Review:

on 2011-06-25 CharlesMartel Said:

Writing a review about "Copper Blue" without mentioning Husker Du is well-nigh impossible. So I may just have to accept things as they are on this one. Sugar was the post-Husker Du project of former front man Bob Mould who, after a brief and undistinguished solo career put this outfit together to launch an assault on the nineties.

It is somewhat ironic that, just as the influence of Husker Du was beginning to be felt in the mainstream as bands like Nirvana and their fellow grungers were gaining recognition, that Mould should put together a band which sounds so eighties. And yet in so doing Mould and Sugar created something that could almost be regarded as a classic of the period, despite going up against competition that was ultimately going to drive Sugar into oblivion. Yet it all began rather promisingly. "Copper Blue" was released to rave reviews and reached number three in the UK album charts. Yet it could not last. The popular appeal of grunge made it more likely to get the attention of the major record labels and Sugar were pushed out of the way in the scramble to sign scruffy long hairs with a bad attitude.

Naturally, for a man who brought some degree of melody to punk rock in the early- to mid-eighties, you would expect melody here from Mould. And there are some good ones on Sugar's debut. "Changes" and "Hoover Dam" are perhaps the more obvious ones as is the homage to fellow noisesters the Pixies on "A Good Idea". There is the delicious combination of jangly guitars, infectious melodies and almost sing-along refrains, something which, when you put it all together, has all the ingredients of a successful release for the mainstream to pick up. And there is that additional bonus of some clever lyrics, a factor which when present will always tend to draw me closer to an album.

So why did it not work out as well as it obviously should have, given that "Copper Blue" contains all the right ingredients? In retrospect it was all to do with a combination of bad timing and the fact that that Husker Du fans wanted something else from Bob Mould and did not get it. Although "Copper Blue" has its moments of edgy guitars and a fuzziness which comes (on this occasion) from more treble than bass in the mix, it lacks the qualities which drew fans to Husker Du without providing anything more novel in the way of music for a new decade.

The changes were obvious when you listened to the album closely. Mould sings all the songs for starters. Secondly, the drumming is at the same time more taut and possesses more flair. And finally, the production quality is completely different. This is produced in a way which does not attempt to recreate the often indistinct and inchoate sounds of a live performance. No Mould had obviously decided to make as much of a break as he could with his previous incarnation. In retrospect it seems as if the world had moved on somewhat faster than he himself had managed.

Consequently, I can imagine "Copper Blue" being lauded as one of the albums of the eighties. The problem was that it came out too late for that. While it offered good songs and everything you might look for in music to make a lasting impression on you, it turned out to be an album out of its time. And that is something of a pity.
Rating: 7/10

on 2009-10-08 tosnob Said:

This is one of the dessert island disc of my teenage years. The balance of white noise and pop hooks is perfect. It's one of the few perfect 10s I would give.
Rating: 10/10