Bob Mould -- District Line

Well, for some reason the Weekly hasn't posted my Bob Mould review from two weeks back, so I guess I'll do it myself. In short, I liked the album -- not loved it, but liked it. Smooth Jimmy and T-Bone will probably like it better because they're bigger Mould fans than I, but this one bears further investigation for sure. It's already No. 3 on my Top Ten of 2008, so that's a good start!

Bob Mould
District Line 3 stars

It's been quite a ride for Bob Mould. His seminal punk band Husker Du helped launch the grunge era, while power trio Sugar blasted eardrums in the early 90s. But as a solo artist, he's been all over the board – from earnest, acoustic stem-winders to disco-infused electronica, he's tried it all. He even quit the music biz to write professional wrestling scripts for a time, but returned with the bracing Body of Song in 2005.

Now, the 47-year-old Mould is back with another pretty conventional effort – hook-laden, guitar-driven, and filled with lyrics that sound like the transcript from a therapy session. Mould's never been afraid to lay his heart bare on the ground for all to see, which he does convincingly on the haunting "Again and Again," a painfully effective breakup song for grownups. "I never found the trust I needed from you/Everything you did was making me wonder," he sings, "My biggest mistake was taking you in again and again."

There's some catchy up-tempo action here, most notably "Who Needs to Dream," "Return to Dust," and "Miniature People," which showcase the drumming of Fugazi's Brendan Canty. But Mould falters a bit when he returns to his electronica phase on the uneven "Shelter Me," which underscores that his best work comes against a backdrop of guitars, not keyboards. -- PATRICK DONNELLY