Arriving after years of sonic bombast in
Hüsker Dü, the reflective, acoustic nature of
Bob Mould's first solo album,
Workbook, was a bold statement of renewal. Like all of
Mould's work, it's an intensely introspective record, finding him purging demons left over from the dissolution of
Hüsker Dü. Instead of relying on raging guitars,
Mould explores a wide variety of styles, from pure pop ("See a Little Light") to reflective folk laced with cellos. It's an astonishing array of styles, and the songs are among
Mould's finest. For many observers, the record established him as a major songwriter, but it also established a way for underground post-punk artists to mature -- echoes of
Workbook could be heard throughout the '90s, from
R.E.M.'s elegiac
Automatic for the People to
Nirvana's use of cellos on
In Utero and
Unplugged. But
Workbook remains a stunning work of individuality, marrying a distinctive body of songs with an original musical vision. Occasionally, the production is a little too pristine, but the power of the songs cannot be diminished. [A 2008 reissue added six bonus tracks.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine