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The answer is a reserved yes. The album sees Mould largely abandoning the uneasy electronica of 2002's Modulate, a record that deserved its muted response, and returns to the fuzzy wall of guitar noise that first made him famous. However, traces of his love of club culture remain in the heavily treated vocals and the looping melodies of "(Shine Your) Light Love Hope" and "I Am Vision, I Am Sound".
The overall musical effect is of a man trying to find a balance in a chequered past. It's a mood reflected in a set of lyrics that grapple with the doubts and regrets of middle age - as Mould laments on the piledriving opener "Circles," "my circle of friends is shrinking". As one of the few gay men to have emerged from the American hardcore underground, Mould has long pioneered an emotional vulnerability that Kurt Cobain later adopted as his own. It's on full display here on the lovely, lilting "High Fidelity", a naked plea for love built on little more than a gently plucked guitar and Mould's throaty, plaintive voice.
Fortunately, Mould is too complex a figure to end up as a kind of alt-rock David Gray; there are plenty of rough edges here too, notably on seething album centrepiece "Underneath Days" and the clipped, punky pop of "Best Thing". It's only on flimsier fare such as the indie-by-numbers "Paralyzed" that you begin to suspect that in delving into so many nooks and crannies of his musical past, Mould has spread his talent a little thin.
Body Of Song works best as a reminder of a great and under-rated talent rather than any great leap forward, more history book than future vision. --Jack Smith
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Customer Reviews
The new album is, i feel, a bit of a compromise/trial on the content of Bobs more modern works tied in with some of his old loves. Yes there are the ever so catchy guiter riffs, harmonies, long powerfull vocals that get you screaming along in your car (well i do anyways) and some new electronic bits and bobs (pun intended)...but these dont dominate like they did in 'Modulate'. They work into the songs as more of an accompanyment and they work very well i feel. Seems as though two paths are meeting here and seeing how they get on together and its good to see and great to listen to.
I was a bit uncertain about buying this album with out hearing it first, but it doesnt dissapoint...it took a few listens to get into it, but from then on it now makes regular features on my listening devices. Favourites include 'Gauze of Friendship' and 'Underneath Days'
No real big solo accoustic on this album a la 'Workbook' or heavy hitting lyrics like 'Black Sheets of Rain' but a nice melding of his latest styles and some of the old stuff that got me hooked all those years ago..
Following this bands tragic demise in 1989 amid acrimony, drugs and suicide, Bob released two folk-influenced solo albums, three albums with his band Sugar, and two more melodic folk rock albums following Sugar's break up.
However, in 2002 something a little strange happened. Bob released his first album in 4 years-"Modulate", an album which rather than being driven by Bob's trademark "swarm of bees" guitar sound, was heavily reliant on samples, electronica and drum loops. The common reaction was one of puzzlement. Bob then immersed himself in New York's dance scene, even earning himself a weekly DJ residency. Having already quit touring with a band due to tinnitus, Bob-ites thought they might have lost him forever.
So there was a huge collective sigh of relief when Bob announced his return to guitar music with "Body of Song", and a great return it is. Similar in tone to 1998's "Last Dog and Pony Show", this album has Bob doing what he does best:-writing big, guitar driven anthems full of humanity but tinged with an edge of bitterness and regret. First single "Paralyzed" is a good example. Propelled by a classic Bob riff, this could easily fit on to a Sugar album or possibly even one of Husker Du's later records and is arguably the best track on the album. Its also perfect choice for first single-a true statement of intent for the album as a whole. Other stand-out tracks include "Circles", "Best Thing" and my personal favourite "Days of Rain". The legacy of "Modulate" is not completely dead though, the main throw-back being the occasional use of the vocoder voice effect. This is undoubtedly a guitar record though. In fact you can almost feel Bob's rediscovery of his love for strapping on a guitar and creating the kind of beautiful noise so many have come to love him for. Such is his renewed enthusiasm he is even going against doctor's advice and tour with a full band for the first time in 7 years. Welcome back Bob, we've missed you.
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