Come on, let's rock

After a double dose of Anglo melancholy, I think it's time for some landlocked American rawk. And so it will be. I always thought Bob Mould hit it just right with Sugar—Hüsker Dü muscle with pop hooks aplenty. Oh yeah, and finally a kick-ass rhythm section. Even though the Beaster EP that followed their hit debut had an odd menace to it, this track fully captures the melodic ferociousness that is Mould's gift to humanity. His voice is just huge here, even though it's kinda buried in the mix. The man sure had some pipes to go with that guitar back in the day.

Sugar - Tilted

Cheers for the young idea

Before he was an indie rock A-lister, Ted Leo slogged it out in Chisel, a band whose mod-inflected punk was totally a harbinger of what would come in the 'aughties, but sadly out of step in the '90s. Set You Free is still a dynamite listen, containing the blueprint for Leo's stylistic range while rocking out with the kind of abandon you rarely recapture once you hit your stride. This cut spends a minute and a half revving up before launching into a refrain so good, they just keep it going without changing a note. Pure rock bliss.

Chisel - On Warmer Music