Something old....something new (#5)

"Warehouse: Songs & Stories" by Husker Du (released 1987)

    Roaring out of the frozen wastes of Minnesota in the 1980s Husker Du blazed a heavily fuzzed out pop/rock trail that has influenced the alternative music scene to this day. Guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould and drummer/vocalist Grant Hart were the Lennon/McCartney of punk rock, creating a catalog of well crafted songs that peaked with this, their final release. With a wash of clean vocals, waves of distorted guitars and an airtight rhythm section Husker Du created it's Magnum Opus. The performances and production are flawless, resulting in a double album that is a joy to listen to from beginning to end. It all fits neatly together from the hook-filled opener "These Important Years" to the pop/fuzz of "Could You Be the One", "Friend, You've Got to Fall" and "Turn it Around" to the pounding psychedelia of "She Floated Away" to the rockabilly rave-up of "Actual Condition" and so it goes for twenty (count 'em 20) songs! A sheen of melodic vocals over the razors-wrapped-in-velvet guitar crunch resulting in their trademark sound. Give this album a spin and revel in the beautifully heavy yet melodic genius of Husker Du!

"The Soft Pack" by The Soft Pack (released 2010)

   This California quartet is on a mission to bring new life to the garage/indie rock genre and succeed admirably. Songs contain fine vocals, driving rhythms and big dare-you-not-to-singalong choruses. The album begins with the rocking hook-filled one-two punch of "C'mon" and "Down on Loving". The manic pace rarely lets up as the ten songs and thirty-two minutes fly by. Reverb drenched guitars give some tunes such as "More or Less" and "Tides of Time" a surf aura while others like "Pull Out" and "Flammable" are straight ahead pounding rockers. "Mexico" is the lone ballad and exudes a cool beach vibe. It can be very difficult to make much of a musical impression with the standard guitar/bass/drums lineup but The Soft Pack pulls it off. Their urgency and energy shine through in the songwriting and performances making this one of my favorite releases of 2010.