(Credit: Blake Little Photography)
“Now that he’s tapped back into his anger, those guitars and everything else have gone supernova.” – Stereogum
“Sharp.” – Rolling Stone
“Prolific.” – Consequence of Sound
“Direct, forceful, and full of rage.” – Paste
Bob Mould has released “Siberian Butterfly” off of his explosive upcoming album BLUE HEARTS, which arrives via Merge Records on Friday, September 25. Pre-orders are available HERE.
Mould released this statement about “Siberian Butterfly”:
The genesis of “Siberian Butterfly” spoke to the notion of “collectors” – people with excessive means who gather the works of creative folk for their ego-driven portfolios.
As I kept writing, the narrative shifted toward themes of change, growth, and freedom. These motifs are central to how we become our true selves. This is how we begin our journey toward our true identities.
It’s autobiographical as well. I put myself through some self-hating years as a young gay man – never feeling “good enough,” not recognizing the positive qualities I had to offer, while inhibiting the development of my gay identity.
I hope for a world where all people can be what they want to be. Life seems shorter every day; maybe this simple song can be of use to people who are struggling to find their true selves.
“Siberian Butterfly” is the third song released from Mould’s 14th solo LP, BLUE HEARTS – and follows the provocative first single “American Crisis” and the powerful second single “Forecast of Rain.” BLUE HEARTS is the rawest and most confrontational work of Bob Mould’s four-decade solo career, a raging 14-track collection described by its creator as “the catchiest batch of protest songs I’ve ever written in one sitting.” Produced by Mould at Chicago’s famed Electrical Audio with longtime collaborator Beau Sorenson engineering, the album – which once again features backing from the crack rhythm section of drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy – nods to the veteran singer-songwriter’s groundbreaking past while remaining firmly planted in the issues of the day. Where SUNSHINE ROCK captured Mould at his most “violently happy” (according to Rolling Stone), BLUE HEARTS is both seething and pointed, the raging yin to the previous album’s positive yang. Acoustic opener “Heart on My Sleeve” catalogues the ravages of climate change and “American Crisis” – written initially for SUNSHINE ROCK but deemed “too heavy” by its writer – spits plainspoken fire at the people who fomented this catastrophic moment in history, while “Forecast of Rain” questions the ethos of American community: “This love thy neighbor thing: Does it apply to all mankind, or only those who fit neatly inside your narrow lines?”
