Customer Reviews

Flip Your Wig

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

It constantly blows me away how damn good Husker Du was. I mean, they played their music as if it could be everything at once -- the power of punk, the sheer melody of pop, and the emotions of alternative. And darned if they didn't succeed. This album is probably the best "introduction" to the Huskers from a normal rock fan's point of view -- not as sprawling as "Warehouse," but not as hard as ZA and NDR.

Perfect songs: Every Everything. Makes No Sense at all. Green Eyes. Divide and Conquer. Games. Find Me. Flexible Flyer. I could listen to these beautiful powerful songs over and over. Husker Du were my Beatles -- brilliant fusionists, singers, songwriters, and performers. Here's why.

"Zen Arcade" still may be the purest distillation of Husker Du's visceral sonic assualt, but "Wig" was the album that finally showcased Mould and Hart's unique melodic sensibilties. For those unfamiliar with the Husker Du legacy, "Flip Your Wig" is maybe their most accessible effort and a good place to start."Flip Your Wig" balances their trademark guitar roar with wonderfully catchy pop hooks to help create some garage classics (Makes No Sense, Flexible Flyer, Keep Hangin On) This combination of punk spirit and sing-song melody is certainly a familiar formula to children of 90's alt-rock, but at the time (1985) these guys were helping push the boandaries of rock music. Unfortunately, whereas Zen Arcades sound has held up well over the last 15 years, time probably will not be so kind to "Flip Your Wig". The production is horrific. At the time "Wig" was released it was considered a huge step up from the no-frills basement sounds of "Zen". Today it is "Zen" that sounds fresh and edgy, while "Flip Your Wig" is often dated with an 80's-era sludginess. What a shame. These are their best songs.

Awash in the distorted chorusing of Bob Mould's flying V guitar and Grant Hart's manic percussion, including heaping helpings of jangling tambourine, Flip Your Wig finds Husker Du in total control of their production for the first time, producing a neo-Spectorian Wall of Sound that perfectly complements what is perhaps their most "pop" collection of songs. From the sly humor of the title track (which chronicles their rise to demi-stardom) to the romantic "Green Eyes," the wistful "Flexible Flyer," the Dylan-goes-punk insult of "Makes No Sense At All," or the outright silliness of "The Baby Song," every track delivers. One of the best recordings by one of the most influential bands of the last quarter-century.

Following the hardcore of Metal Circus and the psychedelic overtones of Zen Arcade, some may have been surprised by the more "pop" feel of this record, though in hindsight, the crystalline buzz of New Day Rising foreshadowed it...

Thought about writing a rambling tale of my introduction to Husker Du in college, and ultimately to the world of never-heard-on-radio, but ultimately brilliant and powerful, independent music. Instead, realize that this is a fantastic introduction to the Huskers. Big standout tracks for me are "Makes No Sense at All", "Hate Paper Doll", "Divide and Conquer", "Games" and "Flexible Flyer". It's not often that two wildy talented song-writers (Mould and Hart) are in the same band (Uncle Tupelo maybe?), but it was definitely Bob's voice that first drew me into their music; his guitar work is absolutely amazing. blah...blah...blah....JUST GET THE RECORD!! OK!?!

I think that FLIP YOUR WIG is one of the strongest albums (non-concept, Zen Arcade is still >incredible<) that Husker Du produced prior to the jump from SST to WB, plenty of great songs--my favorites are "games" and "divide and conquer". I bought the vinyl years ago in a small indie store, played it enough times that I now need the CD. Hopefully you listen to it as much, too.

This is the great over looked album of Husker Du's original SST releases and my favorite. I think it is so overlooked because it followed Zen Acade and New Day Rising. Fip Your Wig was the very first Husker Du album I ever heard and the first song I heard was Find Me - I heard it on KNLU in Monroe, LA. (One of the best college stations in the world at the time - I think they were kickin' out all of 25 watts.) Find Me did for me what it asks. In a soup of Smiths and Hairmetal the open chords of Find Me screamed like nothing I had ever hear before. The rest of the songs do not disapoint with one exception, The Baby Song. One particular standout is Divide and Conquer - it will have you shaking your head and pounding the steering wheel on the way to work! This album/CD, what ever the format stands up very well even 20 years later.

This is the album on which, for me, Husker Du tied all the strands of their raucouc, melodic and spontaneous sound together into a single flawless tapestry. More importantly, the album represents a welcome middle ground between the bludgeoning brutality,laced with hints of melody that constituted their 'New Day Rising' masterpiece, but avoids the full on melodic assault of (still wonderful) later releases like 'Candy Apple Grey'. Here, Grant and Mould, surely two of the most prolific songwriters around, turn out a near perfect selection of tunes which is pleasingly varied and almost instantly enjoyable. From the first twangs of guitar on the opening title track, followed closely by Mould's eccentric and underated vocals, a more melodic direction is apparent. Husker Du truly seems to have matured: witness the pop stylings of 'Green Eyes' or the up tempo harmonies on 'Hate Paper Doll'- the progression from the rage exemplified by something like '59 Times the pain'is tangible and necessary. At any rate, this is an extremely solid album. The title track soars, pauses the soars again, with vocals shared between Hart and Mould, who come together for a final, massive chorus, as they do on 'Divide and Conquer', a Husker Du song which adresses political issues, albeit it in a rather garbled fashion. 'Makes No sense at All' is the hook filled, Mould penned centrepiece single, with all the dichotomy of angry guitars and Grants frenzied drumming coupled with a beautiful chorus weve come to expect from the Huskers. Later on we get the down tempo 'Find me' with an intriguing lead guitar from Mould, while 'Flexible Flyer' and 'Private Plane' see 'Flip Your Wig' at its most calming and smooth. The album is closed out by a pair of ferocious andchallenging instrumentals, which are dense and unexpected: what other band aside Husker Du could round off an album of pop-rock tunes with two brutal washes of atonal, guitar lked noise, in which Hart seems to have lost himself in a haze of drumming aggression? Proof positive Husker Du were streets ahead of their contemporaries, an honour they consolidate their hold on with this release.
Any Husker Du fan must own this album, it is essential. Fans of rock, with a punk edge, but with melodies and harmonies to rival the best,pick it up as well.

This is a great album. Listening to it gives me an overall feeling that no other album has ever given me. These guys have the ability to yell and make "noise" with their instruments in a way that is extremely pleasing to the ears. You don't even have to like hardcore punk to like this album, or any of Husker Du's albums for that matter. This is something my grandma might like, and she listens to Gene Autry and the Andrews Sisters!

This is amazing punk-pop--pure power with catchy melodies and intelligent lyrics. "Makes No Sense at All" floored me when I first heard it at a party and I love it just as much today. This whole album is packed with great songs, though, and I'd recommend it to anyone with a fondness for indie rock.

When I listen to this record, I keep thinking of the Huskers sitting in a suburban kitchen. Bob's reading the newspaper and talking nonstop about politics and the band's future; Grant's mooning around in post-coitial bliss; and Greg's sweeping the floor, putting away the dishes, and generally keeping out of everyone's way. Out the window, you can see mud puddles and downed branches everywhere; there was a bad storm a few minutes ago, but now it's over. The sky is clear and the sun is shining. However, if you look closely, you can see the clouds start to gather and thicken; the storm's going to be much, much worse this time around.... Best cuts are the first two tracks, "Games," and "Private Plane."