Bob Mould

When alt-music master Bob Mould released his first solo stuff after breaking with his seminal post-punk outfit Hüsker Dü, the lyrical introspection and downright pretty melodies of tunes like "Compositions for the Young and Old" caught fans by surprise — in the best possible way. It was clear that Mould was in a one-on-one relationship with his own individual muse, an impression that his new band, Sugar — and the power-pop trills and intimate lines of its hit, "If I Can't Change Your Mind" — did nothing to dispel. Today, Mould is as potently personal as ever, with tracks like "The Silence Between Us" that stand as the pinnacle of smart, sophisticated rock. Hit Next Steps for more Bob Mould brilliance.

It's a testament to Bob Mould's continual quest to challenge his own talent that his output can range from the celestial punk punch of "Gee Angel" to the Sugar'd melody and bouncy pop jangle of "Hoover Dam" while still sounding every bit like Bob Mould. Take a cue from the aptly named "Dreaming, I Am," and it's obvious that Mould isn't shy about letting us in on his visions, whether they're caught up in the ethereal harmonies and searing lyrics of "Next Time That You Leave" or getting down with the moody drone of "Hanging Tree." Plumb the depths of Bob Mould's musical imagination in Deep Cuts.

The best of Bob Mould's lesser-known album work, both solo and with Sugar, live together on our Deep Cuts playlist, with tracks that span the years between his post-Hüsker Dü debut (the stripped-down, confessional "Heartbreak a Stranger"), and his latest great recordings (dig the lilting melodies and somber strings of "Walls In Time"). An artist like Mould simply doesn't do filler, which is why tracks like a hot-number "Granny Cool" (not your grandma's rocker) and a fierce, live "Poison Years" are every bit as heady as the hits.

"All the words we said yesterday, that's a long time ago," sings Bob Mould on "See a Little Light," and though his trailblazing outfit Hüsker Dü had only just dissolved, Mould was clearly breaking with the past — without leaving it completely behind. On his own, and with his '90s band, Sugar, Mould was all about personal evolution, taking the post-punk crunch of his early days along for the ride as he drove deeper into a journey through sounds that would best express his musical soul. The outcome? Everything from the rock-pop control of "Helpless," to the folk-tinged swirl of "Wishing Well," to the solid-as-stone "Return to Dust." Despite the wry title of "I Hate Alternative Rock," Mould's relentlessly personal music has made him an indisputably influential alt-music icon — making this one truly Essential playlist.