Bob On Bob

Hey, I know Bob Dylan has a new CD out. I need to get off my ass and get it. Meanwhile, a friend loaned me his copy of the latest Bob Mould disc, Body of Song (2005). Not too damned bad, if I do say so my damned self. Mr. Mould wrote all the songs, provided the vocals, and played the guitar, keyboards, and most of the bass.

1. "Circles" - Keyboards and effects provide the intro, leading into Bob Mould's distinctive vocals. This song is fairly heavy, with rather Husker Du-ish guitars, and it deals with a common theme in this disc: loneliness ("Nobody deserves to be lonely/No one should be left alone because/Time doesn't wait, it will only accelerate/As the days and the months and the years go by").

2. "(Shine Your) Love Light Hope" - This track has a nice, driving beat. The vocals (with effects) repeat the same lines several times: "Shine your light, your love, your hope/Hold it in your hands so tight/Beam it from your eyes at night/So I can find my way."

3. "Paralyzed" - This is probably my favorite song on this CD. It has a catchy hook and beat, with the edginess I really like in Mould's vocals. My favorite line: "I wished for things that sadly have come true."

4. "I Am Vision, I Am Sound" - Strong beat and crunchy guitars, but the vocal delivery is not my favorite, certainly lacking the anger/edge that punctuates Mould's better vocal performances.

5. "Underneath Days" - This is a heavy, plodding number. "Fucked underneath days/Fucked under these ways"...nice and dark.

6. "Always Tomorrow" - This one gets the award for the most throbbing bass line. It also has a particularly throaty vocal delivery that really fits the utter desperation in the lyrics.

7. "Days Of Rain" - This one's slow and mellow, bordering on sappy. In fact, I think it crosses that border, probably making this my least favorite on the album.

8. "Best Thing" - Faster guitar, the chords jump out in the listener's face--shit, this is Husker Du reborn! "You just lost the best thing you never had." Maybe this is my favorite song. If not, it's right there with "Paralyzed."

9. "High Fidelity" - Slow and melodic, melancholy and desperately longing..."Can I be the only person who gets no fruit off the tree?" He almost has me buying it, until the goofy chimes at about the 2:30 mark. Yikes.

10. "Missing You" - This is another very Husker Du-ish tune. It probably has the 2nd best guitar work on the CD (see #12 below)...another of my favorites on this disc.

11. "Gauze Of Friendship" - Yes, that's "gauze," not "gaze." What's next, the band-aid of casual acquaintance? But, I digress. This is Bob Mould doing a power ballad. He follows the formula to a tee. You be the judge.

12. "Beating Heart The Prize" - Great, great guitar pervades this track. What a stinging, blistering rocker to close with! "Slapped across the face..." I love it.

Haahnster recommends you consider checking into this one.