Beaster

On last year's Copper Blue album, Sugar leader Bob Mould confirmed that no one writes better songs about embattled relationships or sets them to such a glorious metallic scrap heap of sound. Beaster, a six-song album meant to display an even more savage side to the band, mostly proves Mould needs good songs, not rants, to put it all across. A postscript for the die-hard fan. C+