Copper Blue
Sugar
1992
Album Summary
Copper Blue is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Sugar. It was voted 1992 Album of the Year by the NME. All of the songs were written by guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, who also co-produced with Lou Giordano. Musically, the band continues the thick punk guitar of Mould's previous band, Hüsker Dü, while slowing the tempo and emphasizing melody even more.
WikipediaThis album sounds like what an AI would output if you fed it a bunch of 90s alt-rock and told it to provide a representative sample. It's not bad, but I don't understand why it's on the list. Best track: Hoover Dam
This album tries so hard to sound like so many of the other great bands of the time. You then wonder why you are wasting time listening to this when you could just listen those other bands who know their own identity. This album was like a three-course meal of nothing but dry white toast.
How ironic that after years fronting the hugely influential but desperately overlooked Hüsker Dü, Bob Mould's first project with new band Sugar, 1992's Copper Blue, would become the most commercially successful project of his career. Of course, it was released just as the seeds sown by his former band were bearing bountiful fruits in the post-Nirvana alternative nation, which provided ample explanation for its phenomenal success. But Sugar were well deserving of their success, regardless of time and place. A more aggressive, contemporary guitar attack aside, stunning power punk masterpieces like "The Act We Act," "The Slim," and "Fortune Teller" bear all of the vintage Mould musical traits: tell-tale lyrics, great hooks, and snappy melodies. 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."
This album is SO 90s alt-rock. It's got that shimmery chorus over doubled vocals and the thick, grungy guitar riffs that make up that iconic sound. It immediately transports me back to my youth in a (mostly) good way. Sure, the sound is totally dated but it's still grunge, man. That said, I'm not sure why it's on the list. It's not exactly a shining beacon of alt-rock/grunge. In fact, one could argue that it's kind of riding the coat tails of much better bands and albums. It was enjoyable in a nostalgic way, though. I need to go find a flannel to tie around my waist now...
“Copper Blue” by Sugar (1992) Never heard this album or artist. This is a Mould joint. Musically, he wants to be (as successful as) Curt Kobain, but the chops aren’t there. This ‘group’ is basically a guy on vocals & guitar with a hired rhythm section. It’s not a band. Lyrically, Mould can’t put two words together without doing it again doing it again. It’s actually fun to watch to watch. Most of these songs are first person frustrations expressed to the one he loves the one he loves. I can’t stop giggling stop giggling. Sugar is to Nirvana what Jamiroquai is to Stevie Wonder. Overall, meh. 1/5
Yeah, great! The first track sounds like REM were they to ever find an overdrive pedal, and the second sounds like Dogs D'Amour being plagued by a mosquito. But overall, this sounds like really punchy, melodic, beefy power pop. Not a million miles from the Wildhearts. Too young to have caught this the first time around, glad to be acquainted now.
Husker Du frontman Bob Mould had always married hardcore to a pop sensibility, but when he established Sugar, he reversed the emphasis and focused on pure pop with the energy of hardcore. My awareness of this album at the time was focused on the three hits from the album, A Good Idea, If I Can Change Your Mind, and Changes, so I wasn't overly impressed. Fortunately, these are probably the three weakest tracks, tending towards heavy handed and obvious pop tropes. As for the rest of the album, it's remarkably consistent. The songcraft, arrangements and performances range from very good to excellent, but what really makes Sugar and Copper Blue stand out is the hypnotic, trance inducing quality of the overall sound. Whenever possible, Bob Mould uses drones, pedal points, and moderate levels of distortion to create an appealing meditative quality, even on the hardest rocking tunes. I'll subtract a half point for the hits (which actually work better in the context of the album than as stand alone tunes) and the misguided synthy prologue of Hoover Dam, but this is really good stuff.
Nice little lesser known gem from the era. Cool that it's on the list. Sounds like some thing between Nirvana, The Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr., with a dash of XTC thrown in for that pop element/vocal delivery that almost gets gleefully overdone at points? I feel like "A Good Idea" (which sounds like a Pixies outtake) is the standout track here by far and nothing else can quite touch it on the rest of the album. Definitely some unexpected/interesting sonic touches throughout that I didn't expect. 3.5 rounded down to 3.
Right off the bat, album is filled with malignant ear worms that bore these permanent holes into your brain. I’ve never heard this before and I am completely blown away by how much I enjoy this record. The guitar sounds are so wonderful - yes, there’s the typical Bob Mould-aggressive tones, but the tracks vary from straight up Husker Dü-ish bangers to more quiet keyboard acoustic-based songs. Quite refreshing! A great driving around in the summer with the windows down album. This entire album sounds like the opening credits to your favorite movies from 93-97.
Hi! It's me! Lover of 90's alt and grunge! This album fits right in to my likes - a blast from the past! The sound is a mix of many of the bands I enjoy from that time, especially REM, The Barenaked Ladies and Gin Blossoms. Liked some of the heavier sound with the lighter melodies. Album is consistent all the way through, second half even better. Great lyrics throughout. Definitely a product of it's time, maybe a little generic sounding, but it's my happy place. I will listen to more of Bob Mould's stuff. Fave Songs: Hoover Dam, The Slim, Slick
It's like the Pixies, but not. 1992 so that's about right. I'll give it a three.
Score: 20 Album art: 20 This album is completely pointless. It's mixed like shit, sounds like shit, nothing is interesting the entire runtime. The vocals are not good either, and that's when you can even hear them. The drums sound godawful. The lyrics are the definition of vapid and lazy. By the end of it i was getting pissed at how inane and repetitive it was.The number of better albums in the 90s goes into the 1000s. Take this shit off the list
I didn't need to listen to rate, but I did because I love this album so much. I had it in constant rotation when it was released. These are my favorite kind of songs. Dark lyrics, happy music. And so much personal storytelling. These songs make me so happy. And I have always love his guitar playing.
Best album ever. Seriously getting some weeper vibes and Dave grohl sounding vocals. I listened to this twice.
Haiku Tuesday: ### Minneapolis Sound alt punk rock tones of home It ain’t Seattle ### Another album I remember buying (CD) back at the Electric Fetus. Little Tommy Dyke probably heard this at least once while getting his diaper changed in 1994😃. Great album that dropped out of my rotation over 20 years ago - great to hear again, because I think this is the quintessential “Minneapolis sound”. Well orchestrated angst permeated hooks. You feel like you’re accomplishing something good for humanity just by listening…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This album is for a big part responsible for the fact there is always a slight annoying buzz in my ears nowadays (together with that one time I saw Mogwai and I'd forgotten my earplugs). I played this album so much on my Walkman when it came out and so loud. And despite its negative effects all those years later I don't really regret doing it. This is an album best experienced loud. You need to feel that big wall of guitars, it makes those brilliant, catchy melodies even more impactful. This album is the perfect combination of aggression/speed/volume/punk and sweet/melody/harmony/pop. (A bit strange but, at the time, it didn't really make me want to seek out Hüsker Dü and I still vastly prefer this version of Bob Mould). 10/10
Played the shit out of this and still go back to every two years or so for a full listen
What a great rock album! The dynamics are there, diversity of songs, some more folk and pop while the others more grunge, a very cool guitar song, vocals similar to REM, and all in a great run time. Nirvana is the gold standard for 90s rock, but these guys bring a fantastic rock album to the list.
Sentimentality has arrived! I had a friend whose roommate was blasting random songs on his stereo, he was all bummed about a breakup, and "A Good Idea" came on, and I was like what is this who is this omg omg. He let me borrow the cd and I wore this thing out. This album is so emblematic of the best of the alt rock sound of the early 90's, it's got some serious rockin' tracks, some grooves, some bizarre lyrics that maybe are stupid nonsense or maybe I'm just stupid and don't get it, and of course I would assume the latter.
Sounds like Pearl Jam, but like with a heavy pop-rock sound. I can definitely see the appeal of a band like this. This definitely is pop-punk and grunge put together, and is like a heavier version of what Green Day was doing at the same time. OK, fine, I think I love this album, it has like the jingle-jangle sound with the pop punk and the grunge, and that's pretty good; I'm a sucker for a melodic rock record, especially ones that can be McCartney-esque at times.
No, Bob Mould didn't rip off The Pixies or Nirvana. In fact both of those bands have copped to being influenced by Mould's previous band Hüsker Dü. Sugar was Mould's return to the power trio format after a couple of pretty great solo albums. Perfect loud power pop, If I Can't Change Your Mind is an all timer, Changes, Helpless and Hoover Dam are also highlights.
Brilliant return from Bob Mould -a great songwriter Loved Husker Dü always melodic These songs pull that forward plus plus Every song is a cracker Some great break up songs … beautifully dark in places Solid album - I played and played it - 30 years ago 😳
Loved this album! A true fusion of the top rock bands of the 90s. Reminded me a mix of Manic Street Preachers, a bit of REM with some slightly heavier surprises added in. Great stuff.
Has a very "90's" sound( like collective soul) with the guitar and drums. The bass (especially intros into "the act we act" and "good idea") is very good. I really enjoyed "if I can't change your mind". Some bleak lyrics dealing with killing of a lover and dealing with AIDS. But the melodies are very well arranged. As I had never really heard of Sugar this was a great intro.
bob's cool and all, but i liked him much better with grant and greg. this album shows his melodic self, but i miss the raw passion and grit from the husker du days.
I’ve got some gigantic blindspots when it comes to the whole Bob Mouldiverse. But I enjoyed this. Dude’s voice is infectious. No wonder he’s been at it for decades.
I was ready to dismiss this as dated... but Good Idea hit me in the right mood...Pretty sure I've heard Helpless before. Hoover Dam sounds opens like a Beach Boys song then goes into full blown Gen X 90s mode. Man on the Moon is a great conclusion. Maybe it's the shitty weather, but I like this. I'm ignoring the 2+ hour deluxe remaster that Amazon Music is giving me and considering this a tight, 10 song, 45 minute alt rock jam.
I knew Husker Du and Mould’s solo stuff, but somehow totally missed out on Sugar. Great album.
I'm a fan. This music should be in every teen movie. Quintessential garage rock. "Slick" is good.
Positives: doesn't really sound dated, lots of variety, some great tracks (Helpless is my fave). Negatives: sometimes feels like a cover set of famous 90s bands like Pixies, Cure, etc. I feel like I heard enough of this album in the 90s and only like revisiting the favorites.
Formed after the demise of Hüsker Dü and really just made their full transition into alternative rock and power pop that Husker Du was making towards the end of their career. A solid album with a more interesting vocal approach than most power pop.
I got Bob Mould's solo album, the eponymous one that came out in 1996. I loved that album. It had all the loud guitars on it that I could want, but didn't sound like anything else I had. I can't find that album anywhere, now - doesn't seem to be streaming. But this is a pretty good substitute. I still love the guitars.
Great 90s alt album. This is the first time listening to this band as far as I remember. Good stuff.
Some great 90s alt rock. Can definitely see it’s influence on naughties rock and some pop punk. Enjoyable set of pop rock tunes
This grew on me. It sounded a bit bland at first, but then I think it just clicked for me. A solid album.
didn't expect much, but this was actually a pretty fun alternative album! Shoulda known from a former Hüsker Dü dude.
I don't think I knew that when I think rock I think 90s alternative but putting this album on was kind of like putting on a t-shirt you've had for years. Honestly nothing really reached out and grabbed me but it was a solid listen through and through.
The first half is beyond perfect. Up to Hoover Dam, the greatest batch of songs from Bob Mould ever. The second half is very good. If I Can’t Change Your Mind is the best pop song he ever wrote. 4.5.
This is better than a lot of "alternative" music that was released in 1992. It sounds like the album the Foo Fighters wish they could make. I'm sort of shocked that I'm only now learning about it. This is the sort of pure pop that's right in my wheelhouse. Expect a deeper dive into Bob Mould in my future.
No conocía al grupo. Si me gusto el disco, aunque a veces abusan de la distorsión pero igual bueno el resultado.
Surprisingly good album I was not expecting. Lots of rocking songs though none standing out too much. Gonna give this one some more listens in the future
This was a nice little surprise. A hidden gem. At first glance, I thought I remembered this band from the 90s, but I didn't. This was a first listen for me. It's what I'd consider more "thoughtful" rock/pop 90s music - not cookie-cutter, hook-driven, slop. It gave me a real Our Lady Peace meets Foo Fighters vibe, even a few hints of Smashing Pumpkins at times. Overall, a solid 3 I thought. BUT - I'm giving this a 4 based on historical context, given that it was recorded and released before any of the aforementioned bands got together. While I wasn't familiar with Sugar, my guess is that some of these other bands were. Also, as far as influence goes, late-90s commercial pop bands like Vertical Horizon and Sister Hazel and (insert one-hit-wonder here) all kinda sound like a watered-down version of this. So, props.
If you're of a certain age - either a teenager going through heartbreak, or an *cough* older person just being nostalgic for early alt rock - then this album is great. It has the heaviness of Husker Du but also great lyrics and melodies. If you like guitar and heartbreak, you'll love this album. If you don't probably not so much. Best Tracks: The Act We Act; Good Idea; If I Can't Change Your Mind
Sugar by name sugar by nature. This is very saccharine and is very enjoyable on first listen, it just feels as though it will become very sickly on multiple listens!
Rock alternatiu amb pedigree. Sona de vegades a Hüsker Dü, però amb personalitat pròpia. No tot a la mateixa alçada però és força consistent
Never heard this album before, sounds like the alt rock of the time. Pretty good at encapsulating the sound of the early 90s
How did i not know about this album. 1992 is right in my wheelhouse but I have never listened to it before that I can recall.
This is a great 90s alt album which I was unaware of but really enjoyed - great songs, great vocals, that 90s fuzzy grungy production - I am here for this album. A gem.
I'm pleasantly surprised! This is a very good rock album by an artist I have never heard of before. Musically, think Foo Fighters, but a few years earlier. Most of songs have string melodies and are extremely well arranged and produced. I will listen to this again. 4/5
det är nära en femma för mig. älskar att dom liksom bara maler på i vissa låtar samma riff om och om igen utan att det blir så repetitivt. Fattar inte hur man lyckas med det. det avslutas lite svagt men annars så är det en femma.
This was a very nice surprise, never heard of them but I listened to it twice in a row. Sounded a lot like DInosaur Jr. All the songs are the same structure but it doesn't matter when the tunes are this good
What a pleasant surprise! Someone has been hanging out with R.E.M. and Dinosaur Jr., and I'm all for it. Probably my second-favourite song titled 'Man on the Moon' released in 1992.
Really surprised by this, expected nothing but just another average rock album but this was actually great. Fast paced rock, catchy melodies and songs that make you want to listen to more
Disco curioso de música alternativa noventera, nada nada mala. Suena como si Nirvana no estuviera tan enojado o se llevaran con los de R.E.M. La verdad es que de haberlos conocido antes pude haberle agarrado bastante gusto.
No conocía a esta banda y qué buen descubrimiento. Leyendo un poco sobre ella me enteré que sólo sacaron 3 discos antes de su ruptura y definitivamente los voy a buscar.
Liked it very much. A nice upbeat rock album. Good tunes. Just missed some sologuitars sometimes though.
Such richness of soul, groove and funkiness that so much of contemporary pop music is put to shame.
Hoe is het mogelijk, weer een album uit de 90s waar ik nog nooit van gehoord had. Als ik zo wat dingen erover opzoek, is het een min of meer in de vergetelheid geraakt album. De zanger is bekend van Husker Du en dat is een soort van cultklassieker qua band. Zo'n aparte naam blijft ook weer beter hangen dan Sugar natuurlijk. En bovendien is die muziek veel beter, al is het wel minder toegankelijk dan deze poprockliedjes. Zitten wel een paar verborgen pareltjes tussen denk ik. Ik ga het vaker luisteren. Tot nu toe een prima 3, maar vanwege Husker Du krijgt het bonuspunten. Ik moet wel even pochen met mijn obscure muziekkennis natuurlijk na die rant van Eric over the Beatles. :-P
Awfully good and the ear-candy effect has aged quite well indeed. Who doesn't love Bob Mould? The first half-dozen tracks amount to one sustained banger – and it's fun, too. One finds "Helpless" to be the favorite, but really likes them all. The second side drags just a touch, but overall this is impossible not to like – and a lot, too.
Bob Mould and company have a real gift for songcraft that I don't think I fully appreciated at the time this album came out. Mould never really got the credit he deserved for building the bones of all the music that came after him, but that's frequently the case with those who arrive early to the party. Musically, the band has a great buzzsaw burn of a sound, with a well-placed, economical use of distortion. But it's perfectly melodic as well and surprisingly catchy. That's an impressive balance that a lot of alternative bands never really captured as adeptly. Lyrically, there's a gloominess here that you kind of expect in this genre, but more with a deep sense of resignation and pathos than with anger. This is really excellent, something I want to just throw on repeat for a while. Fave Songs: Helpless, A Good Idea, The Slim, If I Can't Change Your Mind, Hoover Dam, Slick
How in the Sam Hill do I not know this group, this album? I love Husker Du and Bob Mould. My world is shaken in such a good way. It sounds as if many of the 1990s alterna-rock warriors copied a lot of this album. I hear Gin Blossoms. I hear Third Eye Blind. I hear Collective Soul. I hear Sum 41. Bob Mould is a gift.
A record to enjoy from the beginning to the end, also characterized by a stunning sound. This is definitely a perfect album in order to have some fun.
Never heard of this band before. At the beginning were the familiar and comforting sounds of early 90's alt rock. My one initial complaint was that the music was the same volume or louder than the lead singer's and it drowned out the words. However as the album progressed, I really started enjoying this quite a bit. I'll definitely be giving this another listen and maybe even check out their other discography.
This is a stereotypical 90s alternative album but also has really killer guitar work. The vocals and overall vibes could be found in any album like this but the heavy instrumentals make it more exciting and fun to listen to. Helpless and slick were my favorite tracks.
Really enjoyed this - having never heard anything about it before. Will definitely revisit, and check out some other Bob Mould stuff while I’m at it.