Workbook is the 1989 debut solo album by American guitarist and singer Bob Mould, following the breakup of the influential punk rock band Hüsker Dü. The album has a strong folk influence and lighter overall sound than he had been known for, although heavy guitar features occasionally. Drummer Anton Fier and bassist Tony Maimone, both of Pere Ubu fame, served as Mould's rhythm section on the album and on the subsequent live shows. The single "See a Little Light" was a hit on the US Modern Rock chart.
In the liner notes of the Hüsker Dü live album The Living End, writer David Fricke noted that Mould had an embryonic version of the song "Compositions for the Young and Old" in the waning days of that band.
"Poison Years" is directed at Hüsker Dü drummer Grant Hart. "There's people who think I'm still sending missiles to Grant," said Mould at the time of his band Sugar's album File Under Easy Listening in 1994. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I took care of that about five years ago. Check out side one, song five on Workbook." In 1989, however, Mould claimed that the song was about himself and his life after the band.
The album was reissued on CD and double LP for its 25th anniversary in 2014 as Workbook 25, by Omnivore Recordings. This remastered edition includes an extra track, "All Those People Know", and a second CD-only disc containing a 1989 live set by Mould at the Cabaret Metro in Chicago.
Critical reception
The Philadelphia Inquirer opined that "Workbook stands among the most complete artistic statements to emerge this year... It does for introspection what Lou Reed's New York did for social awareness, and shares the feeling of catharsis John Lennon brought to 'How Do You Sleep?' and 'Gimme Some Truth' on Imagine." The Austin American-Statesman noted that "the emotionally draining album is littered with the charred remains of his former band, but the bitterness is framed with a sense of honesty and openness that's effectively reflected by Mould's singing."
Track listing
Personnel
- Bob Mould – vocals, guitar, mandolin, keyboards, percussion
- Tony Maimone – bass guitar
- Anton Fier – drums
- Jane Scarpantoni – cello
- Steven Haigler – engineer, mixing, percussion
- Chris Stamey – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (live disc only)
Charts
;Album
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Chart (1989)
! Peak<br />position
|-
|US Billboard 200
|align="center"|127
|-
|}
;Single
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title
! Chart (1989)
! Peak<br />position
|-
|"See a Little Light"
|US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks