Bob Mould

Like Thurston Moore and Paul Westerberg, Bob Mould has had a monumental impact on the American underground. This doesn't prevent him from doing whatever he feels like, however, even if it means creating decidedly un-underground music. His solo works contain musically challenging and lyrically deep Power Pop and Post-Punk gems, and even his occasional foray into the Adult Alternative mainstream is well-executed and impeccably crafted. It's certainly true that his output is of a consistently high quality, and there exists a naked sincerity that can be revelatory for the listener -- not to mention that he's one mean guitarist. Workbook (1989) opened the eyes of Husker Du fans to the depth and variety that could emerge from Mould's pen, and his 1996 self-titled album contains one standout song after another, from the aching vocal line in "Anymore Time Between" to the scathing "I Hate Alternative Rock." His solo recordings might not be as well-known as his work in the short-lived band Sugar -- or as immediately impactive as that of Husker Du -- but there's a mother lode of excellent songs to be found on them.