New Day Rising is the third studio album by the American punk rock

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 band Hüsker Dü

Hüsker Dü

Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....

, released in 1985 on SST Records

SST Records

SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was initially called Solid State Transmitters through which Ginn sold electronics equipment...

. Though less ambitious than prior album Zen Arcade

Zen Arcade

Upon its release Zen Arcade received positive reviews in many mainstream publications, including NME, The New York Times and Rolling Stone. In his review for Rolling Stone, David Fricke described Zen Arcade as "the closest hardcore will ever get to an opera .....

, New Day Rising, in some ways, helped set the template for alternative rock

Alternative rock

Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...

 for the next decade. Guitarist and lead singer Bob Mould

Bob Mould

Robert Arthur "Bob" Mould is an American musician, principally known for his work as guitarist, vocalist and songwriter for alternative rock bands Hüsker Dü in the 1980s and Sugar in the 1990s.-Early life:...

's trademark miasma of fuzz distortion is still present, but with much of the harsh rawness of previous efforts abandoned in favor of a more melodic sound.

Music

The title track opens the album with mantra-like repetition of "new day rising," delivered with slowly-increasing levels of intensity and despair. Also present are a few of the group's most famous songs, such as "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" and "Celebrated Summer

Celebrated Summer

"Celebrated Summer" is a song by Hüsker Dü from their album New Day Rising. It was written by guitarist Bob Mould. The song was released as a promotional single given to radio stations in December 1984, along with the album's title track, "New Day Rising."...

".

At the very end of "Plans I Make," there is a short in-studio conversation, most likely between Spot, Hart, and Mould, which appears to have taken place immediately after the recording for the song finished. It is almost inaudible.

Possibly Grant Hart: "What do you think, Spot?"

Possibly Spot: "I think he's going to be mad because we opened up the trashcan."

Bob Mould: "[In a mocking tone] Now the bleed came in. Who cares? Cause that's the last song on the album, it doesn't matter what it sounds like anyways. [guitar noise]"

Critical reaction

The album is praised by many critics as the band's best album, though most give that title to Zen Arcade. New Day Rising was ranked thirteenth in Spins

Spin (magazine)

Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...

 "100 Greatest Albums, 1985-2005." In 2003, the album was ranked number 495 on Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...

 magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time

The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time

"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...

. The magazine also included the title track in its "100 Greatest Guitar Songs" list, ranking it at #96.

Side one

1. "New Day Rising" (Mould, Hüsker Dü) – 2:31
2. "The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill" (Grant Hart
   Grant Hart
   Grant Hart is an American musician, best known as the drummer and co-songwriter for the influential alternative rock and hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü. After the band's breakup in 1987, Hart formed the alternative rock trio Nova Mob, where he moved to vocals and guitar...
   
   ) – 3:03
3. "I Apologize" – 3:40
4. "Folk Lore" – 1:34
5. "If I Told You" (Hart, Mould) – 2:05
6. "Celebrated Summer
   Celebrated Summer
   "Celebrated Summer" is a song by Hüsker Dü from their album New Day Rising. It was written by guitarist Bob Mould. The song was released as a promotional single given to radio stations in December 1984, along with the album's title track, "New Day Rising."...
   
   " – 3:59
7. "Perfect Example" – 3:16

Side two

1. "Terms of Psychic Warfare" (Hart) – 2:17
2. "59 Times the Pain" – 3:18
3. "Powerline" – 2:22
4. "Books About UFOs" (Hart) – 2:40
5. "I Don't Know What You're Talking About" – 2:20
6. "How to Skin a Cat" (Mould, Hüsker Dü) – 1:52
7. "Whatcha Drinkin'" – 1:30
8. "Plans I Make" (Mould, Hüsker Dü) – 4:16
9. "Erase Today" Unreleased in the U.S. version