Description
Sugar – Besides – Double 180 Gram Clear Vinyl Records
Besides by Sugar, released in 1995, is a compilation album that collects B-sides, outtakes, and unreleased material from the band’s short but potent run in the early 1990s. As a project led by Bob Mould—formerly of Hüsker Dü—Sugar was known for fusing ferocious guitar energy with tightly crafted pop sensibilities, and Besides offers a deeper, less-polished glimpse into that creative period. It’s not just a catch-all for completists; the collection forms a compelling companion piece to their two main studio albums, Copper Blue (1992) and File Under: Easy Listening (1994), shedding light on the range and intensity of the band’s songwriting.
The compilation spans recordings from roughly 1992 to 1994 and is notable for its stylistic diversity. Tracks range from the driving, distortion-drenched rockers like “Needle Hits E” and “After All the Roads Have Led to Nowhere” to more introspective pieces that hint at Mould’s singer-songwriter instincts beneath the wall-of-sound production. Songs like “Frustration” and “Where Diamonds Are Halos”—which didn’t make it onto the studio albums—reveal a rawness and immediacy that fans of Mould’s work will immediately recognize. The production remains consistent with the band’s signature sound: dense guitars, crisp drumming (thanks to Malcolm Travis), and a melodic tension that keeps even the rougher demos engaging.
While some B-side collections can feel patchy or incoherent, Besides flows surprisingly well. It has moments of unpolished brilliance and minor revelations, particularly for those who followed Sugar during their brief but intense existence. There’s also a live version of “JC Auto” that’s blistering in its intensity, reaffirming just how fierce the band could be in a live setting. The compilation is also significant for documenting songs that were released across various formats—CD singles, EPs, import releases—which in the pre-streaming era were often hard to track down.
Besides was appreciated for offering more than just filler. While it doesn’t carry the same focused impact as Copper Blue, which is widely considered a landmark of early ’90s alternative rock, it reinforces just how consistent and prolific Mould was during this period. It’s also a reminder of Sugar’s place in the post-grunge, pre-Britpop musical landscape—bridging the visceral punk energy of Hüsker Dü with the melodic bite of power pop and alt-rock.
For longtime fans of Bob Mould or those exploring the undercurrents of 1990s guitar-driven alternative rock, Besides is more than a historical footnote. It’s a testament to how even the peripheral output of a great band can hold artistic value. There’s urgency, experimentation, and emotional depth here, and hearing these tracks outside the tight framework of the studio albums allows for a more nuanced appreciation of Sugar’s musical legacy.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Needle Hits E
If I Can’t Change Your Mind (Solo Mix)
Try Again
Where Diamonds Are Halos
Armenia City In The Sky
Clownmaster
Anyone
JC Auto
Believe What You’re Saying (Campfire Mix)
Mind Is An Island
Frustration
Going Home
In The Eyes Of My Friends
And You Tell Me
If I Can’t Change Your Mind (BBC Radio Session)
Hoover Dam (BBC Radio Session)
The Slim (BBC Radio Session)
Where Diamonds Are Halos (BBC Radio Session)
