|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Listen to Samples and Buy MP3s
Songs from this album are available to purchase as MP3s. Click on "Buy MP3" or
view the MP3 Album.
Special Offers and Product Promotions
- Buy a CD or a vinyl record, get a $1 Amazon MP3 Credit. Limit one promotional credit per customer. Here's how (restrictions apply)
- Includes FREE MP3 version of this album Here's how (restrictions apply)
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images? |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Loudly hailed as the former Minnesotan's return to rock form since 2002's flawed but interesting electronic outing Modulate, Body of Song, is a surprisingly enjoyable record that mixes and matches swaths of sound from the last twenty years of the burly dude's career. As a solo artist, his songs tend to be anthemettes loaded with deep personal feelings and sung in that trademark roller coaster caterwaul that defined his two rock bands, Hüsker Dü and Sugar. More than anything, Bob Mould has always made honest records that ask the listener to ditch past expectations. There are some great, rousing songs on here; "Circles" and "Missing You" will please any rocker in need of sheets of loud guitars. Unfortunately, the two most ‘clubby' tracks on here, "(Shine Your) Light Love Hope" and "I Am Vision, I Am Sound," rely on very dated dance-pop sounds such as vocoder'd vocals and cheesy programming. The album's most interesting songs are those that truly mix the electronic and rock elements; the slowly percolating, highly textured "Always Tomorrow" and the rousing single "Paralyzed." More like these next time, please. –Mike McGonigal
Product Description
Bob Mould returns to his signature guitar sound and songwriting style with Body of Song, his first release on Yep Roc Records. Mould's sound inspired a generation of post-hardcore punk rockers who helped create and define the alternative rock movement. Written and recorded mostly over the course of the past year, Body Of Song is Mould's first new album-length release since 2002, and his first since the mid-90s to employ a guitar-heavy full-band approach ('Paralyzed,' 'Circles'). Guest musicians include Brendan Canty (Fugazi), David Barbe (Sugar), Matt Hammon (1998 Bob Mould Band), and Amy Domingues (Garland Of Hours). 2005.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
33 of 34 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
With Body of Song, Bob Mould - arguably one of the most talented singer/songwriter/guitar-heroes of the last twenty years (indie or otherwise) -- has finally found a balance between what he does best (searing guitar indie angst anthems) and where his experiments in sound (as DJ, producer, and electronic artist) have since taken him.
The same themes are here: loss, regret and the urgency of time, but there's also a strong undercurrent of hope, or at least confidence in the wake of loss. And that confidence is bolstered by a kick-butt rhythm section, courtesy of Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty and SUGAR alum, bassist Dave Barbe.
As if meant to act as chemical catalyst to combine all parts of his career, the album begins appropriately enough with "Circles," a thematic and sonic fusion of the best that is Bob Mould. And circles spiral from there, coming back around to remind the listener of the various stages that have led Bob to this point: from Husker Du to his solo work in the early nineties, from SUGAR to Loudbomb and back again. But make no mistake, this is new music. And without abandoning the electronica/dance influences that have obviously become a seminal part of the Bob Mould arsenal, Body of Song rocks.
1) Circles: a slow build. dynamic, hypnotic, and heartbreaking. One of the best tracks from Bob in years.
2) (Shine Your) Light Love Hope: a throw-away dance track at first listen, but one that reveals some interesting guitar work on further plays. Then the entire track gets in your head.
3) Paralyzed: the single, and for good reason. What could easily have been a SUGAR arrangement gets tweaked electronically with one of the better Bob uses of keyboards ever.... Read more ›
The same themes are here: loss, regret and the urgency of time, but there's also a strong undercurrent of hope, or at least confidence in the wake of loss. And that confidence is bolstered by a kick-butt rhythm section, courtesy of Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty and SUGAR alum, bassist Dave Barbe.
As if meant to act as chemical catalyst to combine all parts of his career, the album begins appropriately enough with "Circles," a thematic and sonic fusion of the best that is Bob Mould. And circles spiral from there, coming back around to remind the listener of the various stages that have led Bob to this point: from Husker Du to his solo work in the early nineties, from SUGAR to Loudbomb and back again. But make no mistake, this is new music. And without abandoning the electronica/dance influences that have obviously become a seminal part of the Bob Mould arsenal, Body of Song rocks.
1) Circles: a slow build. dynamic, hypnotic, and heartbreaking. One of the best tracks from Bob in years.
2) (Shine Your) Light Love Hope: a throw-away dance track at first listen, but one that reveals some interesting guitar work on further plays. Then the entire track gets in your head.
3) Paralyzed: the single, and for good reason. What could easily have been a SUGAR arrangement gets tweaked electronically with one of the better Bob uses of keyboards ever.... Read more ›
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I can't begin to give the detail in this review that the other reviewers have, but I'm a mother of two small kids and over the years I have relied on Bob to get me through some tough times with his insistance and his energy and how under your skin his rock and his melody can be. This new CD comes at a tender time in my life. I am certain that listening to it as I have for the past two days has gotten me through the muck and mire of my current world. I only hope I don't over-play it.
Bob rocks. Thank god for Bob.
Bob rocks. Thank god for Bob.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By J. Olson
Format:Audio CD
There have been some glowing reviews for this CD. Entertainment Weekly gave this an A-!! I will buck the trend and say that giving it an A- is putting it on par with Black Sheets of Rain or FUEL (Workbook, Copper Blue and Beaster being A+ material). However, I don't think it really compares to those CDs. I give this CD 3.5 stars, but will round down to 3 to offset the 5 star reviews it has recieved. Here is a review of each song.
(1) Circles - 3 stars - A bit boring and retetitive for an opener, but a good song.
(2) (Shine Your) Love Light Hope - 2 stars - If I never hear that vocal modulation effect again it will be too soon. This song was released early on the internet to whet our appetites. I almost didn't buy the CD because of this song. It becomes marginally better at the bridge, but it still makes me cringe. Boring drums, no hook, just....blah. Cher absolutely ruined me on the voice modulation.
(3) Paralized - 5 stars - Among his best ever. Driving guitar and drums, great chorus. As noted by others, Sugaresque, with slight, non-irritating use of keyboards.
(4) I Am Vision, I Am Sound - 3 stars - Despite a frightening start with (once again) the voice modulation, this song kicks it in gear. Pretty repetitive, though.
(5) Underneath Days - 5 stars - Great, powerful song. Sugaresque.
(6) Always Tomorrow - 3 stars - Interesting song. A trip-hop bass line, driving drums (too much cymbal), distorted guitar, Bob's subdued voice. I don't want to like it, but it's infectious. Again, a bit repetitive.
(7) Days of Rain - 5 stars - Nice, quiet Bob. Great Chorus. Great song.
(8) Best Thing - 2 stars - I can't get into this song. It has no personality. Thankfully, it's short.... Read more ›
(1) Circles - 3 stars - A bit boring and retetitive for an opener, but a good song.
(2) (Shine Your) Love Light Hope - 2 stars - If I never hear that vocal modulation effect again it will be too soon. This song was released early on the internet to whet our appetites. I almost didn't buy the CD because of this song. It becomes marginally better at the bridge, but it still makes me cringe. Boring drums, no hook, just....blah. Cher absolutely ruined me on the voice modulation.
(3) Paralized - 5 stars - Among his best ever. Driving guitar and drums, great chorus. As noted by others, Sugaresque, with slight, non-irritating use of keyboards.
(4) I Am Vision, I Am Sound - 3 stars - Despite a frightening start with (once again) the voice modulation, this song kicks it in gear. Pretty repetitive, though.
(5) Underneath Days - 5 stars - Great, powerful song. Sugaresque.
(6) Always Tomorrow - 3 stars - Interesting song. A trip-hop bass line, driving drums (too much cymbal), distorted guitar, Bob's subdued voice. I don't want to like it, but it's infectious. Again, a bit repetitive.
(7) Days of Rain - 5 stars - Nice, quiet Bob. Great Chorus. Great song.
(8) Best Thing - 2 stars - I can't get into this song. It has no personality. Thankfully, it's short.... Read more ›
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
As a "return to form," this is rather timid and tepid. Sorry for the loaded adjectives -- I will give its praise before I discuss its shortcomings.
It is definitely reaffirming to hear Bob Mould put out a (mostly) guitar-based album after the debacle of "Modulate." Not that "Modulate" was entirely without merit, but it is not in any way easy to listen to. It seems forced and calculated and aimed at quite a different audience than "Black Sheets of Rain" or "Copper Blue" or "Beaster." Bob had to know his average fan was not much of an electronica listener, after all!
"Body of Song," long rumored to be an all-acoustic project, has been in the works for years. Mould even refered to it indirectly as his "Nick Drake album" on the interview disc included with "Last Dog and Pony Show."
The resulting album is far different -- and not necessarily in a bad way -- than what it was built up as all these years. Face it, if he was not feeling motivated to put out an all acoustic album, it's probably better that he didn't. His stripped down material works best when it has the same passion behind it as his eardrum-shredding electric guitar work. And to it's credit, "Body of Song" has some great acoustic-dominated moments -- most notably "Nihil" on the bonus disc.
The remainder of the electric guitar songs are solid and decently rewarding. One can easily hear the maturity in his singing voice -- and simultaneously miss his old multi-tracked whine and its gripping pathos. "Body of Song's" vocals are clear, up front in the mix, and ever-so-slightly dispassionate. That, and a bit of the production trickery from "Modulate" has lingered -- vocals echo, ping-pong from speaker to speaker, and shimmer drenched in vocoder and other effects.... Read more ›
It is definitely reaffirming to hear Bob Mould put out a (mostly) guitar-based album after the debacle of "Modulate." Not that "Modulate" was entirely without merit, but it is not in any way easy to listen to. It seems forced and calculated and aimed at quite a different audience than "Black Sheets of Rain" or "Copper Blue" or "Beaster." Bob had to know his average fan was not much of an electronica listener, after all!
"Body of Song," long rumored to be an all-acoustic project, has been in the works for years. Mould even refered to it indirectly as his "Nick Drake album" on the interview disc included with "Last Dog and Pony Show."
The resulting album is far different -- and not necessarily in a bad way -- than what it was built up as all these years. Face it, if he was not feeling motivated to put out an all acoustic album, it's probably better that he didn't. His stripped down material works best when it has the same passion behind it as his eardrum-shredding electric guitar work. And to it's credit, "Body of Song" has some great acoustic-dominated moments -- most notably "Nihil" on the bonus disc.
The remainder of the electric guitar songs are solid and decently rewarding. One can easily hear the maturity in his singing voice -- and simultaneously miss his old multi-tracked whine and its gripping pathos. "Body of Song's" vocals are clear, up front in the mix, and ever-so-slightly dispassionate. That, and a bit of the production trickery from "Modulate" has lingered -- vocals echo, ping-pong from speaker to speaker, and shimmer drenched in vocoder and other effects.... Read more ›
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
I love this album
My favorite songwriter. If he goes in the studio or onstage and farts, I'll buy it just to see what he's up to (and sometimes it's a klunker). Read more
Published 18 days ago by jai
3.0 out of 5 stars
Bob Mould - Body of Song
Okay, favorites: Circles is a great opener. Paralyzed is easily the best track; completely rocks. Really like Underneath Days, it has a nice dark, brooding quality that I complete... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Nick
5.0 out of 5 stars
Emotional Rescue
I was a fan of Husker Du and Bob's early solo albums but I had not listened to any music that Bob Mould recorded since his Sugar days. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Donald E. Gilliland
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful music in a fantastic package
This is one of my all-time favourite Bob Mould albums. I love his music, and this is probably one of his finest song collections. Read more
Published on November 17, 2009 by raccioly
1.0 out of 5 stars
not worth your time
I would place Workbook on my list of top 10 desert island discs, and I have been a huge fan of Bob since Metal Circus. Read more
Published on February 7, 2008 by D. Beck
3.0 out of 5 stars
`Body of Song' enhances a great body of work
The second song on this disc, "(Shine Your) Light Love Hope," is pure feel-good club music. Two songs later, "I Am Vision, I Am Sound" is a fine mix of hardy guitar and uptempo... Read more
Published on December 5, 2007 by Sal Nudo
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Just for you I grabbed a ray of hope and shined it on the places you...
If you liked Mould's 2002 release Modulate, you will be very happy with this CD. It is similar to Modulate. It has a little less experimentation, but the Modulate sound is there. Read more
Published on August 21, 2007 by mwreview
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps Bob's best album
This is really good stuff. I usually do not prefer rock music that includes electronic synthesizers, but they are used so skillfully here that they actually enhance the songs. Read more
Published on March 11, 2007 by AJ
5.0 out of 5 stars
MOULD IS MAGIC!!
Bob Mould is one of the most talented singer songwriter/Guitarists EVER! He really pours out his every essence of his soul. You can hear his heart in every song! Read more
Published on August 17, 2006 by Holly Tolles
3.0 out of 5 stars
18 years and counting since . . .
. . . "A Music Fan" has pulled his head out. If you didn't like at least some of Sugar's Copper Blue, you gotta be braindead. Read more
Published on January 11, 2006 by Peter M Castles
