Sugar

• Genre: Noise Pop

About

After the demise of Post-Punk superband Husker Du and the release of two solo records, Bob Mould formed Sugar, his most commercially successful project to date. Along with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis, the trio continued in the direction Husker Du were pursuing with their final two records. Though by no means soft -- earplugs were an absolute necessity at any Sugar performance -- their sound is toned-down compared to Husker's screeching desperation. Marked by shimmering, overdriven guitars met halfway by Mould's introspective monotone vocals, Sugar's songs are Mould at his best, wise but still full of angst. Copper Blue had a sparkling debut and earned the band a pair of radio hits; and though the harsher Beaster and final File Under: Easy Listening never quite reached the overdriven Power Pop brilliance attained with the first record, both are nonetheless testaments to the band's unique and touching songwriting style.

- Doug Russell