Two Hüsker Dü records

Not quite kerbled, but was discussed a bit here (viewtopic.php?f=28&hilit=husker%20du&p= ... 4bb9ae5ee5) and also in the thread about Spot as a producer.

Both great records. Both records don’t end well. The gem vs. dud ratio is better on Zen Arcade, so it gets my vote.

They're both great, great records IMO. Zen Arcade gets my vote because it's just packed with so many strong songs, but New Day Rising has a peaceful, happy vibe to it that the turbulent ZA lacks. NDR reminds me of a more electrified Feelies or REM. ZA is more reminiscent of hardcore bands like Bad Brains and Minor Threat.

Which one I put on depends on my mood for that day. When I was sixteen ZA resonated more heavily for me but nowadays NDR better fits my mood most of the time.

NDR has Books about UFOs. NDR wins.

Zen Arcade but it's a close bastard.

Zen is ambitious, sprawling and untidy- typical double lp. NDR is compact and seamless, when they really mastered fusing their pop elements.

Without listening in terms of mix tape worthy tunes:

ZA:
"Something I Learned Today", "Chartered Trips", "The Biggest Lie",

NDR:
"NDR", "I Apologize", "If I Told You"

New Day Rising, easy. Almost every shade of Dü in one bizarro-world sounding package.

You could lose 25 - 33 % of Zen Arcade and it would improve dramatically. Also always found its claim to being a concept album pretty flimsy.

In college I made a friend who was instrumental in turning me on to a lot of music I had previously missed. He dubbed a copy of Zen Arcade and it made my head spin. I don't think I've ever heard pure bile in someone's vocals until "I'll Never Forget You." Good lord. And, oh, how I identified with "Chartered Trips."

ZA

The latest Upper Wilds record, Jupiter, has a crackin' version of "Books About UFOs" for anyone interested.

rsmurphy wrote: Sun Dec 03, 2023 1:51 pm I don't think I've ever heard pure bile in someone's vocals until "I'll Never Forget You." Good lord. And, oh, how I identified with "Chartered Trips."

ZA

BEYOND

THE THRESHOLD

That whole album could only have been performed by some people who have gone through some shit.

Zen Arcade ...also if you isolated side B and turned it into an EP, it would be considered the most forwarded thinking early 80s hardcore releases - really predicted the more chaotic HC of the early to mid 90s in places.