Looking for a way to celebrate Bob Mould ahead of his next album, Blue Hearts, due next month? British label Edsel is joining forces with the punk icon to collect nearly everything he’s ever released into a new CD box set.

Distortion 1989-2019, available October 2, offers 24 discs of Mould’s work after the dissolution of seminal hardcore outfit Hüsker Dü. It features all his studio albums credited to himself, ’90s power trio Sugar and even dance-oriented side projects LoudBomb and Blowoff, plus four live sets and two discs of stray tracks and collaborations. Created with Mould’s full participation, each album has been newly remastered by Jeff Lipton and Maria Rice at Boston-based Peerless Mastering. New artwork for each album has been created by designer Simon Marchner, and an accompanying 72-page book of liner notes features a new essay by British critic Keith Cameron, full lyrics and rare and unseen memorabilia – plus a new interview with Mould, a foreword by actor and fan Fred Armisen and testimonials written by Richard Thompson, Shirley Manson of Garbage and Best Coast’s Bethany Cosentino.

“It’s called Distortion because it describes the music and it fits the world we live in,” Mould said in a statement. “In this new age, everybody shares their life in real time. But I’m not done yet. If I didn’t have a constantly active career, this anthology might feel like the proverbial dirt landing on top of my coffin – though somehow I seem to be able to crawl my way out of the dirt every time!”

After Hüsker Dü’s acrimonious breakup in 1988, Mould threw himself into his own solo work, signing with Virgin for two albums: the more pop/rock-oriented Workbook (expanded by Omnivore Recordings in 2014) and the edgy Black Sheets Of Rain in 1989 and 1990. In 1992, Mould made his first of several artistic about-faces, forming the power trio Sugar with bassist David Barbe and drummer Malcolm Travis. In the alternative rock boomlet of the early ’90s, Sugar found a home on modern rock radio with the Top 5 single “Helpless” and cracked the U.K. Top 40 twice with the catchy singles “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” and “Your Favorite Thing.” (The Sugar catalogue was previously expanded by Edsel in the U.K. and Merge in the U.S.)

With the dissolution of Sugar in 1996, Mould recorded two albums almost entirely on his own: a self-titled effort in 1996 and The Last Dog and Pony Show in 1998. (Around that time, Mould also penned one of the most famous songs you might not know was his: the instrumental “Dog On Fire,” used as the theme to the satirical news program The Daily Show.) True to The Last Dog and Pony Show‘s title, Mould announced his retirement from traditional rock shows and, after a stint as a writer for World Championship Wrestling, moved to New York City and embraced another passion: dance music. 2002’s modulate. reflected this change, as did projects released as LoudBomb (a great anagram of Mould’s name) and Blowoff (a collaboration with DJ and Deep Dish collaborator Richard Morel).

But you can’t keep a good rocker down, and 2005’s Body Of Song found him back to basics (albeit with Morel on keyboards in addition to a guitar-bass-drum setup when it came time to tour). After follow-ups The District Line (2008) and Life and Times (2009) – the latter recorded while working on his memoir, See a Little Light: The Trail Of Rage and Melody (2011), with Michael Azerrad – Mould went fully back to basics with 2012’s Silver Age. That album, and every one since, has been recorded and toured with a new power trio consisting of bassist Jason Narducy and drummer/comedian Jon Wurster (Superchunk, The Best Show).

After four various live sets (one with Sugar), Distortion closes with two discs of B-sides, compilation-only tracks and collaborations with bands like Throwing Muses, The Golden Palominos and Foo Fighters – plus the set’s sole unreleased track, a demo of “Dog On FIre.”

For vinyl collectors, Distortion 1989-1995 collects Mould’s first two solo albums, Sugar’s three studio efforts and the rarities collection Besides (on two LPs) and the first seven tracks of the bonus disc, all pressed on 140-gram clear/splatter vinyl. Additional box sets collecting the contents of the CD set on LP are planned for 2021.

An Amazon exclusive edition of the CD box, limited to 1000 copies, features a signed 12″ x 12″ print as well. All versions of Distortion are available at the links below, along with a detailed annotation of what’s inside.

 

Distortion 1989-2019 (Edsel EDSL0072 (U.K.), 2020)

24CD with exclusive signed print: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.
8LP (includes works marked +): Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.

CD 1: Bob Mould,Workbook (Virgin 91240, 1989) +

1. Sunspots
2. Wishing Well
3. Heartbreak a Stranger
4. See a Little Light
5. Poison Years
6. Sinners and Their Repentances
7. Brasilia Crossed With Trenton
8. Compositions For The Young and Old
9. Lonely Afternoon
10. Dreaming, I Am
11. Whichever Way The Wind Blows

CD 2: Bob Mould, Black Sheets Of Rain (Virgin 91395, 1990) +

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. The Last Night
8. Hear Me Calling
9. Out Of Your Life
10. Disappointed
11. Sacrifice/Let There Be Peace

CD 3: Sugar, Copper Blue (Rykodisc RCD 10239, 1992) +

1. The Act We Act
2. A Good Idea
3. Changes
4. Helpless
5. Hoover Dam
6. The Slim
7. If I Can’t Change Your Mind
8. Fortune Teller
9. Slick
10. Man On The Moon

CD 4: Sugar, Beaster (Rykodisc RCD 50260, 1993) +

1. Come Around
2. Tilted
3. Judas Cradle
4. JC Auto
5. Feeling Better
6. Walking Away

CD 5: Sugar, File Under: Easy Listening (Rykodisc RCD 10300, 1994) +

1. Gift
2. Company Book
3. Your Favorite Thing
4. What You Want It To Be
5. Gee Angel
6. Panama City Motel
7. Can’t Help You Anymore
8. Granny Cool
9. Believe What You’re Saying
10. Explode and Make Up

CD 6:  Sugar, Besides (Rykodisc RCD RCD 10321, 1995) +

1. Needle Hits E
2. If I Can’t Change Your Mind (Solo Mix)
3. Try Again
4. Where Diamonds Are Halos (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL – 7/22/1992)
5. Armenia City In The Sky (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL – 7/22/1992)
6. Clownmaster
7. Anyone (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL – 7/22/1992)
8. JC Auto (Live @ The Cabaret Metro, Chicago, IL – 7/22/1992)
9. Believe What You’re Saying (Campfire Mix)
10. Mind Is An Island
11. Frustration
12. Going Home
13. In The Eyes Of My Friends
14. And You Tell Me
15. If I Can’t Change Your Mind (BBC Radio Session)
16. Hoover Dam (BBC Radio Session)
17. The Slim (BBC Radio Session)
18. Where Diamonds Are Halos (BBC Radio Session)

Tracks 1-3 from “Helpless” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1024, 1992
Tracks 4-5 from “A Good Idea” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1030, 1992
Tracks 6-7 from “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1031, 1993
Track 8 from “JC Auto” promo CD single – Rykodisc VRCD 0260/2, 1993
Track 9 from Japanese pressing of File Under: Easy Listening – Rykodisc COCY-78169, 1994
Tracks 10-11 from “Your Favorite Thing” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1038, 1994
Tracks 12-14 from “Believe What You’re Saying” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1039, 1994
Tracks 15 and 17-18 from “If I Can’t Change Your Mind” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1032, 1993

CD 7: Bob Mould, Bob Mould (Rykodisc RCD 10342, 1996)

1. Anymore Time Between
2. I Hate Alternative Rock
3. Fort Knox, King Solomon
4. Next Time That You Leave
5. Egøverride
6. Thumbtack
7. Hair Stew
8. Deep Karma Canyon
9. Art Crisis
10. Roll Over and Die

CD 8: Bob Mould, The Last Dog and Pony Show (Rykodisc RCD 10443, 1998)

1. New #1
2. Moving Trucks
3. Taking Everything
4. First Drag Of The Day
5. Classifieds
6. Who Was Around?
7. Skintrade
8. Vaporub
9. Sweet Serene
10. Megamanic
11. Reflecting Pool
12. Along The Way

CD 9: Bob Mould, modulate. (Granary Music GMCD 2021, 2002)

1. 180 Rain
2. Sunset Safety Glass
3. Semper Fi
4. Homecoming Parade
5. Lost Zoloft
6. Without?
7. Slay/Sway
8. The Receipt
9. Quasar
10. Soundonsound
11. Hornery
12. Comeonstrong
13. Trade
14. Author’s Lament

CD 10: LoudBomb, Long Playing Grooves (Granary Music GMCD 2022, 2002)

1. Theme (It’s a Perfect Day)
2. Guys Like You
3. Devil v. Angel
4. I Cannot Reverse You
5. The Fall Collection
6. This Is The Way I Want It
7. BB DuBois
8. Factory Builders Convention
9. NumberNine
10. Heaven’s On Fire
11. We Need The Truth
12. Helium

CD 11: Bob Mould, Body Of Song (Yep Roc YEP 2091, 2005)

1. Circles
2. (Shine Your) Light Love Hope
3. Paralyzed
4. I Am Vision, I Am Sound
5. Underneath Days
6. Always Tomorrow
7. Days Of Rain
8. Best Thing
9. High Fidelity
10. Missing You
11. Gauze Of Friendship
12. Beating Heart The Prize

CD 12: Blowoff, Blowoff (Full Frequency Music FFM 20061, 2006)

1. Hormone Love
2. Here And Now
3. Overload
4. Saturday Night All The Time
5. Life With A View
6. Man Keeps Winning
7. Lemonade
8. Tag It
9. Fallout
10. Get Inside With Me
11. Beautiful
12. Ballad Of Mark Dirt

CD 13: Bob Mould, District Line (Anti- 86910-2, 2008)

1. Stupid Now
2. Who Needs To Dream?
3. Again and Again
4. Old Highs, New Lows
5. Return To Dust
6. The Silence Between Us
7. Shelter Me
8. Very Temporary
9. Miniature Parade
10. Walls In Time

CD 14: Bob Mould, Life and Times (Anti- 87014-2, 2009)

1. Life and Times
2. The Breach
3. City Lights (Days Go By)
4. MM 17
5. Argos
6. Bad Blood Better
7. Wasted World
8. Spiraling Down
9. I’m Sorry, Baby, But You Can’t Stand In My Light Any More
10. Lifetime

CD 15: Bob Mould, Silver Age (Merge MRG450, 2012)

1. Star Machine
2. Silver Age
3. The Descent
4. Briefest Moment
5. Steam Of Hercules
6. Fugue State
7. Round The City Square
8. Angels Rearrange
9. Keep Believing
10. First Time Joy

CD 16: Bob Mould, Beauty & Ruin (Merge MRG520, 2014)

1. Low Season
2. Little Glass Pill
3. I Don’t Know You Anymore
4. Kid With Crooked Face
5. Nemeses Are Laughing
6. The War
7. Forgiveness
8. Hey Mr. Grey
9. Fire In The City
10. Tomorrow Morning
11. Let The Beauty Be
12. Fix It

CD 17: Bob Mould, Patch The Sky (Merge MRG580, 2016)

1. Voices In My Head
2. The End Of Things
3. Hold On
4. You Say You
5. Losing Sleep
6. Pray For Rain
7. Lucifer and God
8. Daddy’s Favorite
9. Hands Are Tied
10. Black Confetti
11. Losing Time
12. Monument

CD 18: Bob Mould, Sunshine Rock (Merge MRG650, 2019)

1. Sunshine Rock
2. What Do You Want Me To Do
3. Sunny Love Song
4. Thirty Dozen Roses
5. The Final Years
6. Irrational Poison
7. I Fought
8. Sin King
9. Lost Faith
10. Camp Sunshine
11. Send Me a Postcard
12. Western Sunset

CD 19: Bob Mould, Live At The Cabaret Metro, Chicago – 5/14/1989 (released on Workbook 25 – Omnivore OVCD-36, 2014)

1. Sunspots
2. Wishing Well
3. Compositions For The Young and Old
4. Heartbreak a Stranger
5. Dreaming, I Am
6. If You’re True
7. Poison Years
8. Sinners and Their Repentances
9. Lonely Afternoon
10. Brasilia Crossed With Trenton
11. See a Little Light
12. Whichever Way The Wind Blows
13. All Those People Know
14. Shoot Out The Lights
15. Hardly Getting Over It
16. Celebrated Summer
17. Makes No Sense At All

CD 20: Sugar, The Joke Is Always On Us, Sometimes (released as bonus disc to Besides – Rykodisc RCD 10321-1, 1995)

1. Gift
2. Company Book
3. Hoover Dam
4. After All The Roads Have Led To Nowhere
5. Where Diamonds Are Halos
6. Slick
7. Going Home
8. Running Out Of Time
9. Frustration
10. Changes
11. Can’t Help You Any More
12. Helpless
13. If I Can’t Change Your Mind
14. In The Eyes Of My Friends
15. Clownmaster
16. Gee Angel
17. Explode and Make Up
18. The Slim

All tracks recorded live at First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN – 11/2/1994

CD 21: BobMouldBand, LiveDog98 (Granary Music GMCD 2023, 2002)

1. Moving Trucks
2. Taking Everything
3. First Drag Of The Day
4. I Hate Alternative Rock
5. Stand Guard
6. Classifieds
7. Hear Me Calling
8. Art Crisis
9. Anymore Time Between
10. Skintrade
11. Eternally Fried
12. Roll Over and Die
13. Lonely Afternoon
14. Egøverride
15. Reflecting Pool
16. Disappointed
17. Hanging Tree
18. Man On The Moon

All tracks recorded live at The Forum, London, England – 10/29/1998

CD 22: BobMouldBand, Live At ATP 2008 (Granary Music GMCD 2091, 2009)

1. The Act We Act
2. A Good Idea
3. I Hate Alternative Rock
4. See a Little Light
5. Hoover Dam
6. Circles
7. Paralyzed
8. I Apologize
9. Chartered Trips
10. Celebrated Summer
11. Makes No Sense At All
12. New Day Rising

All tracks recorded live at Kutshers Country Club, Thompson, NY – 9/21/2008

CD 23-24: Distortion 1989-2019 bonus material

* previously unreleased
+ included on LP 8 of Distortion 1989-1995 box

1. All Those People Know +
2. No Water In Hell +
3. Dying From The Inside Out – The Golden Palominos +
4. Dio – Throwing Muses +
5. Hickory Wind – Bob Mould and Vic Chesnutt +
6. Can’t Fight It +
7. Turning Of The Tide +
8. Dog On Fire (Demo) *
9. Fort Knox, King Solomon (Live @ First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN – March 1995)
10. I Hate Alternative Rock (Live @ First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN – March 1995)
11. Wanted Was
12. Eternally Fried
13. Doubleface
14. He Didn’t – The 6ths

1. Castor and Pollux
2. Surveyors and Cranes
3. Love Escalator
4. Lowdown Ground
5. My Old Friend
6. Nihil
7. Could You Be The One? (Live @ The 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. – 10/7/2005)
8. I Apologize (Live @ The 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. – 10/7/2005)
9. Chartered Trips (Live @ The 9:30 Club, Washington, D.C. – 10/7/2005)
10. Dear Rosemary – Foo Fighters
11. Father’s Day – Butch Walker
12. I Don’t Mind

Disc 23, Track 1 from “See a Little Light” single – Virgin 7-99190, 1989
Disc 23, Track 2 from Guitar Speak 3 – I.R.S. No Speak X2-13111, 1991
Disc 23, Track 3 from Drunk With Passion – Nation 91745-2, 1991
Disc 23, Track 4 from Red Heaven – Sire 26897, 1992
Disc 23, Track 5 from Conmemorativo: A Tribute To Gram Parsons – Rhino R2 71269, 1993
Disc 23, Track 6 from No Alternative – Arista 07822 18737-2, 1993
Disc 23, Track 7 from Beat The Retreat (Songs By Richard Thompson) – Capitol CDP 07777 95929 2 0, 1994
Disc 23, Tracks 9-10 from “Fort Knox, King Solomon” promo CD single – Rykodisc VRCD 3342, 1996
Disc 23, Tracks 11-13 from “Egøverride” CD single – Rykodisc RCD5 1050, 1996
Disc 23, Track 14 from Hyacinth and Thistles – Merge MRG185, 2000
Disc 24, Tracks 1-6 from Body Of Song bonus disc – Yep Roc YEP 2107, 2005
Disc 24, Tracks 7-9 from Circle Of Friends DVD – MVD Visual MVDV4615, 2007
Disc 24, Track 10 from Wasting Light – Roswell/RCA 88697 84493-2, 2011
Disc 24, Track 11 from Afraid Of Ghosts – Dangerbird DGB110, 2015
Disc 24, Track 12 from Merge digital single, 2019