Track Listing

1. Black Sheets of Rain
2. Stand Guard
3. It's Too Late
4. One Good Reason
5. Stop Your Crying
6. Hanging Tree
7. Last Night
8. Hear Me Calling
9. Out of Your Life
10. Disappointed
11. Sacrifice - Let There Be Peace

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #115246 in Music
• Released on: 1992-06-29
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

staggering intensity
This isn't so much a review as a story - I loaned my copy of this cd to a co-worker, a very optimistic and sunny type (on the back of a tape that I actually thought he'd be interested in), and told him that when I really got depressed I'd put this on full volume and blast all the ugliness out of my head. He returned the tape, and told me he kinda liked the other side, but regarding Black Sheets of Rain he looked at me with a worried expression and said "I never get that depressed". That may tell you whether you want to buy this.

Underrated Masterpiece
If depression could play a '66 Strat [constantly on the verge of feeding back], it would sound just like this. Easily the darkest of his solo efforts, this album lacks for no high energy hooky material or throw myself off something high angst. Best played at 11 when the wife is at her sister's for the weekend. A keeper until your kids ask you why.

"When words become weapons there'll be peace"
Black Sheets of Rain is my favorite Bob Mould solo album. It is the darkest and heaviest album of his brilliant repertoire. Lyrically, it consists of the typical Bob Mould cynicism but also sports many environmental references. Musically, it is the hardest rock Mould has ever put out and, judging from his recent musical direction, will probably remain so. The first six tracks are the best. Definitely five-star material. The title track, "Stand Guard", "One Good Reason" and "Stop Your Crying" are some of the best songs Mould has ever recorded. His music significantly matured since the Husker Du days. "It's Too Late" was the single from Black Sheets. It is a nice song without being overly commercial, however, it gave no indication to the radio listener or MTV viewer how powerful most of the album is. Unfortunately, things get rather mundane with the next four tracks. Lyrically and musically the edge is softened almost to jelly. "Out of Your Life" is the best example. On the same album where a listener experiences the darkness of "Hanging Tree" one hears the singy verse "If you want me out of your life now all you gotta do is tell me". The listener is saved at the end, though, with perhaps Mould's most powerful number "Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace". It is the screaming last track like the one found on Workbook ("Whichever Way the Wind Blows") only this one is much more effective. There is not just seemingly pointless yelling, but brilliant direction with powerful lyrics: "When words become weapons there'll be peace in the valley of death."