Good Morning!
Today we’re listening to “Your Favorite Thing” by Sugar
Back in the days when Tower Records still existed on this side of the Pacific, they would do midnight release events.
I didn't go to a lot of them—I didn't have that much $$$ in those days, and explaining to your parents that riding your bike (and later driving) a few miles away at midnight to buy a record is generally a losing proposition.
But when it worked, it worked. And one of those times, I picked up Sugar's "File Under Easy Listening."
Sugar was a trio of Bob Mould, David Barbe, and Malcolm Travis. Mould, of course, was part of the seminal Husker Du. After the trio split up, he put out a couple of solo records before forming Sugar (supposedly named when he spotted sugar packets on a table as the band was eating).
File… is a more polished, radio-friendly record—at least to my ear— but Mould can't play anything quietly. Even his acoustic work feels like it's turned up to 11. I was lucky enough to see them on tour supporting this record; to this day, it's the loudest show I've ever been at.
More:
Released as a single. “Your Favorite Thing” is an exemplar of the alternative rock style that briefly gained commercial traction in the early ’90s. With a decidedly pop melody, the song weds melody and gale-force guitar sonics to create a memorable piece of music. Subtle chord changes show that Mould has a level of sophistication that towers above his contemporaries. “Ooh” vocal harmonies only add to the pop values of the song, which nearly cracked the U.S. Top 40 (it did reach #14 on Billboard‘s Modern Rock tracks chart). Travis’ inventive drumming on the track deserves special praise.
Read the full review here.
Listen
“Your Favorite Thing” by Sugar| File Under Easy Listening, 1994
Click the record to listen on your platform of choice.
As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this track!
Thanks for being here,
Kevin—
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Husker Du was such a seminal band for me that I resisted the fluffier offerings of Sugar, but then I had kids and got divorced and Copper Blue was in heavy rotation on days when my kids were with me. A friend gave Bob a copy of my book. Haven't heard from him as to whether he read it or liked it, but one of the stories in it was partially inspired by him.
In the mid-nineties in Ireland we had a Metal/Hard Rock themed show on one of our big Radio stations. It was on a Sunday evening and two hours long. It was a really big deal for hard rock fans back then. It was literally the only time in the week we could hear our music broadcast. I entered a quiz on the show one time. I won! I forget what the question was, but I do remember the correct answer was Judas Priest. When my name was announced as a winner, I was expecting 'Metal Works '73–'93' to arrive by mail. Instead the DJ decided to send me some Husker Du! I recall I wasn't too enamoured with them, but it led to my discovery of Sugar for which I am forever grateful.