Candy Apple Grey

I am currently obsessed with Husker Du’s 1986 album Candy Apple Grey. I started listening to Husker Du about seven years ago because a lot of my favourite bands cited them as their favourite band. I have a few of their albums but Candy Apple Grey is by far my favourite.

This album is a definite departure from Husker Du’s classic hardcore/punk sound and sees the band experiment with more melodic, almost emo styles of song writing.

Like their previous albums, Candy Apple Grey is still frenetic and angry, but is much broader and well-rounded than their other records. There are the fast-paced punchy punk songs peppered with resentment but then there are some really pared-back, beautifully solemn tracks.

As usual, Bob Mould and Grant Hart individually wrote tracks on the album and shared vocal duties. Both Bob and Grant’s vocals are fantastic, as are their lyrics. To me, stand out tracks include Don’t Want to Know If You Are Lonely (one of my all-time favourite songs), Eiffel Tower High and Sorry Somehow.

After a few listens, it’s easy to see how this album influenced bands like Soundgarden, Green Day and particularly Nirvana. Candy Apple Grey is full of angst, anger and alienation but is beautifully put together. It’s hard to ignore the similarities that exist between this record and Nirvana’s Nevermind.

Unfortunately, it’s a shallow and tinny recording which will put some people off, but to me, it adds to the atmosphere of the record.