Sugar
Beaster [EP]

Riding the wave of the (unexpected?) success of the previous year's debut album, Bob Mould and his Sugar release this six-track EP, on paper outtakes from "Copper Blue". But what seems like a cobbled-together effort to cash in a bit, to extend the moment, to make the (fleeting) mainstream fever for Bob last just a bit longer, as well as to prolong Bob's (probably less fleeting) fever for the mainstream, turns out to be, upon the litmus test of listening, almost entirely something else.

There is (almost) no trace of emo, of stuff that could chart before the hundred and twentieth place, there is no goodness, no sentimentality, teen nostalgia, graceful sounds, or almost any "trusted tracks," except perhaps the initial (but certainly not simplistic) "Come Around," just choruses-vocalizations and guitars, no verses or choruses, a rock atmosphere gimmick, a dance of electromagnets, as Bob consistently gifts us at least once per album. It's a beginning, as we've said, by no means simplistic, but one can hardly say it's among the lightest, especially when considering the catchy, somewhat ear-friendly sounds of the four singles from "Copper Blue," as well as the tastes of those who went out to buy them and found themselves, a year later, grappling with this EP.

"Tilted" is a splendid acceleration and also the hardest episode in Sugar's career. There's even a spot for a supersonic solo that perhaps has little to do with Mould himself... Over the final spoken part of "Tilted," this outrageous "Judas Cradle" starts. Fuck, Bobby is truly in shape and also quite pissed off... The track surely isn't a masterpiece of originality, but you can't always be phenomenal... Sometimes, especially when you're in the process of destroying the recording studio, originality can take a backseat. It was clear Bob was happy to have a new band, but didn't he feel like a former Husker Du again? "JC Auto" travels exactly at the speed of "Tilted" (high) added to that of "Judas Cradle" (low) divided by two. JC is Jesus Christ; earlier it talked about Judas... He wants to play and sing loud lyrics that match the sound and interpretation: challenging, demanding, and "hardy". The result is the most damnably "yeah" episode of the EP.

In the following "Feeling Better," Bob tries to put a bit of his fun side into a squared, granite, and "hard riffed" structure, like in the previous tracks. The result is undoubtedly interesting and will appeal to those who love crossovers of all kinds (even the new Fiat Croma) but, according to the writer, not quite accomplished. In the closing "Walking Away," on ecclesiastical pipe organs, travels the Bob Mould "Gregorian"... An unthinkable song. A courageous (and terrible) finale, the most courageous (and the "worst") of his career.

Those who played with the four big singles of "Copper Blue" will take this EP as they would take a collection of scraps, deaf songs, and various noisy experiments, useful at the time to test the new band and create a blend. Those who only know "Copper Blue," assessing (and perhaps appreciating) its less commercial episodes, will be surprised by the (deliberately?) unexpressed capabilities this band has to smash. Those who know(-knew) of Mould's (until then) solo career also knew his hard potential, but could never have believed he was capable of cursing and shouting "Jesus Christ" so many times and so loudly!

Those who have finally idolized Husker Du, on the other hand, cheer and curse at the same time. On the one hand, they celebrate the (partial) return to the road of the Bob Mould they knew. On the other hand, however, they acknowledge that "the old Bob" has returned only for EPs, b-sides... That is, only for missteps, unofficial projects. Where there's nothing to bet on, where there's no risk, where "who cares." Where it doesn't matter. Was he right? But above all - given that a man can't always need his screams to reach the sky - was it the best artistic choice?