Tuesday, April 24, 2007





Husker Du - Everything Falls Apart & More



What a great collection of the first album and the scarce singles from it. You already know of my love and respect for the great Bob Mould (buy hs music, he's one of the good guys. I do.)

SSMT-Reviews.com has it put so much more excellently -

"I really like the concept behind this release. Rhino took the Huskers first studio LP, 1982's Everything Falls Apart (tracks 1-12) and appended all of the impossible to find early singles and demos from their pre-SST years. The seasoned Husker Du scholar will see this as the most critical instrument for understanding the band's stunning musical transitions that occurred over their eight years together. No other recording offers such insight into the future sounds of this most innovative band. The uninitiated will be confused and dumbfounded by all of this "noise." But it's not the case that this recording is only applicable to a historical analysis. The songs themselves lit my world afire when I first heard them and they still do to this day. Some of the tracks are decidedly noisy, fast, chaotic punk similar to Land Speed Record, only not so damaging to the ears. Several selections offer a fantastic glimpse into the future of this band, most notably "Everything Falls Apart," "In a Free Land" and "Amusement." With a little hindsight the listener can see how in 1982 the coming of 1985's devastating New Day Rising was inevitable. Trying to describe Bob Mould's guitar and vocal brilliance serves no purpose-anyone that has ever heard him knows the depths of his gifted abilities. His playing is simply beyond description. Greg Norton's more active role as a songwriter in this period is shown here, and one must wonder how the band's sound would have progressed if he had maintained that status. I was never a grand supporter of Grant Hart, but his songs also stand out here, most notably the extended version of "Statues." As the early Reflex and New Alliance singles are nearly impossible to find, it's nice that Rhino made them accessible, along with the previously unreleased demos as well. Verdict: If the Huskers altered your world like they altered mine, you need this. Else, you just won't get it."


1. From The Gut
2. Blah, Blah, Blah
3. Punch Drunk
4. Bricklayer
5. Afraid Of Being Wrong
6. Sunshine Superman
7. Signals From Above
8. Everything Falls Apart
9. Wheels
10. Target
11. Obnoxious
12. Gravity
13. In A Free Land
14. What Do I Want?
15. M.I.C.
16. Statues
17. Let's Go Die
18. Amusement
19. Do You Remember?



Link In Comments





How about a bonus for you distinguished music collectors and listeners (esteemed friends of the Ape). Here's a Bob Mould radio session....

Bob Mould - NPR The Current 2005


1. Hoover Dam
2. Talking Part 1
3. Paralyzed
4. Talk Part 2
5. I Apologize
6. Talk Part 3
7. See A Little Light (one of DaddyRich's favorites)


Link In Comments, as well.

8 comments:

Daddy Rich said...

Everything Falls Apart & More -

http://tinyurl.com/2bpxeo



Bob Mould at NPR The Current 2005 -

http://tinyurl.com/34fu7h

kingpossum said...

Amen daddyrich. That's a brilliant account of the band and the context of Everything Falls Apart, now clearer in hindsight than at the time. And especially with the pre-SST tracks as you note. Straight through all the way to All of Warehouse: Songs and Stories, it's all right there inside "In a Free Land". An amazing spotlight on a truly amazing band.

To this day I'm floored by seeing the band race through the Warehouse album in its entirety, the tracks unfamiliar to us, at the Riveria Theatre in Chicago. Breathtaking.

Thanks for the post.

Regards

Daddy Rich said...

It's rewarding to know that there are a few others who love them as well.
DaddyRich

The Ghost of Jerry Reed said...

Damn, the first Husker Du album almost blew my ears off the first go round... still does the trick! Thanks for the great upload! My vinyl copy was worn the hell out...

Nazz Nomad said...

wonderful- thanks for this-

Everything Falls Apart (actually the second Hu Du album) is the first of the great ones. Land Speed Record is too poorly recorded and too "wall of noise".
Everything Falls Apart shows Husker Du at the start of their awesome run as the best band of the 80's. It's actually superior in terms of recording quality to the later SST records, which, while having amazing songs, were ruined by the SST recording team (ie- Spot).

PS- Greg Norton is touring for the first time in 20 years with some guys from "The Bad Plus" - the band is called "The Gang Font" (I Think).

Anonymous said...

Thanks so much for posting! I've been meaning to throw some of my Husker CDs on my iPod and these bonus tracks are just the ticket. Now how 'bout "New Day Rising"? ;-)

Thanks again -- great blog!

Daddy Rich said...

Many thanks Nazz Nomad, I always enjoy learning something new and being corrected in such a nice way.
DaddyRich

Putanginas said...

Thanks for sharing the album "Everything Falls Apart & More" by Husker Du. All the tracks have no errors. LONG LIVE APE SHALL NEVER KILL APE, YOU RULE!!!!!!!!!