Workbook

33⅓ Main Series #124

by Walter Biggins, Daniel Couch

In 1989, Bob Mould took a left turn. Already legendary before his 30th birthday for his noise-and-nuance work in Hüsker Dü, Mould had recently walked away from his old band. He re-emerged with his debut solo Workbook. Filled with chiming acoustic guitars, multitracked vocals, pristine production, and even a cello, Workbook was both admired and questioned for Mould's perceived departure from his post-punk roots. Three decades later, the album has emerged as a key for understanding the nascent alternative rock genre and the concerns Mould would explore for the duration of his career. Fusing post-punk sound and confessional lyrics with a richer emotional and musical range, Mould's Workbook merged worlds that seemed unbridgeable at the time. Alternative rock emerged from the wreckage of the 1980s, and Workbook was a model for the genre's maturation. Workbook serves its title in two ways-as a map for musicians to follow into a new mode, and as a journal of Mould's struggle toward adulthood. It opens conversations about rock, identity, spirituality, authenticity, and the perils and promises of mainstream culture. Walter Biggins and Daniel Couch, two critics who grew up with Workbook, extend these conversations-through letters and emails to each other, and through correspondence with Mould and Workbook's musicians and producers. That crosstalk leads to, through this seminal album, a deeper understanding of “alternative rock” at the moment of its inception, just before it took over the radio.

Genres: Music, Nonfiction

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 7, 2017

Reviews

[Ed Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, the two authors of this book get away from the subject by discussing everything from John Cheever to Robert Frost, but the end result is that the text deepened my appreciation of this fine album. It’s much more complex than I had realized.

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had high expectations for this book, which is rooted in one of my favorite albums. It did not disappoint. In an epistolary exchange between two friends, they quote everything from liner notes to Frederick Jameson in their discussion of this album, and it totally works.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Other than Husker Du my only other exposure to Bob Mould was his band Sugar. So upon hearing that his first solo album, Workbook was going to get the 33 1/3 treatment, I decided to give it a listen.

I didn't like it very much (except See a Little Light, which is amazing), which means I was curious to see how Walter Biggins and Daniel Couch were going to tackle it and they do it in an innovative way; through letters. Technically this makes it the third book in the series to have an epistolary format ( the other two are Patti Smith's Horses and Black Sabbath's Master of Reality) however the previous two presented a criticism of the allbum as a work of fiction. This is more real.

Throughout the book. Biggins and Couch send each other letters speaking about the album, what it means to them and the cultural impact it had on music. The poignant bit in the book is how Couch writes about his experience of the album as a gay Afro American who like alternative rock. For those who don't know Bob Mould was also gay and he hid it by shouting aggressive songs in Husker Du and then workbook displayed a more sensitive side.

Do not be fooled, the authors had interviewed Bob Mould extensively for this book but it is discreetly done and us readers only discover this towards the end.

On the whole it is a good book, as innovative as it is, I'm not sure that the format works in bringing out the album's better qualities but it is ok and different than the usual 33 1/3 volumes.

[Rich · Rating 3 out of 5]

The format of letters written between the authors got tedious quickly, and i felt like the same themes were repeatedly stated with slight variations. Trying to make sense of musical motivations is tough, i realize, but with the way the authors threw theories at the wall, i realized that if i had to think about *that much* just to enjoy a record, i may not actually hear it.

[Jeff Koeppen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking forward to reading this book as Bob Mould is my favorite musician and I absolutely love his album, Workbook, which is the subject of this book. I’ve seen him every time he’s been through the Twin Cities, and caught his Workbook 25th anniversary concert in 2014.

The book was not at all what I expected. I thought the introduction was interesting but as the chapters wore on the book gradually lost me. Each chapter of the book was a letter written by one of the two authors to the other, alternating back and forth between them. Most of the conversation consisted of the authors (over)analyzing Workbook while flying off on tangents, and worse, diving in to deeper subjects like comparing it to the Bible(?!) and Catcher in the Rye. I’ve read both, I don’t get it. I did enjoy the interview with Bob and with the musicians who performed on the album. But this was a very, very small slice of the book.

The book had a very complete section of notes and resources. The authors’ research was thorough. I didn’t agree with all of their takes about Bob, Workbook, his former band Husker Du, etc., etc., etc., but I admire their effort to put the spotlight on this excellent album.

[Brad · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was full of discoveries for the authors, though I cannot say there was much there for me. It's a shame I shaved my beard, actually, because perhaps if I still had it to stroke I'd be more interested in this book's ponderings.

[Peter Azzopardi · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much about the purpose of art, listener projection, fandom and friendship, this is a lively read for those of us who love open-ended fanboy discussions on [insert album/artist here]. This is much more considered and articulate mind you--these guys are literature professors and book editors, and they wheel in some pretty left-field references to the party (Zadie Smith and Roland Barthes, anyone). If that sounds pretentious and inaccessible, their arguments are always clear and related to their own lives (although I don't agree that there is a strong religiosity in Mould's work).

For Mould fans, it'll have you digging deep into the album and reexamining the work with a new lens, which, as someone else here wrote, is a marker for a successful 33 1/3 title. The limited insight/interview snippets from the key players into the making of the album are choice and a little teasing, but the emphasis on the outside influences to how we approach listening to an artists' work are what makes this one in the series unique.

[Arianne Faunt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is part of a series of books that treats individual albums as literature. I picked it up on a whim while trapped in an airport for several hours. One does these things.

The book is written by two men who were school friends, in the form of letters traded back and forth. Over the course of the exchange, they interview the personnel involved with the album as well as bring up their own extensive knowledge of Hüsker Dü (Mould's previous band) lore. They debate whether the album holds up over time as well as the many possible meanings of each track and the multitude of decisions that are involved with making them. Not a book for the casual listener, but great for music nerds that are fans of his oeuvre.

[Nathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The concept of the writing was brilliant. Two friends sharing their experiences of falling in love with an artists through letters. That said, I don't really feel like it touched enough on the album as a whole...it had a tendency to dance around the record with nostalgic nods...which is fine, and made for a decent read...but perhaps digging deeper into the album as opposed to theorizing would have been more rewarding on my end.

[Bob Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beware
This “analysis” of Workbook is a series of letters exchanged between the two authors offering their opinions up on the whys and doings of Bob while creating Workbook. I was hoping it would take a look at the process in the studio but instead I was offered up opinions comparing Bob to a variety of things with their assessments of “why” he did what he did.
If that’s your cup of tea, then this book is for you.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn, I was not expecting this book to be anywhere near as good as it turned out to be. I had never heard of either author previously, but will be paying attention to the work of both after this. Exceptionally well-done music criticism, encompassing history and analysis of a great album by a musician whose work was extremely important to me when I was myself a young musician, and for whom I still have a great deal of respect...

[John Nondorf · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first 33 1/3 book I've read and didn't really like. The format of letters between friends didn't work for me and much of the analysis of Workbook seemed overwrought and forced. A few good insights, but it's confusing reading that the authors interviewed Bob Mould, but Mould's own words about the album are all but absent from this book.

[Angie Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yaaaawn

Two self regarding bores write letters back and forth to each other while steadfastingly refusing to get under the skin of the subject or give much insight into an amazing record. A chance wasted here. Avoid.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my tests for reading 33 1/3 titles is to see if the book helps me to re-hear an album I may not have cared for much when I first heard it. Mr. Biggins and Mr. Couch have succeeded.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guys talking about guys making music. About what you'd expect.

[Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting analysis of one of Bob Mould's best albums. The 2 author style can seem a bit jarring and neither seem totally convinced on the album. But it's a decent read

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great album and what it meant at the time and what it said for Bob Mould's career going forward, the book is a dialog between two writers.

[Paul Peterson · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a series of letters between two friends discussing the album. The book seems to run out of ideas and has some filler which is one of the albums issues.