Bob Mould's Workbook: Anger's Quiet Evolution

Bob Mould's 1989 solo album, Workbook, is celebrated with an expanded 25th-anniversary reissue, Workbook 25. This collection revisits Mould's intentional pivot away from the raw sound of his previous band, Hüsker Dü. Instead, Workbook embraced more spacious, meandering melodies to express his lingering anger.

The album's hushed tone and introspective lyrics reflect a period of isolation for Mould, living near a rural Minnesota settlement. Despite this quietude, tracks like "Heartbreak a Stranger" and "Sinners and Their Repentances" reveal a new vocal vulnerability and a developing spirituality.

A distinctive feature of Workbook is its prominent use of cello, with cellist Jane Scarpantoni adding a haunting, melancholic warmth. These parts, initially conceived for synthesizers, weave a unique texture throughout the album, particularly on songs like "Sinners."

While the album contains pop hooks in songs like "See a Little Light," it also explores complex musical passages. Tracks such as "Brasilia Crossed with Trenton" showcase Mould's capacity for expansive, imagistic folk-rock, a departure from the concise power of Hüsker Dü. The reissue includes a live set recorded in Chicago in 1989.