Hüsker Dü

Zen Arcade

As a teen, Mould grew up on 70s classic rock: Kiss, Aerosmith, New York Dolls. But this double album, Hüsker Dü’s masterpiece, is shot through with prog and psyche influences like The Byrds and Pink Floyd, most noticeably in unsettling closer Reoccurring Dreams. It’s an allegory for the album’s concept: the sturm und drang of youth, the disillusion of (and alienation from) both family and outside life (a familiar LP concept, in everything from Quadrophenia to American Idiot). Bridging their spiky punk with hints of the melodic rock to come, its 23 tracks quickly set Dü apart from generic hardcore bands.