It's no land speed record, nor a new day rising. But it is kind of like an old day revisited.

Former Husker Du singer-guitarist Bob Mould -- who hung up his guitar a few years back to concentrate on electronic music -- gives the people what they want and plugs back in on his sixth solo set Body of Song. But don't count on being walloped between the eyes by the speeding buzzsaw guitars he used to wield.

After nearly two decades of solo work and sobriety, Mould prefers to take things slightly slower and quieter these days. Nor has he completely abandoned those keyboards. So what you end up with here are a batch of solidly muscular mid-tempo rockers, brooding ballads and groovy pop numbers, most of which are accessorized with squiggly synth flourishes and swooshy atmospherics.

It's definitely a step up from 2002's Modulate -- especially on crunchier cuts like Paralyzed and Best Thing -- even if it can't compete with the white-heat intensity of his illustrious past work.

That said, any day that brings a new Bob Mould record is a pretty good day by our measure.

Track Listing:

1. Circles
2. (Shine Your) Light Love Hope
3. Paralyzed
4. I Am Vision, I Am Sound
5. Underneath Days
6. Always Tomorrow
7. Days of Rain
8. Best Thing
9. High Fidelity
10. Missing You
11. Gauze of Friendship
12. Beating Heart the Prize