I’m 19. I’m not 35. Husker Du’s Zen Arcade, New Day Rising and Flip Your Wig were all released before I was even conceived, but I still think, know, and believe that Bob Mould is a legend. 
Life And Times is classic Mould: rushing guitars and angsty lyrics delivered in his classic bulldog skin of a voice. While few will likely complain about the lack of vocoder this time around, Mould’s continued growth and experimentation as an artist is what has kept him vital for more than 20 years since he made his early masterpieces.
Last year’s District Line may have been slightly less consistent than one would have hoped, but it found the then 47-year-old Mould continuing to journey outside his comfort zone when others his age need their kids to get their songs from their computer to their iPod. But Life And Time’s strict adherence to Mould’s classic songwriting style (one steeped in late 80’s/early 90’s alt-rock conventions, which, to be fair, Mould played a large part in shaping) makes it sound dated despite being released in 2009.
What saves Life And Times from pure nostalgic mediocrity is the fact that Bob Mould is Bob Mould. It’s impossible to put this information aside when judging Life And Times. Mould’s songwriting skills – regardless of what decade they may be stuck in – are still as refined as ever. Life And Times’ only standout track, “I’m Sorry Baby But You Can’t Stand In My Light Anymoreâ€, may be a power-ballad that’s pure 1996, but that does little to diminish its emotional pull. In fact, if it had been released back in 1996, it would probably be considered one of Mould’s finest songs.
Asides from the wistful closing track, “Lifetimeâ€, the majority of Life And Times is made up of mid-to-fast-tempo alt-rockers that don’t attract much attention individually. However, even when Bob Mould is just doing an adequate job of sounding like Bob Mould, it’s hard to really complain too much. He is a legend for a reason.
Life And Times is available now on ANTI Records.
Tracklisting:
01. Life and Times
02. The Breach
03. City Lights (Days Go By)
04. MM 17
05. Argos
06. Bad Blood Better
07. Wasted World
08. Spiraling Down
09. I’m Sorry, Baby, But You Can’t Stand in My Light Any More
10. Lifetime
