite on most days. I'm still lukewarm on most of Grant's songs (although I don't actively dislike them), but I'm convinced that this album contains Bob's finest set of songs to appear on a Husker Du release. There isn't a single clunker among his contributions, something I wouldn't say of any of the other Husker Du albums. I sense a slight change in his mode of songwriting - the songs are more deliberate, and much more repetitive (for example, the chorus to "It's Not Peculiar," or the endings of "These Important Years" and "No Reservations" which drone on and on). As I've stated in previous posts, I really dig this element of repetition and think Bob is a master at it.

The divide between the Bob and Grant songs is very apparent, as Jason stated above. I almost think of this as the first Bob solo album and the first Grant solo album combined into one.

[czeskleba]

Originally Posted by imagnrywar

the songs are more deliberate, and much more repetitive (for example, the chorus to "It's Not Peculiar," or the endings of "These Important Years" and "No Reservations" which drone on and on). As I've stated in previous posts, I really dig this element of repetition and think Bob is a master at it.

For some reason I hadn't thought of "It's Not Peculiar" when I wrote my review, but I have to say I really dislike the repetition in the chorus of that song, when he goes "Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah all right" over and over. That makes me cringe.

I'm very surprised to see you rate Bob's work on the album that highly. I know I'm not as hardcore a Bobfan as you, but it just strikes me as average work from him for the most part. I guess my Quadrophenia analogy again is apt, because I know a lot of Who fans consider it one of their best albums, but it leaves me cold relative to their other work.

[mecano]

Originally Posted by czeskleba

For some reason I hadn't thought of "It's Not Peculiar" when I wrote my review, but I have to say I really dislike the repetition in the chorus of that song, when he goes "Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah all right" over and over. That makes me cringe.

That part annoy me too .But on a whole I agree with imagnrywar that Bod’s work on warehouse is excellent ,not one filler-and I’m a big Bobfan myself (I have almost everything from the guy).
Today i listen to Warehouse as 2 CDRs.One has all Mould songs(11)and the other all Hart ones(9).The ”Hart” CDR is patchy but with some lovely songs.The “Mould” CDR is a masterpiece.

[imagnrywar]

Originally Posted by czeskleba

For some reason I hadn't thought of "It's Not Peculiar" when I wrote my review, but I have to say I really dislike the repetition in the chorus of that song, when he goes "Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah all right" over and over. That makes me cringe.

I completely understand. It used to make me cringe, too, back when I still thought Warehouse sucked. That's my second favorite song from the album now. You should hear me sing along to it.

The experience of suddenly "getting" an album after a period of time, or feeling like you've really tapped into whatever a band is trying accomplish or say with their music as if with the flick of a switch - this is something that happens to all of us as consumers of music, but I've never experienced it to such an extent as with Warehouse, though.

[Driver 8]

I haven't really kept up with this thread, for which I apologize. I have vivid memories of when Warehouse first came out. For a brief moment, it seemed like "Could You Be The One" might get some airplay on MTV and even the radio, and maybe the whole Nirvana phenomenon could have happened for the Hüskers in 1987. But, of course, it was not to be. I remember reading somewhere at the time that Bob really wanted the album to come in a gatefold sleeve, but Warners nixed that idea on cost grounds. I don't think the band ever got a real push from Warners the way that R.E.M. did. I remember listening to the Jesus and Mary Chain's Psychocandy and Warehouse one night while under the influence of tangerine trees and marmalade skies, if you know what I mean, and thinking that they were the two best albums of all time.

Someone noted that there are no classics on the order of "Celebrated Summer" or "Green Eyes" here, but I respectfully disagree. "She Floated Away" and "It's Not Peculiar" are the best Grant and Bob efforts ever, imho. And "Could You Be The One" should have been this band's "The One I Love," i.e., the breakthrough single that put them into the real Top Ten for the first time. In some alternate, better, world, it was.

[woody]

Originally Posted by Driver 8

And "Could You Be The One" should have been this band's "The One I Love," i.e., the breakthrough single that put them into the real Top Ten for the first time. In some alternate, better, world, it was.

i just put that song on a mix cd for some friends. forgotten classic for sure.

[vette442]

I hope that others enjoy this addition to the thread, as it gave me a rare chance to go to the archives and pull out some of my records to show someone who cares or can at least appreciate them:

Everything Falls Apart original pressing with the lyric sheet:





I always liked that Metal Circus used two variations of a very similar cover between the 12" and 10", the chair positions and car outside being the major two...



The combined 10" with both the EMH and MNSAA singles:



The DWTKIYAL UK 7" single cover:



And finally, for this batch, the official WB Warehouse Interview 2LP set:



I'd swear I have a UK double 7" gatefold for Sorry Somehow, as well as a U.S. promo 12" w/ pic sleeve/reviews for it as well. If I find them, I'll take pics and post them. Thanks for letting me indulge!

[vette442]

Originally Posted by vette442

I'd swear I have a UK double 7" gatefold for Sorry Somehow, as well as a U.S. promo 12" w/ pic sleeve/reviews for it as well. If I find them, I'll take pics and post them.

I didn't find the double 7" - I probably sold it ages ago to fund something I read about on this forum and just had to have. :p

In any case, here's the US promo - gotta love the contemporary quotes and Bob's response...

[Driver 8]

Originally Posted by czeskleba

Warehouse: Songs and Stories (1987)
1. "These Important Years" (Mould) – 3:49
2. "Charity, Chastity, Prudence, And Hope" (Hart) – 3:11
3. "Standing In The Rain" (Mould) – 3:41
4. "Back From Somewhere" (Hart) – 2:16
5. "Ice Cold Ice" (Mould) – 4:23
6. "You're A Soldier" (Hart) – 3:03
7. "Could You Be The One?" (Mould) – 2:32
8. "Too Much Spice" (Hart) – 2:57
9. "Friend, You've Got To Fall" (Mould) – 3:20
10. "Visionary" (Mould) – 2:30
11. "She Floated Away" (Hart) – 3:32
12. "Bed Of Nails" (Mould) – 4:44
13. "Tell You Why Tomorrow" (Hart) – 2:42
14. "It's Not Peculiar" (Mould) – 4:06
15. "Actual Condition" (Hart) – 1:50
16. "No Reservations" (Mould) – 3:40
17. "Turn It Around" (Mould) – 4:32
18. "She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)" (Hart) – 3:19
19. "Up In The Air" (Mould) – 3:03
20. "You Can Live At Home" (Hart) – 5:25

So we arrive at the final album, recorded from August-November 1986, capping an amazing three-year run in which they recorded 7 LPs' worth of great music. I really like this album, but (to continue the ongoing Who analogies) it reminds me a bit of Quadrophenia in that it's vaguely inferior to the stuff which came before it. I can't quite put my finger on what it is... maybe a slight downturn in the quality of songwriting, especially from Grant. There are many very good songs, but no really GREAT ones that rival the very best of the Zen through Candy run. There's no "Green Eyes" or "Celebrated Summer" here. To me this album also doesn't flow naturally, but just feels like a random collection of songs. Perhaps it's the rigid Bob/Grant/Bob/Grant alternation pattern which dominates most of the album.

Reportedly Warner's pressured them to use an outside producer on this record, but they resisted. Yet we still see the gradual change in their recorded sound continuing. The bass is more audible here than on any previous recording (not that it's gonna make anyone think of Live at Leeds). The vocals are also higher in the mix, ala REM's Document. You can understand what they're singing much more clearly throughout. Still it's hardly an audiophile experience sonically, nor a radio-friendly production.

Yesterday I received a German lp pressing of Warehouse from forum member Geoman that blew me away - I don't know if it's an audiophile experience or not, but it's loud, the guitar distortion sounds more realistic than it ever has on CD, and you can hear all kinds of little details in the mix that are not audible on the CD - such as a glockenspiel? part on "Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope."

I had this album on U.S. vinyl way back in the day, and I probably wasn't as as obsessive about sound quality back then, but this German pressing really kills (as do most German pressings, in my experience).

[mecano]

Ahhh…Warehouse.The first Husker Du album I bought back in 1987 and still to this day my favorite.I agree that there is a slight downturn in the quality of songwriting from Grant but not from Mould: IMO Bed Of Nails,Ice Cold Ice and Turn It Around are classics ,amongst the best songs Bob ever wrote.Also She Floated Away is one of my fav Hart songs

[wysi]

My favorites from this album are "Ice Cold Ice", "Standing in the Rain", "Friend, You've Got to Fall", "These Important Years", and "She Floated Away". Grant's output seemed a lot less interesting this time around, whereas Bob seemed to be forging ahead. The band fell apart pretty quickly after this one, so it's hard to say whether the seeds of a decline were evident.

[czeskleba]

Originally Posted by wysi

The band fell apart pretty quickly after this one, so it's hard to say whether the seeds of a decline were evident.

Despite the growing schism between Bob and Grant, my understanding is that this wasn't a case where they were breaking up as the album was being recorded. They even got together as late as November of 87 to rehearse new material for a next album (a really low fi tape of that circulates among collectors, including "Ain't No Water in the Well" and "Now that You Know Me" as well as four other songs).

[mecano]

On the other hand I don’t think anyone disagrees that “You are a soldier” is awful

[Clarkophile]

Originally Posted by mecano

On the other hand I don’t think anyone disagrees that “You are a soldier” is awful

Heh-heh, I only had Warehouse on a cassette (no lyrics sheet or song list) before getting around to buying the vinyl, and for the longest time I thought Grant was singing, "You're an a$$hole, girl..." ...which might've made the song slightly more interesting.

So far I think I like the album a little more than most folks who have posted. I'll try to gather my thoughts and explain why a little later.

[jimmydean]

Warehouse: Songs and Stories (1987)

for me their second best effort, and one of the best last albums from a band ever (maybe on a par with iggy & the stooges "raw power")

side a

1. "These Important Years" (Mould) – classic no. 1, a classic hüdü album opener
2. "Charity, Chastity, Prudence, And Hope" (Hart) – classic no.2, one of the best grant songs on this, this one also shows his drum skills
3. "Standing In The Rain" (Mould) – classic no. 3
4. "Back From Somewhere" (Hart) – classic no. 4, cool tempo changes
5. "Ice Cold Ice" (Mould) – classic no. 5, side a is almost faultless, maybe their best side ever
6. "You're A Soldier" (Hart) – okay song or filler, maybe the weakest song on the album
7. "Could You Be The One?" (Mould) – okay song, but not really my choice for the single
8. "Too Much Spice" (Hart) – classic no. 6, the best song on side b
9. "Friend, You've Got To Fall" (Mould) – filler
10. "Visionary" (Mould) – okay song
11. "She Floated Away" (Hart) – classic no. 7
12. "Bed Of Nails" (Mould) – classic no. 8, one of the most psychedelic songs of bob
13. "Tell You Why Tomorrow" (Hart) – classic no. 9, good hymn from grant
14. "It's Not Peculiar" (Mould) – okay song
15. "Actual Condition" (Hart) – classic no. 10, shows the rock'n'roll-roots from grant
16. "No Reservations" (Mould) – okay song
17. "Turn It Around" (Mould) – classic no. 11, including van halen synths, a forerunner to "hoover dam" from the sugar album and the no.1 choice for a single
18. "She's A Woman (And Now He Is A Man)" (Hart) – okay song
19. "Up In The Air" (Mould) – okay song
20. "You Can Live At Home" (Hart) – classic no. 12, very good album closer

overall: 12 classics, one or two filler tracks, yes and the best songs are from bob.. production is also okay

5/5


conclusion:
3 top notch albums (5/5): zen arcade, candy apple grey, warehouse
+ 4 very good albums
in three years

the best songwriter-duo since lennon /mccartney ?

[gohill]

Warehouse is still my all time favourite album nearly 20 years on from first hearing it.

As noted Grant's songs are a bit on the weak side in total but that just confirms how good Bob's batch of songs here are in that it's still their best album.

I think Visionary is the only Bob song here that is remotely weak with clumsy allusions to Northern Ireland's political situation at the time. Grant's You're A Soldier suffers the same fate but the music is good and it fairly rips along so it gets by its shortcomings. Side 1 is nigh on perfect, five total classsics in a row from both songwriters. Could You Be the One is the standout on side 2. I'm not too into She Floated Away though i like the lyrics. Is 'Too Much Spice' an autobiographical 'note to self 'from Grant? its pretty good. Side 3 is nearly perfect apart from Actual Condition which i feel is throway uninspired filler, one of their worst. Bob's 2 songs that bookend the side; Bed Of Nails and No Reservations are outstanding. Side 4 is more of the same, Grants best tune She's A Woman (Now He is A Man) is one of his very best. Up in The Air just soars.

Great cover too!!!

[gohill]

I expect a bit more on Warehouse but what's next folk? Do we cover the Living End as its a Huskers album or go into the solo stuff chronologically which i reckon means

Grant Hart - 2541 12"
Bob Mould - Workbook lp + See A little Light 12"
Grant Hart - Intolerance lp
Bob Mould - Black sheets Of Rain lp
Nova Mob - the Last days Of Pompeii lp
Sugar - Copper Blue
Nova Mob - Nova Mob
Sugar - Beaster
Sugar - File Under Easy Listening
Sugar - Besides
Grant Hart - Ecce Homo live lp
Grant Hart - Good News For the Modern Man
Bob Mould - Bob Mould (Hubcap) lp
Bob Mould - The Last Dog And Pony Show
Bob Mould Band - Live At the Forum London
Bob Mould - Modulate
Bob Mould - Body Of Song (both disc deluxe edition)
Bob's Loudbomb and Blowoff albums

Is that all? Don't think i have missed some? Grants output has really fallen away hasn't it? I hope he's okay.