Bob Mould – Here We Go Crazy – Album Review
by Killian Laher

This release is the first new album in five years from Bob Mould. It has been described by the ageing rocker as a ‘ group of straightforward guitar pop songs’.  Whether they’re anyone else’s definition of pop is debatable, but he’s certainly not going gently into the night.

The title track opens the album and it’s a standard mid-paced rocker, the type of thing Mould seems to do effortlessly.  Before the album explodes into life with Neanderthal, a barnstormer which blows the roof off proceedings.  There are plenty of malevolent glowering mid-paced rockers like the moody Breathing Room, and You Need To Shine, which barrel along with plenty of power and swagger.  They sound great while you’re listening to them, but don’t necessarily linger in the memory.  There’s no let up with the breathless Hard To Get, right through When Your Heart Is Broken which puts the power into power pop.  The penultimate song Thread So Thin feels like an absolute anthem, one to stand and punch the air to with its great big power chords.

It’s not until Lost or Stolen that things slow down with some acoustic strumming, also found on the final song Your Side, but these are a rare break from the bludgeoning hard rockers.  Not that you necessarily need a break for any other reason other than variety.

It’s a somewhat frantic album, powering through these 11 rockers.  He certainly hasn’t gone soft.  I’m not sure there are any real standouts here, but there are no embarrassments either.

Here We Go Crazy