When Husker Du released the groundbreaking double-album "Zen Arcade" in 1984, it expanded the boundaries of hardcore punk. The power-trio successfully incorporated acoustic songs, psychedelia and piano ballads in to the genre, proving that hardcore punk was capable of much more than speed and aggression.
On the follow-up, "New Day Rising," Husker Du took the pop influences a step further by producing an album that was much more concise than its predecessor. Bob Mould and Grant Hart did not indulge in eclecticism as much and didn't set off to outdo themselves like they did on "Zen Arcade." As a result they produced an album that has 15 punk-pop classics.
"Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and "Celebrated Summer" are the two standout songs from this collection, and they reflect the intense rivalry that Mould and Hart had with each other at the time.
Although Mould always had more songs on a Husker Du album, Hart was every bit Mould's equal as a songwriter. "Terms of Psychic Warfare" and "Books about UFOs" can go head to head with Mould's best songs on the album such as "I Apologize" and "59 Times the Pain."
That illustrates a disappointment with Husker Du's albums in general for this writer. On "New Day Rising" Mould dominates, whether it be with his guitar work or with his songs. It definitely sounds like Husker Du was his band, and that Hart was being underused. Hart only had a significant number of songs on the bands last album "Warehouse: Songs and Stories"; an album that truly was a game of one-upmanship between the two songwriters.
Husker Du was a great band, but for all their brillance any fan must wonder if their albums could've been better if Hart had a more significant role in songwriting.
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