Husker Du’s
second double album, released in 1987 was never going to be a bloated affair
with 20 songs zipping by in 69 minutes.
On first listen, all the elements are present and correct, Bob Mould’s furious
guitars, Grant Hart’s distinctive drumming… but what’s that… 80s era keyboards
on Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope and also Turn It Around?!
Mould’s
bludgeoning guitars on the likes of Standing In The Rain, Ice Cold Ice, Could
You Be The One? and Bed of Nails are a distinctive improvement. On the other hand, Hart’s songs are a little
weaker than Mould’s, particularly Back From Somewhere and the uninspired boogie
of Actual Condition, though Too Much Spice makes a good recovery.
The midtempo
guitar sprawl of It’s Not Peculiar hits a little harder than most of the tracks
here, pointing towards Sugar/Mould’s solo material, as does No Reservations. Later, the melodic Up In The Air shows the
influence of REM, particularly the backing vocals.
However nothing
hits quite as hard as previous Husker Du albums, rendering this album as
something of a disappointment after Flip Your Wig and Candy Apple Grey.
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