Recorded at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota and Grog Kill Studio, Willow, New York.

Arriving after years of sonic bombast in Hüsker Dü, the reflective, acoustic nature of Bob Mould's first solo album, Workbook, was a bold statement of renewal. Like all of Mould's work, it's an intensely introspective record, finding him purging demons left over from the dissolution of Hüsker Dü. Instead of relying on raging guitars, Mould explores a wide variety of styles, from pure pop ("See a Little Light") to reflective folk laced with cellos. It's an astonishing array of styles, and the songs are among Mould's finest. For many observers, the record established him as a major songwriter, but it also established a way for underground post-punk artists to mature -- echoes of Workbook could be heard throughout the '90s, from R.E.M.'s elegiac Automatic for the People to Nirvana's use of cellos on In Utero and Unplugged. But Workbook remains a stunning work of individuality, marrying a distinctive body of songs with an original musical vision. Occasionally, the production is a little too pristine, but the power of the songs cannot be diminished. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

The release of WORKBOOK was greeted with universal critical acclaim. Comfortable with the old Husker Du three-piece formula, Bob Mould signed up Tony Maimone (bass) and Anton Fier (drums), both ex-members of Pere Ubu, for his solo debut. Ex-Tiny Lights cellist Jane Scarpantoni also adds some spectacular highlights and shading to the proceedings--especially on "Sinners and Their Repentances."

The album displays the natural progression of Mould's writing--though admittedly, the volume and feedback are turned down a notch, and a couple of tracks, in particular "Sunspots," a pretty solo acoustic guitar piece, may surprise people used to his traditional gale-force guitar. Standouts include the deceptively chipper "See a Little Light," which disguises its sadness in a brilliant pop wrapper, the punchy "Poison Years," which seems to be Mould's version of the Husker Du story, and "Brasilia Crossed with Trenton," arguably Mould's finest composition, full of howling regret, jangling guitars, and the kind of introspection that you can sing along with.