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Jun 04, 2020 By Samantha Small Photography by Blake Little Bob Mould

Bob Mould has had enough. Beginning with a blood-curdling scream, Mould sings “Never thought I’d see this bullshit again,” on his newest single “American Crisis,” the lead track from his just-announced forthcoming new album Blue Hearts.

Blue Hearts is out September 25 via Merge, following on the heels of last year’s critically acclaimed Sunshine Rock. But, this album is the most directly confrontational work out of Mould’s almost four-decade long career. As Mould says himself in a press release, these songs are “the catchiest batch of protest songs I’ve ever written in one sitting.”

“‘American Crisis’ is a tale of two times,” says Mould. “Past Time and Present Time. The parallels between 1984 and 2020 are a bit scary for me: telegenic, charismatic leaders, praised and propped up by extreme Evangelicals, either ignoring an epidemic (HIV/AIDS) or being outright deceitful about a pandemic (COVID-19).” That being said, starting today through June 7, all of the proceeds from “American Crisis” will benefit OutFront Minnesota and Black Visions Collective.

The album was produced by Mould at Electrical Audio in Chicago, along with longtime collaborator engineer Beau Sorenson. With the help of drummer Jon Wurster and bassist Jason Narducy, the singer/songwriter catalogues a life of hypocrisy, homophobia, and outright fear.

“We have a charismatic, telegenic, say-anything leader being propped up by evangelicals,” Mould says. “These fuckers tried to kill me once. They didn’t do it. They scared me. I didn’t do enough. Guess what? I’m back, and we’re back here again. And I’m not going to sit quietly this time and worry about alienating anyone.”

Blue Hearts Tracklist:

1. Heart on My Sleeve

2. Next Generation

3. American Crisis

4. Fireball

5. Forecast of Rain

6. When You Left

7. Siberian Butterfly

8. Everyth!ng to You

9. Racing to the End

10. Baby Needs a Cookie

11. Little Pieces

12. Leather Dreams

13. Password to My Soul

14. The Ocean

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