HUSKER DU, SOUL ASYLUM (Paradise, 2/4)
     A trifle disappointing in that Husker played it
extremely safe in song selection, opting for poppier
material from the last few discs, plus a lot off "Candy
Apple," while totally neglecting their past or even the
raw tracks from recent efforts.  No more unbridled
recklessness, even if they're still great songwriters.
I suppose Husker belong to the masses now and some
compromise (whether they admit it or not) may be in
evidence.  As for Soul Asylum, this guy Chuck I
work with has been raving about them since the show,
but I think I missed it.  They meld a buzzy guitar
sound with harmonic and vocal cues derived from, among
other bands, Aerosmith (it was no surprise when they
covered "Seasons of Wither").  There's a complexity
to their arrangements and lots of power, but it seems
a little unfocused right now.  If that focus is found,
though, I see little stopping them from becoming a
monster band--the tools are there.

HUSKER DU-Candy Apple Grey (Warner Brothers, LP)
HUSKER DU-Don't Want To Know/All Work And No Play/
Helter Skelter (Warner Brothers, 12")
     Don't wanna be a party-pooper or nothin', but no
'FNX jock or Rockpuke journalist is gonna convince me
that these 2 pieces of vinyl can even compare to their
past glories.  Husker are still above-average pop
purveyors and there's the usual knockout catchiness on
some cuts ("Don't Want To Know," "Eiffel Tower High"
stick out at this point) and the Bob Mould meets Bob
Dylan "Too Far Down" is a chilling and beautiful piece,
but to say Husker have lost a large percentage of their
ballsiness, I'm afraid, is an accurate statement.  Wimp-
simp fodder like "Hardly Gettin' Over It" and the awful
piano ballad "No Promise Have I Made" don't dispel that
opinion.  I won't use the big label=sellout tag; it
takes balls to start your major label debut with "Cry-
stal's" barrage, but the edge ain't what it used to
be.  The 12" contains an 8 minute, extended mix bore
("All Work"), but "Helter Skelter" has a decent guitar-
busting melange.  Husker Du's most downtempo work, strong
on emotion and feeling, but lacking the passionate
drive that's kept 'em on top for so long.