Typically, Listen Again marks a musical anniversary. This time, we’re honoring a resurrection: The great ’90s band Sugar has re-emerged in 2026 after a 30-year slumber with new music and a world tour. But it all started with 1992’s Copper Blue.
Sugar is guitarist/singer Bob Mould, bassist Dave Barbe, and drummer Malcom Travis. The easiest way to define Sugar is “post-punk power pop.” Mould writes and sings about love, heartbreak, and the eternal difficulties of life. His guitar is best described as a maelstrom, combining melody and distortion in the best possible ways. Barbe holds it down with propulsive bass and backing harmonies, while Travis hits the drums as hard as anyone.
Album opener “The Act We Act” sets the tone for rock power. “Helpless” is a straightforward rocker about regret, and fan favorite “Hoover Dam” evokes the power of nature as state-of-mind metaphor.
Sugar ran for three years, two albums, an EP, and a B-sides collection, and fans thought a live iteration would never return. The story of Sugar echoes a constant theme in Mould’s songs: Don’t give up hope. Start here, and turn it up.
This article is featured in the November/December 2026 issue of The Saturday Evening Post.
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