Warehouse: Songs And Stories

More like Husker don’t

I like some of the individual pieces of this album but as a whole, not an enjoyable listen for me. Vocals especially rubbed me the wrong way. Kind of felt like "what if REM, but worse"

Why is this so fucking long. It's okay I guess, but I can't sit through over an hour and 20 tracks of it

I get this was an influential band, and this album was their last. But this was not good. Turns out good bands can be greatly influenced by bad bands.

Good energy in the music, but it was very samey and hard to tell one track from another. Also a word of advice; on double albums you're meant to branch out and experiment, genre hop. Nope, none of that going on here. The backing vocals on several tracks added a little depth and to be fair there was some good guitar playing. But overall (to my ears) this is another unexceptional album on this list. 2.5 rounded up

Wow, absolutely loved this! Sounded like pop punk before it even was pop punk. I had only known one song by Husker Du before, but didn't think to even check out their albums. I'm a fan. (Shocked that the other reviews are so bad!)

I love Hüsker Dü especially Zen Arcade and Candy Apple Grey as well as Bob Mould's other work. So I don't know if I conciously avoided Warehouse Songs or just never got around to it. There are some great songs on here which always the case for Hüsker Dü but it just feels over-long and I don't think the magic of the previous albums is there.

Rock in a tin can. I should like it. I should love it, even. But I don't. Bob Mould's voice has a lot to do with it. It's too... well, not too anything. That's the problem.

The same song repeated 20 times.

"Had it been pared back to a single record it might have had more impact, but we were already loggerheads at that point." You're right about that, Bob. That being said, you're also right when you say you're still proud of this one, just as Grant was, I hope. *Warehouse...* is Hüsker Dü's swan song, and also their second double-album. For the first one, they were still emerging from their first phase as a take-no-quarter hardcore-punk act, and yet also slowly transitioning to some more melodic songs here and there. *Zen Arcade* was therefore not an easy listen for everyone... And yet it was not merely long, it was also inventive, rich, unpredictable. This one here is the end result of that transition to more pop melodies started with that first double-album, after three other LPs, and it highlights the band as a sort of REM rolling on all overdriven cylinders, as most reviewers noted here. Most of the songs on the first two sides are great, even if at first, you might worry that Mould, Hart and Norton might not be able to keep the pace 20 tracks in given the somewhat one-note aspect of that first part. Fortunately, the second side proves those misgivings wrong. There are nice touches in a lot of the tracks (a synth here, some off-kilter rhythms there, a sea shanty..). The last tune, "You Can Live At Home" is one of the best farewell song a band has given to their fans since the one the Beatles did on *Abbey Road*. Of course, it's far weirder than that, with its stragely hypnotic quasi-dance rhythm. But it's fitting for a band that could never be fully cornered in one box. Now is that the *one* album from Hüsker Dü you'd need to select for a list aimed at general audiences? It's a little tricky to say... It's still a long one to digest if you're not keen on punk rock aesthetics (and even if you are, parts of side 3 are a bit lengthy, it's true). On the other hand, *Warehouse...* is far less abrasive than *Zen Arcade*. What about the other records?, you might ask.... Well, *Flip Your Wig* is probably their most cohesive LP, but if some of the songs in it are all-time indie-pop-punk classics, there are still even *bigger* classics on *Zen Arcade* or *Candy Apple Grey*. Whereas *Warehouse* is the most comprehensive and ambitious album of their whole discography, showing the full scope of what Hüsker Dü could accomplish... My oh my, why can't we have a list of *2001* albums instead? Number of albums left to review or just listen to: 842 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory: 86 (including this one--maybe with *Zen Arcade* and/or *Flip your Wig*, if the latter doesn't simply replace it) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 39 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 32

Not going to lie I’m only 5 songs in but I get the jist. It’s a fun album that I’ll come back too but I’m too many days behind on this list. I remember this on the list of cool bands my older sister and city cousins listened to. And they have an oomlat like me so they’re basically family.

Ah the Du. Was ever such great songwriting let down by such awful production....oh guys you did it yourselves? Try and listen past the fact that the drums sound like they are made out of plastic, and there is no bass, to the late-period Du majesty. There are tunes that are catchy as hell (Could You Be The One, ice cold ice, She's A Woman), thrash outs (closer You Can Live At Home Now) and just plain weird (She Floated Away). A warehouse full of songs and stories.

Ice Cold Ice was great. I was getting some serious BNL vibes from the vocals throughout which is always a good thing.

I'm a bit torn. I liked the album quite a bit, but I'm not sure why of all their albums this one was picked. I don't know their stuff well but this was quite the departure from their earlier trailblazing and fast temp days. So I almost feel like a sellout for liking this more subdued version of Husker Du. For me, what I noticed was a bit of a mix of REM mature rock and post punk/early alternative (Social Distortion, Bad Religion, The Replacements). Almost had a Wilco feel at times. It probably didn't need to be 20 songs but I guess that's what happens when two main songwriters can't agree. Even though I probably wouldn't have said this was an album that deserves to be heard before you die - if I was making a list - I enjoyed the sound so much that I'm giving it 4 stars.

Not a bad album, but it can't touch Pixies who were on the upward curve as Hüsker Dü were falling. That's how the music industry works. Bands fall in and out of fashion. The songs don't quite hold together, the production is up way too high in the mix. It gets a little repetitive in places. She Floated Away would have been a decent folk rock song if it was recorded properly. Turn It Around would make a great nursery rhyme. Too much clutter for a double album.

I'm quite reassured this one appeared. Recently I've been listening to too many interesting obscure albums I've never heard of and actually being impressed but this one is by a band I've heard of but just never liked and that was way back in the 80's. I appreciate the energy and integrity but see no musical merit. It shouldn't be here I'm afraid.

It's cool to see this type of music coming out of st Paul! Great sounds, love the way the music is somewhat harsh but still easy to listen to.

The best and most important American band of the 80s that most people have never heard of. Not only are Bob Mould and Grant Hart (RIP) great instrumentalists but both of them should also be in the conversation for best songwriters of their generation. Is this album a little overstuffed? Maybe but I don't really care, give me more. Highlights: These Important Years, Standing in the Rain, Ice Cold Ice, Could You Be The One, She Floated Away, Tell You Why Tomorrow, She's A Woman and You Can Live At Home. Also is there a different band called Barenaked Ladies because, the fact that at least two people have compared them to the Hüskers is weird.

A Friday night in late November 1995: Husker Du is gone for years now, but Grant Hart is still alive those days and giving a solo-concert in the Brouwershoeck. Next to a couple of busy "alternative rock" pubs where people are oblivious to the fact that a legend is playing next door. It is supposed to be a 2-person concert, but the other musician is ill. Hart is switching to guitar on this occasion and is just performing classic Husker Du songs by himself. A heckler in the 60-person audience is disrupting Girl Who Lives From Heaven Hill. Afterwards, Hart gets interviewed in the locker room, where we pick up our coats... ..not sure if any songs from that concert came from this pretty perfect, final HD album. The album is a far cry away from their initial hardcore work and contains a melodic mix of typical Hart / Mould songs, as always Hart songs being the best, but not by much: the overall quality is just very high. This is how guitar rock should sound. The album closes with what might be their strongest song: You Can Live at Home, a Grant Hart song, obviously..

I was expecting this to be dodgy dance music (not sure why) so I was happily surprised and enjoyed it.

Gave me some major R.E.M. vibes mixed with Barenaked Ladies. I actually really liked this alternative album a lot and didn’t feel like I was listening to the same song over and over on the album.

I had never heard of this band before. My first impression was that they sounded a little like REM, and perhaps some Definitely Maybe era Oasis. I read that they started out as a hardcore punk band and evolved to this indi rock style. I like this music and the style - has a good feel to it. I could imagine listening to this on a solo road trip, on the freeway. And I also think I would enjoy this music live.

Good alternative rock album. Reminiscent of other early alternative/indie bands- kind of like what you'd hear on a college rock station. Very good throughout, enjoyed listening to it- She Floated Away is a cool one that almost sounds like a sea shanty.

Hüsker Dü’s later work is straight alternative rock. It is highly layered both musically and vocally and is very melodic. I read that they are the main link between more simplistic and driving hardcore punk and the melodic college rock that would dominate in the 90s. I think this is the best way to describe the later part of their career. Though their hardcore roots are present, I can hear tinges of Barenaked Ladies and Hootie and the Blowfish here that point towards what would become college rock.

This is pretty good punk rock. It's not amateur hour screaming. It's actually good music. I can hear the basis for a lot of early 2000's alternative here. I wonder if they were inspiration for those musicians. I enjoyed this album.

Jangly melodic indie punk. I used to love this album, but I haven't listened to it in years and I was just disappointed and a bit bored this time round. It still has quite a few amazing tracks, but so many just sound the same.

Reading a few other reviews, a few people have compared this to Barenaked Ladies. Steady on, chaps and chapesses. Them's fighting words round our way. Also, they don't! I have no idea why they'd make that comparison. More reasonably, plenty have noted that this sounds like a heavier REM, mainly because it does. But is that a good thing? I mean, six albums into Hüsker Dü's career (to do umlauts, hold Alt Gr and press 2, then the letter you want umlauted: that's Uncle Stylo's tip of the day), and they've managed to sound like college rock? That seems closer to settling than progressing. Also, why is this a double album? I can't say it gains anything by being supersized, and turns an okay album into an okay album that's twice as long. Now, of course there are highlights and good songs, and there's no fluorescent duds on this, but why would anyone hold this to their heart? Competent but ultimately unlovable. Barenaked Ladies' One Week contains the lyric "Chickity China / The Chinese chicken / You have a drumstick / and your brain stops tickin'". Is it me, or is that a wee bit racist?

My only experience with HD is "Dreams Reoccurring," which was recorded backward. I didn't get in context until reading about that album. It's too bad how the band fell apart after this one, but I can see it. The album is too much, and they admitted it. It should have been edited down to a single album (although which songs should have been cut I am not sure they would have been able to agree upon). A lot of the songs started to sound the same to me. I want to _like_ their stuff, it sounds like something I would be interested in, but this album seemed... bloated to me. Is it highly regarded by HD fans? I wonder...

It didn’t really do anything for me at first, then it did, then it didn’t, then it kind of did again.

-this feels a bit like R.E.M with a punk rock twist to me, I’m surprised they didn’t get more popular. Definitely quite a few solid songs on here (Ice Cold Ice is great) but it felt a little bloated especially near the end when it felt like I was listening to the same song over and over. Not bad at all tho -Favorites are Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope and Ice Cold Ice

5/10. Nothing special for me. Wasn't terrible, but nothing stuck out. Added 'Could You Be the One' to the playlist.

Not the strongest album of theirs in my opinion. Definitely miss the edge of their earlier stuff

Svårbedömt. Bitvis bra, melodiöst och rockigt, annars för "amerikanskt" och Smash Mouth-punkigt. Bob Goulds röst är ganska tråkig, förutom på ett par spår då han plötsligt låter som Ozzy? Albumet tappar väldigt mycket på sin omfattning. 20 låtar är alldeles för mycket. Spår 5 och 7-14 är ganska bra, och skulle ensamma bilda ett bra album. Nu är det som ett bra album insprängt i ett dåligt. Vilket är synd. Spår 11, She Floated Away, har ett helt annat tempo än resten av skivan, och låter nästan som någon Pouges-aktig shanty. Mkt bra. Överlag, helt ok myspunk. Bästa låt: She Floated Away.

There is nothing interesting or notable other than decent heavy rock and roll guitar playing. That and $5 will get you a ham sandwich.

I like some alt rock, but a lot of this album either bored me or made me cringe. The album felt bland to me, especially considering its runtime. It seems like the singer is trying to win a contest called "How many songs can I worsen with my awkward ugly voice." It wasn't all bad, but I don't want to sift through this album again to find the few moments I didn't mind. I thought it got a bit better towards the end. I seriously doubt a real human has ever said "Wow I really feel like listening to some Husker Du today"

couldn't finish

I really wanted to like this. Why is it so dull?

So I’ve never really dabbled with Husker Du before – so this was all new to me… Being honest – I kept getting this “harder edged REM” vibe, as well as a “pop punk” vibe – so not sure how that maps on to what the critics say, but that’s what I heard… For me, the album got better and better the more I listened, so that was a pleasant surprise – and while not exactly my cup of tea (i.e. not a punk fan by any stretch…) I found several songs that I enjoyed… Best songs IMO were – “Ice Cold Ice” – 4 out of 7 stars… “Too Much Spice” – 5 out of 7 stars… “She Floated Away” – 4 out of 7 stars… “It’s Not Peculiar” – 5 out of 7 stars… “You Can Live At Home” – 4 out of 7 stars… So nothing life changing, but not bad for punk… It is interesting that the bulk of the songs that I liked, were written by Grant Hart – and NOT Bob Mould – who I always heard was the heart and soul of Husker Du – not sure what to do with that, but there it is… Can’t quite get this to a 3, but a 2 from me for a punk album is pretty good, and never would have found this album without the 1,001…

Crazy selection for 1001 albums. The Huskers deserve to be here but it should have been Zen Arcade and it's not even close. This might be the most egregious error yet on this list and I'm afraid that to the extent this list is influential, it may unjustly damage Husker's legacy. Most fans would tell you Warehouse is not a bad album, some would, actually, but it's widely understood to be their worst and a terrible introduction. It's their last album when they weren't really getting along anymore and it's too long and self-indulgent and despite the major label budget it still has that incredibly thin, low budget sound. They may be the only band in history who's recordings got worse sound quality-wise as they matured and got bigger recording budgets. I never understood that. So Husker Du was an awesome band but you wouldn't know it chucking this on the turntable. The best way to be introduced to Husker Du takes a little work, but it's totally worth it: what you have to do is take a bad acid trip alone wearing an Army surplus trench coat in a desolate junk yard on the outskirts of Minneapolis on a freezing overcast winter afternoon that's getting dark weirdly early during Reagan's first term, eventually crawling home to be inexplicably greeted by "Diane" from Huskers' Metal Circus. On behalf of Husker Du fans everywhere, please accept my apology for this terrible mistake and try to put this entire day out of your mind. Thank you!

So boring

Really? We're down to the level of "stuff indistinguishable from noise" here?

Revolution starts at home, preferably in the bathroom mirror

A fabulous album. I'm not a HUGE Husker Du fan but I love this album as well as New Day Rising. In fairness I haven't really explored any of the others like Zen Arcade and Flip Your Wig, but revisiting this album makes me want to. The reviews call this album slicker and more polished than previous Husker Du albums, now I don't know about that, but what I do know is the songs are consistently excellent and sound pretty rawe to me. The one negative I would say is the production sounds a little thin to me I would definitely like to more clearly hear bass lines and kick drum but its a minor quibble. For me it's hard to determine if I prefer the Bob Mould songs or the Grant Hart ones, they have different songwriting styles but each appeal to to me in different ways. In summary it's hard to conceive of a better collection of songs. Absolutely one of the best double albums of all time. 5 stars

I had never even heard of Hüsker Dü before listening to this album, so I really wasn't sure what to expect. I ended up loving this album and planning to do a deep dive into Hüsker Dü's discography. I was very surprised to see that this album came out in 1987 - just judging by the sound, I was expecting to see that it came out in the early to mid-nineties. I hear elements of Barenaked Ladies, REM, some songs even gave me a bit of a Weezer vibe. Usually, I don't rate an album a 5 unless I love every single song, or maybe I only dislike 1. I'm making an exception for this one. There were several songs that I strongly disliked - "Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope" drove me crazy and I was gritting my teeth until the end - but the good songs were SO good that they brought the album to a five all on their own. Over half the songs on the album are now in my regular rotation. Standout Tracks: "Ice Cold Ice," "Could You Be the One?" "She Floated Away," "No Reservations"

Cumple con lo que es: un buen disco de punk rock, no le pidas más

Super cool and slightly genre defying! I wish I had more time to listen to it, but the 1/2 I did was killer. Will listen on my moto ride 2morrow!

Loud, frenetic, and grungy; just the way I like it

Solid album. Loved it

An awesome album! Just love this genre of rock/punk/pop/Americana. I discovered Husker Du late, starting with Bob Moulds solo stuff, then working back through Sugar and then onto Husker Du. Moulds vocals and lyrics are great and I just love the relentless pace of this album.

I dont think any Husker Du fan would choose this album over any other album with the exeption of MAYBE Everything Falls Apart. That said it's still a pretty solid album. I rarely listen to this one when I want to hear Husker Du. These Important Years is a really solid track though. I'm still giving it a 5 because I think it's their lone album on this list (for shame!) and they are easily a 5 star band.

December 19, 2023 I got Covid and stopped.

The imagery and name of this band has never made them feel real to me they feel made up, listening to this album has only solidified these feelings for me, kinda awesome

This is totally in my wheelhouse, I listened to this a lot while I was in college. It might not be everyone’s cup of tea with the guitar sounding pretty similar from track to track, but to me this is an alt rock classic.

meh

Awesome!!

epic classic

GREAT ALBUM, GREAT BAND!

Masterwork

Reminds me of a combination of Green Day and BNL - fun punk rock!

Friend you’ve got to fall and up in the air

Great fun, love the genre, don't think it quite rises to the level of REM or Depeche Mode, but glad it exists

Ik vind dit wel heel lekkere rockmuziek. Het doet me denken aan de oudere albums van Bad Religion. Geweldig! ****

good album, vibes are cool

Ja, Husker Du, wat goed dat die in dit lijstje zitten. Lekker om dit album eens te horen

Didn’t do much for me but it was solid

Way too long a run time for an album where each song follows the same formula, but each song was in a poppy hard rock style that I tend to enjoy which has led to a bump to a 4.

Never years of these dudes. Maybe not a 4* album but rates higher for the discovery.

This not the Husker Du album that I expected on this list but still enjoyable.

I love wall of guitars sound though occasionally the solos get overwhelmed. Always good to hear a couple of male voices out front.

Really did not think I was going to like this but you know what, I was actually in to it. I see people reviewing this saying they’re getting Barenaked Ladies vibes to this. I think we’re all picking up an early BNL vibe that may not have actually existed. I can see where they’re coming from though.

Great album great band

Out of all husker du albums why did they choose this one

The Bob songs sound so different than the Grant songs it's almost like they each are writing their own solo efforts and just pushed the two sets of songs onto the same album. This isn't a bad thing though because each songwriter is going in their own new direction.

I love husker du. Having said that this album is too long.

Do I like the Husker Du sound? Yes. Do I like over an hour of it? Not sure.

Its a really good rock album, and sort of a feel good album as well Very uplifting and simplistic

Not my favorite HD album, but nonetheless…

A classic band, a really rocking album. 4 stars.

Even the members of Husker Du agree - would've been better as a single album. But overall love the vibe and the MN boys making good music. 4 star

I’m old enough to have played the board game before this band even existed! (Yes - Hüsker Du was originally a family/kid-friendly “memory game”) Anyway, not the best game and this is not the best album from the Minneapolis trio. That said, I really like “Could You Be the One” and rest of album is spotty/solid. Bob Mould’s comment that it “ would have been better as a single album” is on point. 3.5 and rounding up!

7/10. Yeah, this sounded a lot like REM. I think I could like a lot of these songs, but as a 69 minute album, it's hard to enjoy

Hüsker Dü was just über cool. The record is obviously way too long, but there are some great tracks like the R.E.M.-like 'Friend, You've Got To Fall' and the jangly 'Turn It Around'.

The most accessible album of theirs I've tried to listen to so far. There's a chapter on them in one of my favorite books ever (Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azzerad) and I've really wanted to get into them since I read it, but neither Zen Arcade or New Day Rising did it for me. I had a similar experience with Pavement where I didn't like Slanted and Enchanted, but I ended up getting into it when I tried it again after Brighten the Corners hooked me. I have a feeling I'll have a similar experience here. This is a double album, but it doesn't feel as long as either of the aforementioned two, and the bridges of these songs all stuck out to me. Will definitely revisit. Standouts: Charity, Chastity, Prudence, Hope, Standing in the Rain, Back from Somewhere, Ice Cold Ice, She's a Woman (And Now He Is a Man)

Nothing too new from the rock genre, but still pretty cool nonetheless. I will say though, they I'm not a fan of album cover at all. Fave track(s): Charity, Chastity, Prudence, and Hope, Too Much Spice, She Floated Away

- Really enjoyed the guitar in this album - Quality alt rock - Singer is the guy from Wasting Light so that’s dope

- Awesome classic rock/punk sound - Love the energy - A little too long but not a huge deal - Favorite songs: Ice Cold Ice

The band's best album

It might not be their best, and a bit more poppy than their previous work, and the production is shite, but I'm still enjoying the hell out of this punkier version of REM

Well this came out of nowehere. Didn't know what to expect but it wasn't this upbeat version of pearl jam. Great listen. 1/3rd too long though, should have capped it at 50 min tops.

Exceptional hard pop-punk. This is a great collection of songs and it just rocks.

J'étais persuadé qu'eltrapeze allait adorer cet album, ces gars-là maintenant un rythme effréné du début à la fin. C'était bien mal connaître eltrapeze, celui-ci demandant à ses apprentis coureurs de ralentir dès que l'un d'eux tente la moindre accélération. Eltrapeze est un briseur de couilles.

P I think I expected slightly more out of Mould but much of this was very good.

Super enjoyable, bouncy alt rock, grunge prototype, with Charity, Chastity, Prudence and Hope a real highlight.

I haven’t listened to this in years. A mellower HD with their distinct style

Hüsker Dü are a band that I’ve definitely heard of many times, but I’m unsure if I’ve heard anything by them. I couldn’t even tell you where I’ve heard of them, they just seem to exist somewhere in my awareness. One of my stinky friends said that they they were a big influence for the Foo Fighters. Well let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Could You Be The One?, Turn It Around I quite enjoyed this. It sounded very 90’s alt rock which, as I’ve mentioned many times in my reviews, is always a safe bet for me. The most interesting thing about this though, is that it was actually released in the 80’s. This is one of the albums that fascinate me for sounding very ahead of their time. It sounds similar in ways to older punk songs, but less grating on me as it is more melodic. It had some power pop tendencies too, which again seems somewhat ahead of its time. Overall, the album was pretty good, but the best part is the timing of it for me.

Standing in the Rain Could You Be the One? She Floated Away Bed of Nails Tell You Why Tomorrow Up in the Air

One of the 1980s most underrated alternative bands they border on punk and see fit to craft a whopping 20 songs. Each one like a tasty morsel of fast paced mania. Never overstays its welcome if with all those tracks. A expertly crafted and produced piece of ‘80s alt.

I have heard of these guys but never actually listened to anything they made. And from what I gather, the album is not really representative of their style. Still, I am really enjoying this and will definitely look for other records from Husker Du. I really love the vibes. I read somewhere that Krist Novoselic said about Nirvana sound that Husker Du has already been doing it, way before them. And it really makes sense - there's so much punky energy and guitar layers underneath but on top we have excellent ear catching melodies. Some of the songs have great surprising instrumental additions that spice things up (especially on guitar and drums). I didn't have too much time to check the lyrics but the ones I briefly looked through added on to the overall vibes of the album. And yeah, it is a bit too long, otherwise it may have been close to perfection - at least to my taste. 4/5

The story of a pantomime villian hopped up on cocaine and craft beer accidently walking in in his parents banging the life out of eachother. Shocked, he storms into the kitchen and dunks his hairy bollocks onto the hob, blistering them to the point of disintegration. He laughs. How he laughs. He cries.

this is my brand of edgy. Would listen unironically.