They didn't yet have terms like 'alternative rock' when Minneapolis's Hüsker Dü made their mark as one of the 1980s most influential bands. With two skilled songwriters — guitarist Bob Mould and drummer Grant Hart — the genre-bending trio (bassist Greg Norton completed the lineup) juxtaposed hardcore punk speed and aggression with pop-leaning melodies. Add their uniformly thoughtful, introspective lyrics, and you've got this stunning 1984 double-length release, a semi-concept album about youthful rites of passage. It includes such memorable tracks as Mould's "Broken Home, Broken Heart," Hart's "Never Talking to You Again," and the evocative 14-minute instrumental closer, "Recurring Dreams." Tracklist Something I Learned Today Broken Home, Broken Heart Never Talking to You Again Chartered Trips Dreams Reoccurring Indecision Time Hare Krsna Beyond the Threshold Pride I'll Never Forget You The Biggest Lie What's Going On Masochism World Standing by the Sea Somewhere One Step at a Time Pink Turns to Blue Newest Industry Monday Will Never Be the Same Whatever The Tooth Fairy and the Princess Turn on the News Reoccurring Dreams
