Copper Blue

Copper Blue
Studio album by Sugar
Released September 4, 1992
Recorded 1990–1992
Studio The Outpost, Stoughton, Massachusetts
Genre Alternative rock
Length 44:58
Label Rykodisc/Creation
Producer Bob Mould, Lou Giordano
Sugar chronology
Copper Blue
(1992)		 Beaster
(1993)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Chicago Tribune[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
Los Angeles Times[4]
NME9/10[5]
Pitchfork Media8.9/10[6]
Q[7]
Rolling Stone[8]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[9]
The Village VoiceA−[10]

Copper Blue is the debut studio album by American alternative rock band Sugar. It was voted 1992 Album of the Year by the NME. All of the songs were written by guitarist/vocalist Bob Mould, who also co-produced with Lou Giordano. The song "The Slim" is about losing someone to AIDS. Musically, the band continues the thick punk guitar of Mould's previous band, Hüsker Dü, while slowing the tempo and emphasizing melody even more.

Release and reissues

A limited edition initial run of the CD was released by Rykodisc in a front-and-back metal copper sleeve with each of the 2,500 copies containing a one-of-a-kind Polaroid photo taken by one of the three band members and stamped on the back with "Sugar Copper Blue Summer '92."

Several tracks were recorded for this album, but were not included. Mould decided to release them separately as an EP entitled Beaster.

Rykodisc released a remastered version pressed on 180-gram vinyl on June 21, 2011. It is accompanied by a drop card for a free download of the digital version.[11]

In July 24, 2012, the album was reissued by Merge Records as a 3-disc set containing the full album accompanied by B-sides (disc 1), the Beaster EP (disc 2), and a 1992 live performance at the Cabaret Metro (disc 3).[12]

Copper Blue Tour

In August 2012, Bob Mould and his band embarked on a "Copper Blue Tour", playing the album in its entirety at several European venues.[13]

Legacy

The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.[14]

Track listing

All tracks written by Bob Mould; except where indicated. 

No. Title Length
1. "The Act We Act"   5:10
2. "A Good Idea"   3:47
3. "Changes"   5:01
4. "Helpless"   3:05
5. "Hoover Dam"   5:28
6. "The Slim"   5:14
7. "If I Can't Change Your Mind"   3:18
8. "Fortune Teller"   4:28
9. "Slick"   4:59
10. "Man on the Moon"   4:42

2012 re-issue

Disc 1

All tracks written by Bob Mould; except where indicated. 

Copper Blue
No. Title Length
1. "The Act We Act"   5:10
2. "A Good Idea"   3:47
3. "Changes"   5:01
4. "Helpless"   3:05
5. "Hoover Dam"   5:28
6. "The Slim"   5:14
7. "If I Can't Change Your Mind"   3:18
8. "Fortune Teller"   4:28
9. "Slick"   4:59
10. "Man On The Moon"   4:42
Bonus tracks (US and UK)
No. Title Length
11. "Needle Hits E" (B-side of "Helpless" in US or "Changes" in UK) 3:21
12. "If I Can't Change Your Mind (Solo Mix)" (B-side of "Helpless" in US or "Changes" in UK) 3:19
13. "Try Again" (B-side of "Helpless" in US or "Changes" in UK) 4:41
14. "Clownmaster" (B-side of "If I Can't Change Your Mind") 3:19
Bonus tracks (UK only)
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
15. "If I Can't Change Your Mind" (BBC radio session)  3:10
16. "Hoover Dam" (BBC radio session)  3:30
17. "The Slim" (BBC radio session)  5:20
18. "Where Diamonds Are Halos" (BBC radio session)David Barbe 4:33

Disc 2 (US)

Main article: Beaster
Beaster
No. Title Length
1. "Come Around"   4:52
2. "Tilted"   4:08
3. "Judas Cradle"   6:15
4. "JC Auto"   6:13
5. "Feeling Better"   6:22
6. "Walking Away"   3:00

Disc 3 (US)/Disc 2 (UK)

Live at the Cabaret Metro, Chicago, Illinois, July 22, 1992
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "The Act We Act"    4:55
2. "A Good Idea"    3:22
3. "Changes"    4:07
4. "Running Out Of Time"    2:27
5. "Helpless" (B-side of "A Good Idea" except in UK)  2:46
6. "If I Can't Change Your Mind"    3:06
7. "Where Diamonds Are Halos" (B-side of "A Good Idea")David Barbe 4:11
8. "Hoover Dam" (B-side of "If I Can't Change Your Mind")  3:13
9. "Beer Commercial"  Barbe 5:22
10. "Slick" (B-side of "A Good Idea")  4:24
11. "Anyone" (B-side of "If I Can't Change Your Mind")Barbe 2:40
12. "Clownmaster"    2:49
13. "Tilted"    3:59
14. "Armenia City in the Sky" (B-side of "A Good Idea")Speedy Keen 3:09
15. "JC Auto" (B-side of "Tilted")  5:55
16. "The Slim"    4:54
17. "Dum Dum Boys"  David Bowie, James Osterberg 5:33
18. "Man On The Moon"    4:24

Disc 3 (UK only)

DVD
No. Title Length
1. "Helpless" (Promo video)  
2. "Changes" (Promo video)  
3. "If I Can't Change Your Mind" (Promo video)  
4. "Helpless (Live On The Late Show UK)" (TV appearance)  
5. "Interview (MTV UK)" (TV appearance)  
6. "Interview (MTV US 120 Minutes)" (TV appearance)  

Personnel

Charts

Album
Chart (1992/2012) Peak
position
UK Albums Chart[15] 10
US Billboard Heatseekers Albums[16] 10
US Billboard Heatseekers Albums[16] 8[A]
US Billboard Independent Albums[16] 46[A]
Notes
  • A^ Chart placing refers to 2012 release Copper Blue/Beaster.
Single
Title Chart (1992/1993) Peak
position
"A Good Idea" UK Singles Chart[15] 65
"Helpless" US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks[16] 5
"If I Can't Change Your Mind" UK Singles Chart[15] 30

References

  1. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Copper Blue – Sugar". AllMusic. Retrieved November 28, 2005.
  2. ↑ Kot, Greg (September 3, 1992). "Sugar: Copper Blue (Rykodisc)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  3. ↑ Browne, David (September 4, 1992). "Copper Blue". Entertainment Weekly (134): 71. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  4. ↑ Hilburn, Robert (December 6, 1992). "Holiday Gift-Giving--The Hints of '92". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  5. ↑ Lamacq, Steve (August 29, 1992). "Sugar – Copper Blue". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  6. ↑ Harvey, Eric (July 30, 2012). "Sugar: Sugar Reissues". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
  7. ↑ "Sugar: Copper Blue". Q (72): 83. September 1992.
  8. ↑ Ransom, Kevin (October 29, 1992). "Copper Blue : Sugar". Rolling Stone (642): 71. Archived from the original on October 21, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
  9. ↑ Kot, Greg (2004). "Sugar". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian. The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. London: Fireside Books. p. 790. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  10. ↑ Christgau, Robert (October 20, 1992). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved December 9, 2011.
  11. ↑ "Bob Mould's Sugar Remasters Copper Blue". Antimusic.com. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  12. ↑ Copper Blue/Beaster - Sugar : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards : AllMusic. Retrieved November 24, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Tour Update". Bob Mould. 2012-05-22. Retrieved 2012-09-09.
  14. ↑ Robert Dimery; Michael Lydon (23 March 2010). 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die: Revised and Updated Edition. Universe. ISBN 978-0-7893-2074-2.
  15. 1 2 3 "The Official Charts Company - Sugar". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "allmusic ((( Sugar > Awards )))". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-08-15.

External links

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