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• Tracklist

• Bob Moulds post-Hsker D project, Sugar, hit hard with Copper Blue in 1992, followed by the darker and more aggressive Beaster in 1993. Both albums showcase Moulds mastery of distortion-drenched melodies, but they have very different energies.

  Copper Blue is an alt-rock masterpiece, filled with soaring melodies, driving riffs, and anthemic choruses. Its a perfect balance of grit and tunefulness, with songs like “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” offering jangly, bittersweet hooks, while “Hoover Dam” brings in a dreamy, almost psychedelic atmosphere. The opener, “The Act We Act,” is pure Mouldthick guitars, pounding drums, and a sense of urgency that never lets up. Theres a Pixies-esque quality to “A Good Idea,” with its sinister bassline and storytelling approach, but at its core, this is Moulds vision of what alternative rock could be: melodic, muscular, and emotionally charged.

  Then theres Beaster, which feels like Copper Blues darker, unhinged sibling. Where Copper Blue is uplifting and cathartic, Beaster is brooding, intense, and at times brutal. Its less of an album and more of an experience, with tracks like “Come Around” luring you in with quiet moments before erupting into chaos. “Judas Cradle” and “JC Auto” take that fury to the extreme, drenched in feedback and raw emotion, while “Tilted” features some of Moulds most visceral vocal performances. Theres an almost spiritual quality to its aggression, making it feel less like a collection of songs and more like a purging of demons.

  These two records complement each other beautifully. Copper Blue is immediate and accessible, packed with hooks and energy, while Beaster is darker, more punishing, and rewards repeated listens. Together, they show both sides of Moulds geniushis ability to craft undeniable melodies and his instinct for raw, unfiltered intensity. Whether you lean toward shimmering alternative rock or cathartic noise, both albums are essential listening.

  Reviews

  “It’s all underpinned by that unexplainable, chilling tension between innocent beauty and dark melancholy that fans came to expect from Mould, and topped by his somewhat nasal, almost timid vocal harmonies. Other highlights include the ’60s-style “If I Can’t Change Your Mind,” the loud, beautiful guitars of “Man on the Moon” and “Helpless,” and the tongue-in-cheek Pixies tribute “A Good Idea.” Allmusic

  Review

  AllMusic rating: AllMusic users: (665 votes) Read the AllMusic.com review

• Artist: Sugar Label: Merge Records Format: LP Units: 1 Country: US Genre: Punk & Alternative Style: Alternative Rock

• Copper Blue
  A1 The Act We Act
  A2 A Good Idea
  A3 Changes
  A4 Helpless
  A5 Hoover Dam
  B1 The Slim
  B2 If I Can’T Change Your Mind
  B3 Fortune Teller
  B4 Slick
  B5 Man On The Moon
  Beaster
  C1 Come Around
  C2 Tilted
  C3 Judas Cradle
  D1 Jc Auto
  D2 Feeling Better
  D3 Walking Away