Hüsker Dü
It's never easy to play a new album by Hüsker Dü. The music is so dense, you can't listen with one ear while gabbing on the phone or doing the dishes. You have to give your full attention. For that reason, Warehouse, a double album, may intimidate potential fans. But these records are worth the time, containing some of the best music the Minneapolis trio has produced. The manic Hüsker Dü beat has slowed down a bit and the lyrics are clearer than in the past. In addition Bob Mould's vicious guitar playing, which made the band famous, seems even more powerful when contrasted with pop-style harmonies and melodies. Surprisingly downbeat, the lyrics provide another sort of contrast to the band's sometimes raucous approach. Mould and Grant Hart, who write all their own songs, worry about aging and the meaning of life. They compare living to walking on a bed of nails, they long for lasting relationships. On These Important Years they warn: "If you don't stop to smell the roses now/ They might end up on you." That message is slightly tongue in cheek but, as Warehouse demonstrates, these are important years for Hüsker Dü. (Warner Bros.)
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