Bob Mould has just released his new single "Sunshine Rock" with the announcement of his upcoming album and tour. The album, also called Sunshine Rock, will be released on Feb. 8 with an international tour starting shortly after on the 14th. Sunshine Rock is the first album Mould has released since Patch the Sky in 2016.

“Almost four years ago, I made plans for an extended break,” Mould explained in a press release. “I started spending time in Berlin in 2015, found an apartment in 2016, and became a resident in 2017. My time in Berlin has been a life-changing experience. The winter days are long and dark, but when the sun comes back, all spirits lift.”

Compared to Patch in the Sky, Sunshine Rock has a more positive vibe, that Mould says its title track reflects well.

“‘Sunshine Rock’ was such a bright, optimistic song, and once that came together, I knew that would be the title track, and that really set the tone for the direction of the album,” he said. “It was funny, because writing with that as the opener in mind, it was like, ‘This is not Black Sheets of Rain.’”

But even though Sunshine Rock may have a more uplifting theme, life wasn't easy for Mould these past few years.

“To go from [2011 autobiography] See a Little Light to the last three albums, two of which were informed by loss of each parent, respectively, at some point I had to put a Post-It note on my work station and say, ‘Try to think about good things.’ Otherwise I could really go down a long, dark hole,” Mould reflected. “I’m trying to keep things brighter these days as a way to stay alive.”

Now in a more positive mindset, Mould believes that creating Sunshine Rock was a good way for him to wrap up one of the busiest decades of his career.

“The autobiography, the Disney Hall tribute show, reissues of several albums from my catalog, three current rock band albums, several world tours, and now this new album—I’m humbled and grateful to still be making new music while celebrating my lifetime songbook.”

As a co-founder of Hüsker Dü, Mould spent eleven years living and working with the band in Minnesota until a few years after its break up in the late '80s. Fans can see him live this spring when he returns Minnesota as part of his tour this year. He will be playing two shows in the Twin cities on Mar. 30th and 31st at the Palace Theatre and Turf Club respectively.

Simone Cazares is a student at Saint Paul College. Originally from Miami, Fla., she survives Minnesota’s cruel winters by immersing herself in the Twin Cities music scene.