Rob's Album of The Week: Bob Mould's Silver Age

In my opinion, former Husker Du and Sugar frontman and guitarist Bob Mould never gets the credit he wholeheartedly deserves. Basking in the shadows of 80's Alt-Rock legends like The Pixies' Black Francis, Dinosaur Jr.'s J. Mascis, The Replacements' Paul Westerberg, Black Flag's Greg Ginn and Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore, Mould is often overlooked when it comes to recognition for his massive influence on music over the past 20 years. With Silver Age, his 9th solo album, the electrifying riffs and boisterous sounds that encompass the record should do him justice, especially with this blog.

With Superchunk drummer John Wurster and former Verbow bassist Jason Narducy accompanying Mould on ten amazingly emphatic tracks, if your mind isn't blown after the first track there is something seriously wrong with you. Rocking your soul with reckless abandon, it reinvigorates the no holds barred, devil may care style that made Mould a revolutionary musician back in the 80s and early 90s with Husker Du and Sugar. If thought those glory days were over, you better give this album a listen and change your mind fast. My only warning is that your brain will melt from the sheer resonant tunes that exude from Silver Age, but don't worry it isn't painless. In fact, it's the complete opposite.

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- Rob Duguay

This is the part when it's a labor of love, I get to feel like a ritalin-filled 4 year old in a penny candy store and maybe if you're freaky you might get sexually aroused. It's that time when I do the impossible, pick and choose a few tracks that I absolutely love off of Silver Age. Well, here goes something: "Star Machine" has Mould singin' and strummin' about past regrets and calling out forgotten mistakes, badass riffs and Mould's signature monotone voice with feel invade the track. "Silver Age" just flat out rocks, all about how society has lost it's luster and relegated itself to sheer mediocrity. "Briefest Moment" examines every young kid's dream, leaving the dragging life of the same old shit, different day in an effort to explore the world and finding yourself. "Steam of Hercules" makes you feel like you just finished climbing Mount Everest with Mould sounding like a golden god on the mic while strumming a triumphant guitar. Don't be a dunce and just take my word as gospel, grab a copy of Silver Age and listen in for yourself.

Bob Mould is in the middle of a tour of Europe and the United States that started at the Liss Ard Festival in Cork, Ireland on August 4th and will be concluding at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin, TX on November 2nd. For us New England live music fanatics, Mould will be rocking The Paradise Rock Club in Boston tonight so if you got nothing to do and you're not in Providence for 990WBOB's Mondays on Blast at The Apartment on 373 Richmond Street, you better head over there to see some awesome music. For any fans in The Windy City of Chicago, Mould will be playing back to back nights at Metro on September 13th & 14th as well. Until then, pick up a copy of Silver Age, it'll put you in a state of euphoria.