Sunshine Rock

Description

After Donald Trump's election to the American presidency in 2016, many expected to witness a new golden age of creativity. Artists would transform their anger and anxiety into masterful works rising against the rise of authoritarianism. However, Bob Mould named his album Sunshine Rock. Far from showing his respect for the government, it is a decision stemming from a very personal feeling. "Four years ago, I wanted to take a break. I moved to Berlin, and it changed my life. There, the winter days are long and dreary, but the return of the sun brings immense comfort. (...) My last three albums were very difficult; at one point, I had to stick Post-Its on my mixing console to remind myself, 'Try to think of positive things.' If I hadn't done that, I could have really sunk into despair... Now I'm trying to see the bright side of things; it's a way to stay alive." The album still has dark moments, and Mould's cathartic drive has pushed him toward a raw singing style reminiscent of his past in Hüsker Dü. Accompanied on some tracks by an orchestra of eighteen musicians, Mould delivers with Sunshine Rock one of his most uplifting records.