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 Musician Bob Mould poses for a portrait at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, California on October 2, 2021. (Photo by Jim Steinfeldt / Getty Images)

Bob Mould on stage on September 30, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Gus Stewart/Redferns)

On Wednesday night, Lark Hall in Albany will host one of its biggest shows to date when punk and alt-rock icon Bob Mould brings his solo electric tour to town. A solo show conjures up the thoughts of a laid-back affair but for Mould, playing alone is anything but casual.

“The solo show is more work than a band show,” he said. “With the volume and power of the three-piece band, people think, ‘Wow, that’s really physical.’

“Solo it’s like, ‘Wow I’ve got to cover all the parts,’ ” Mould continued. “I’m always more tired after solo shows.”

The tour that brings him to Albany is built around two aspects of his discography: the “Distortion” box sets — which chronicle the entirety of his post-Husker Du career — and his brilliant 2020 record “Blue Hearts,” a loud and fast set of protest songs that channel the potency and musical intensity of his punk rock past. Playing solo is a looser experience for Mould, presenting him with the opportunity to broaden his set list and explore the full depth of his catalog of songs.

“When I work with (drummer) Jon (Wurster) and (bassist) Jason (Narducy), we don’t have a lot of time to rehearse, so there’s a working list ahead of time,” Mould explained. “By myself I’m not bound with those constraints; the song list is much deeper, the songbook opens up wider.

“The solo shows feel more flexible, spontaneous,” he added. “Since they’re more intimate, I can get a feel for what people are enjoying and that flexibility is really different.”

Musical flexibility has come to define Mould’s career. As a solo artist, he’s often taken unexpected sonic detours. His 1989 LP “Workbook” was a stark change from the aggressive punk rock of Husker Du, rooted in folk and more hushed tones. Living in New York City in the late 1990s, Mould got into the club scene and picked up DJing. Those influences are reflected in the full-on electronica soundscapes on his 2002 album “Modulate.”

The 18 studio albums, four live releases and two albums’ worth of rarities on the all-encompassing “Distortion” showcase Mould’s willingness to take sonic chances and defy expectations. In putting his body of work into one compendium, Mould found there were thematic consistencies that run through the entirety of his work, regardless of style.

“There’s a through-line: my work is always very personal in nature and even when it’s more observational, it’s still very personal because it explores my views of other people,” he explained. “There’s a methodology to the way I write, and I really try to highlight my geography and place with my writing.

“When Husker Du broke up, I was holed up in Minnesota, relearning how to write and play guitar outside of the band,” Mould continued. “When I lived in Manhattan I was really immersed in gay life and subculture and club music, and the music reflected that. Those are pretty opposite examples of environment – geographically and physically – and how it impacted what I was writing.”

In theory, a project like “Distortion” runs the risk of seeming nostalgic, a way of staying in the past instead of moving forward. But Mould views it differently, as it came about “at an interesting time.”

The pandemic “made it hard in terms of looking ahead” and focusing on new projects. “Distortion” allowed him to process and organize his past material.

That has come in handy on his solo electric shows, as it helps him to reconceive the songs in ways that interest him.

“I’m not one for looking back and 'nostalgia' is such a strong word,” he said. “A songbook is part of a living thing that I’m constantly updating, it’s not something that’s fixed.

“The solo shows allow me to reinterpret songs on the fly,” Mould continued. “A song like ‘What Do You Want Me To Do” was written like ‘70s power pop. When I play it myself, I play it as a slow blues and it reads differently. Moments like that are the fun part.”

Bob Mould with J. Robbins

When: 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 18

Where: Lark Hall, 351 Hudson Ave., Albany

Note: Masks are mandatory for attendance, as per Bob Mould's request

For more info: www.larkhallalbany.com

Jim Shahen has written for the Times Union since 2014 and is a true believer in the local music scene. His concert reviews are accurate and fair, especially the negative one of Justin Timberlake that raised hackles on Facebook. Feel free to email him with your music or music-related stories at jshahenjr@gmail.com