Zen Arcade

by

Hüsker Dü

Edit

Hüsker Dü were one of the loudest and most thrashy acts of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Then they decided to move away from pure hard metal thrashy rock into hard rock and pop. This didn't exactly thrill some fans (Bob Mould got booed more than once when he stepped out on stage with an acoustic guitar), but the decision led to this album which arguably remains the band's masterpiece.

First released as a double album in 1984, the music ranges from very heavy thrash rock to delicate piano numbers and almost everything in between. The all acoustic number "Never Talking To You Again" sits between the hard rocking songs "Broken Home, Broken Heart" and the incredible "Chartered Trips". "Monday Will Never be the Same" and "One Step at a Time" contain simple and mellow piano/synth music. "Indecision Time", "I'll Never Forget You", "Beyond the Threshold", and "Pride" all thrash cathartically hard with abrasively screamed lyrics. It sounds like the Hüsker Dü of the past. The creepy "The Tooth Fairy And the Princess" approaches psychedelia with its backward tracks and whispered vocals. Not to mention the sleigh bell-laden "Hare Krishna". "Newest Industry" and "Turn on The News" sound like the Hüsker Dü to come. "Zen Arcade" definitely represented a transition for the band.

On top of all that, it's a concept album (which helps explain why critics like it so much). Supposedly the story revolves around a boy who has left home and finds out that the real world sort of stinks. The album does have a somewhat happy ending, though, despite the less than happy lyrics. "Reoccurring Dreams" signifies that the boy's troubles were all just a dream. So we're rewarded with an amazing 14-minute jam session. Good deal.

The sound of the album sounds a little muddled compared to the band's later releases. At the time, Hüsker Dü recorded on a small label called SST (they were so small they had trouble printing enough copies). They therefore didn't have access to top of the line recording technology. Nonetheless, the sound doesn't detract from the album's energy. It may even add to the tension and edge. It definitely distinguishes it from the band's later releases on Warner Brothers.

Hüsker Dü still get cited as one of the most influential post-punk bands. The Pixies acknowledge their influence. Not only that, their evolution from punk thrash to heavy pop rock opened up the scene at the time to more possibilities. It wasn't too long before alternative and grunge caught on. Some of this can be traced back to Hüsker Dü's explorations. And "Zen Arcade" stands as an exemplar of that adventurousness. Don't forget this one.

I'm a big fan of the Huskers and Bob Moulds solo work. That said, I've never understood the acclaim heaped on Zen Arcade. There are many good songs on this release. "Turn On the News", "Something I Learned Today","Never Talking to You Again", "Beyond the Threshold" "Pink Turns to Blue" and others are outstanding.

But there is way too much of what seems to be to just pointless filler thrash music (Hare Krishna, Pride, Reoccurring Dreams) and bizarre doodlings (The Tooth and the Fairy Princess, Dreams Reoccurring, One Step at a Time) that are either boring or just plain annoying. To me they spoil the flow of what might have been an outstanding single album.

New Day Rising and Candy Apple Grey are much more consistent and satisfying to me than Zen Arcade.