Husker Du- "Warehouse: Songs and Stories"

Husker Du
"Warehouse: Songs and Stories"
Warner Brother Records
1987

One can tell by the extraneously lengthy title, that "Warehouse: Songs and Stories" is far removed from the intimate, blood on the sleeve approach of all past triumphs the band had accomplished. Their second major label effort, as well as their second double LP, is another overloaded mess. But unlike "Zen Arcade's" chaotic bliss and experimentation, "Warehouse" is a bloated effort of pure pop goodness. And unlike "Candy Apple Grey," "Warehouse" actually sounds like a major label effort of the time. The hooks are plentiful, the production finally sounds appealing to the general listening ear. So why that grimy ehhh, feeling?

The problem with "Warehouse" is that the album became a storage unit for the battle between Bob Mould's songwriting, and Grant Hart's increasing desire to be the equal Husker. As the story goes, Mould did not want to cut any of his contributions to include more of Hart's songs. Exercising contractual rights from Warner Brothers that gave the band complete artistic freedom, THEY MADE IT A DOUBLE ALBUM. Guess Grant felt it was imperative for us all to be graced with rock's most pretentious, and forced hook ever with "CHARITY/CHASTITY/PRooooDANCE/ AND HOeeOPE?" If you haven't, listen to track 2 to see what I mean.

That's not to say "Warehouse" is without some really great stuff. The first LP is quite strong. "Ice Cold Ice" is a dark, pleading repetitive (in a good way) rocker. "These Important Years" is classic Mould but all popped up. Hart's "Somewhere Somehow" is typical Grant new school '60 infused pop shmutz. "Friend You've Gotta Fall," is a good Mould penned track as well.

The second LP is lesser than the first, simply for the fact that it's more of the same, but with weaker numbers. "Actual Condition" is a short, Elvis-jitter bug number by Grant that's just spine-tinglingly bad filler. "No Reservations," "Up in the Air," more filler. And the worst part is "Turn It Around" is a sinfully guilty pop number, full of bounce and Mould shouts!!! BUT, what's with the awful Europe, "The Final Count Down" inspired synths that just RUIN it? "Turn It Around" can only be heard if you jump in a DeLorean and travel back to 1987, and even then, you're 2 years too late. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? Also, if "It's Not Peculiar" were released in 1993, and performed by a skinny white guy in a rasta hat, or REM, you'd now hear it on "NOW!:That's What I Call the '90s," next to a Spin Doctors' track.

With all that, "Warehouse" can be a dizzily enjoyable listen. Every time I put it on, my finger goes to the skip button on my CD player, but I hold out. And then another songs plays, and another. And I realize I've now entered THE WAREHOUSE duh-duh-duh, OF SONGS.... AND STORIES!!!! DAH-DAH!!! Excuse me, sorry. It's not Husker Du as we've come to know and love them, but the overall progression of their career makes sense, and it's weirdly good. It's quite a heavy album to leave fans. 70 minutes of sugar can be straining to some. If the album were shortened to 10 or 11 songs, what a punch this might have packed. It's the old 786 page novel that could've been told in just under 300.

Mould would go on to form Sugar. Huh, weird. Grant Hart would go on to beat heroin and stress over HIV before putting out solo albums that were actually better than Mould's solo stuff. Huh, weird. And Greg Norton open a restaurant, that unfortunately, is not Husker Du themed. Remember him? He played the bass and had an homage to Rollie Fingers on his face.

7/10