Beauty & Ruin

hüsker dü frontman’s tenth solo studio album. like his work with less bite. riffy power pop/pop punk with heavy guitar work. sounds very much like an aging hardcore musician, but a good listen if you think about it from that place/within the context of his career. riyl REM, replacements, hüsker dü. FCC clean as far as i can tell/according to press release lyrics, but vocals often too quiet/distorted to be absolutely sure.
1. interesting, clanky noise intro. into a brooding ballad with loud, emphatic rock guitar. understated solo at 2:30.
***2. power pop with tinny acoustic guitar backing. picks up here, with yelled vocals in beginning. glimpse of the pissed-off bob mould of yore. really fun, macho, and riffy.
3. early pop-punk vibes. sweet and sappy, higher and more melodic singing than other tracks.
4. splashy hardcore drums and bouncy guitar backing. awesome distant vocalizing in the chorus.
5. funny snapping and doo-doo-wa’s intro. slow and bitter power pop ballad. plodding guitar scales and buzzy keyboard, intro elements resurface in chorus.
***6. very replacements. heavy, lone guitar intro. familiar pop song structure, subtle ooo’s backgrounded in the chorus. mould alone over mourning electric guitar for last 45s.
7. take-me-back track. extremely clean electric-acoustic guitar and drums. folky solo at 2:00. least remarkable song on the album.
8. more early pop punk vibes. repetitive, lilting hüsker dü hook. captures the sound of an aging hardcore figure and probably concerns exactly that lyrically. directly into 9.
***9. melancholy, aging punk ballad. 1:45 has mould mourning over just his guitar before big drums pick up again: excellent moment. ends with sirens, phone ringing and bleeps.
10. pretty simple Social Distortion-y power pop over simple guitar and drums. his vocals sound great but probably another one to skip.
11. quiet intro with mould singing over acoustic guitar. super endearing 60’s rock transition before rhythm section comes in. doo-doo-doo’s take us out.
12. positive REM rock, but heavier instruments. good guitar solo at 2:00. feedback outro.