Bob Mould

ABC, Glasgow - 24 May 2008

by Charlotte Otter

Hard and heavy man music

"Mould’s music seems to have transported them back to a time when their hair was long, ripped denim was the rage and only real men listened to rock music"

Picture by Matt Biddulph

Former Husker Du front man, Bob Mould, is a powerful force to be reckoned with, as any of his fans will agree. Surveying the sea of middle aged men standing reverently in front of him at Glasgow’s ABC, Mould nods curtly and utters a quick hello before kicking into two hours of hard and heavy man music.

Mould sounds like Bruce Springsteen mixed with The Lemonheads. His epic and varied set fluctuates from heady rock numbers filled with crashing drums, squealing guitar solos and Mould’s trademark roaring vocals to slow, more gentle tracks that show off his soft and vulnerable underbelly.

Songs such as 'Stop Your Crying’ and the more recent, ‘Old Highs And New Lows’ provide evidence of this sensitive side with their melodic guitars and soft, shuffling beats. His lyrics in these tracks are self-depreciating and thoughtful, sung instead of forced from his throat, as is the case in his louder songs.  

There is no support, no chat and no encore; simply long stretches of powerful guitars, deep thudding of the drums and all American lyrics talking of better times. Not that the crowd seems to care – made up almost entirely of balding blokes and the occasional token girlfriend, Mould’s music seems to have transported them back to a time when their hair was long, ripped denim was the rage and only real men listened to rock music.

Be the first to comment on this article

Elsewhere On The Site

NEW NOISES

NEW ALBUMS

NEW SINGLES

FEATURES