No rock singer/songwriter/guitarist has done more while being appreciated less than Bob Mould. Whether with Hüsker Dü, Sugar or solo, he has forged rage, despair and cynicism, alloyed with a dollop of hope, into music that’s spiky and aggressive yet still melodic. The perfectionism and gruffness that stood in the way of mainstream success also fueled his creativity. Consider that he thought his most widely-heard tune, “Dog on Fire” – you probably know it as the theme for “The Daily Show” – wasn’t good enough to include album he was making in 1996. He said it was “redundant,” and to be fair, a lot of ’90s guitar music sounded like what Mould had been doing for years.
Mould wrote “It’s Too Late” for “Black Sheets of Rain,” his second solo album, released in 1990. The LP reportedly sold fewer than 10,000 copies upon release, but this cut managed to make it to No. 10 on the Modern Rock chart anyway. Lyrically, it seems tailor-made for today.
Lately I’ve been thinking
And how the whole world’s come undone
Everybody’s got this sinking feeling
Feeling they’re on the run
But I know a place where time stands still
I can picture it in my mind
But I’m not sure if we can get there
There is no reason, reasons rhyme
Why can’t you see we’re almost out of time?
Bonus track: Mould finally released the original demo version of “Dog on Fire” with his greatest hits package, “Distortion: 1989-2019.” Mould’s recording was used as the theme music for “The Daily Show” under its original host, Craig Kilborn; when John Stewart took over, a faster cover by They Might Be Giants was substituted.
