Sugar – Copper Blue / Beaster

Bob Mould’s post-Hüsker Dü project, Sugar, hit hard with Copper Blue in 1992, followed by the darker and more aggressive Beaster in 1993. Both albums showcase Mould’s mastery of distortion-drenched melodies, but they have very different energies.

Copper Blue is an alt-rock masterpiece, filled with soaring melodies, driving riffs, and anthemic choruses. It’s a perfect balance of grit and tunefulness, with songs like "If I Can't Change Your Mind" offering jangly, bittersweet hooks, while "Hoover Dam" brings in a dreamy, almost psychedelic atmosphere. The opener, "The Act We Act," is pure Mould—thick guitars, pounding drums, and a sense of urgency that never lets up. There’s a Pixies-esque quality to "A Good Idea," with its sinister bassline and storytelling approach, but at its core, this is Mould’s vision of what alternative rock could be: melodic, muscular, and emotionally charged.

Then there’s Beaster, which feels like Copper Blue’s darker, unhinged sibling. Where Copper Blue is uplifting and cathartic, Beaster is brooding, intense, and at times brutal. It’s less of an album and more of an experience, with tracks like "Come Around" luring you in with quiet moments before erupting into chaos. "Judas Cradle" and "JC Auto" take that fury to the extreme, drenched in feedback and raw emotion, while "Tilted" features some of Mould’s most visceral vocal performances. There’s an almost spiritual quality to its aggression, making it feel less like a collection of songs and more like a purging of demons.

These two records complement each other beautifully. Copper Blue is immediate and accessible, packed with hooks and energy, while Beaster is darker, more punishing, and rewards repeated listens. Together, they show both sides of Mould’s genius—his ability to craft undeniable melodies and his instinct for raw, unfiltered intensity. Whether you lean toward shimmering alternative rock or cathartic noise, both albums are essential listening.

Reviews

"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." Allmusic