wilco

listened to Wilco (The Album) for the first time in a while last week ... prety meh, actually! Just sounded workmanlike, not very inspired. Still think this version of Wilco has a great album in 'em, but that one ain't it.

On Rolling Nels Cline Thread, I wrote:

Wilco (the album) is a much better record [than Sky Blue Sky], and one that I'll listen to much more as time passes, but it really is a "Whitman sampler of the different aspects and obsessions of Wilco," as Tweedy called it. You have the Neu! motorik thing they did on "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" on "Bull Black Nova," the obvious "I'm A Wheel"/"Monday"/"Can't Stand It" rocker tune ("Wilco (the song)"), the unassuming acoustic number "Solitaire," which recalls "Dash 7," "Far, Far Away," "Radio Cure," "Muzzle of Bees," and most of SBS. The whole record really is a summation of their career.

In that same post, I said:

Wilco is primarily a vehicle for Tweedy's creativity, and although things seem to be more stable for the band now insofar as the lineup is concerned -- no one has been fired in five years, and everyone including Tweedy (see the new Rolling Stone interview) seems to feel good about the band as a unit -- I don't think he will ever be in a place where he'd want to make another Yankee Hotel Foxtrot/A ghost is born pseudoexperimental record again. I doubt Nels will get to do any truly radical work in Wilco. (The most "radical" things he does on the new record, which are not "radical" at all, really, are these strange little backwards-guitar solos at the end of "One Wing" and "Everlasting Everything" and some feedback-soaked guitar work at the end of "Bull Black Nova.")

yeah, that's otm -- i just think they've done better versions of all of those things on previous albums.

they may prove me wrong on that last point, though. I've read them say things that gave me the feeling they might go more experimental on the next LP

maybe i need to hear live versions of these tunes -- that's what turned me around on SBS.

maybe! they were great live when I saw them last summer. still prefer to hear them play something like "Spiders" than anything on the new record, though

but yeah, i think it's sort of a mistake to look at nels cline for some injection of "out there-ness" though he's obviously capable of it. Nels is probably more interested in fitting into the mainstream aspects of the band -- he's certainly got plenty of other outlets for the experimental stuff.

yeah! i think he's said as much in interviews. Glenn too. "we just play what's good for the songs." so both of them have their side projects where they do the more out their stuff, and then when they come into a Wilco sessions they just try to suit the needs of whatever's before them.

if you look at the entire Wilco discography, Jeff's probably responsible for the most out their stuff. like the solos on a ghost is born. although Jim O'Rourke probably did a lot of crazy stuff on YHF and agib, and Bennett added a lot to the former record too

out *there*

wilco sux

http://beckyyamamoto.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/dawson-crying.jpg

i love passenger side so much

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/361308/october-06-2010/mavis-staples---jeff-tweedy

http://pitchfork.com/news/41372-wilco-start-their-own-label/

fuuuuuuuuck, "can't stand it" is a dope album opener

summerteeth is so good

however you might feel, tonight is real

listen close when you click and my face gets sick, stuck, like a question unposed

wilco circa 1999-2004 was just unfuckwithable

I love that "can't stand it" was added at the last minute because reprise didn't hear a single on summerteeth.

http://pitchfork.com/news/43449-wilcos-jeff-tweedy-releases-split-single-with-deerhoof-starts-new-band-with-his-sons/

http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/6/3068636/wilco-incredible-shrinking-tour-chicago-ibooks

PoeticLava says:
I saw Jeff Tweedy at the North Side Chicago Chipotle 6 years ago. Don’t know what he ordered.

http://www.jambase.com/Articles/118811/Wilco-Focuses-On-Covers-For-First-Ever-All-Request-Set

Daft Punk and the Replacements among many more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcL4zJxBMH8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwHqRi468ic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYixOQ2vxzM

The clip someone posted of the 'Mats cover was awesome enough that I think the entirety of Wilco should be tapped to back Tommy and Paul.

Jeff looks like Artie Lange at this point

I was at Solid Sound this weekend. The "all request show" was quite good, esp. "Marquee Moon" and "Color Me Impressed." They also nailed "Don't Fear the Reaper" pretty well too with Nels shredding on the solo. Dream Syndicate set was the highlight of the weekend for me though. And Wilco's Saturday evening set was pretty lackluster. Fun, laud back festival.

seems fun -- at least this festival has things that *don't* happen at every other summer festival.
kwhitehead - was there any indication as to whether dream syndicate was going to do any more us dates?

tylerw- they didn't except Wynn mentioned at one point that they are thrilled to actually be playing these songs "at home". He then went on to mention that they don't often get the chance but didn't elaborate. There website doesn't indicate any more us dates. Jason Victor was very good on lead guitar but, have to say I missed Precoda and Cutler.

Foxygen were fun too but ended up getting escorted out of the festival' this from ROlling Stone:

"It wasn't the only incident involving Foxygen: the band was later ejected from the festival after the group's tambourine player was involved in a drunken altercation. The North Adams police said a member of the band was briefly detained but not charged. "They were awesome," Tweedy joked onstage later in the day. "They were a little too awesome, I think."

yeah i've seen victor play with wynn a couple times and he is great (tho obviously it wouldbe more exciting if those other dudes were coaxed out of retirement). just wondered if they were holding off announcing more dates, so the solid sound fest could say "ONLY SCHEDULED PERFORMANCE" or something.

Fascinating look into Wilco, Inc.:

http://www.chicagogrid.com/features/wilcos-jeff-tweedy-learned-grow-start-firing-friends/

Before founding Wilco in 1994, Tweedy played in alt-country group Uncle Tupelo, where he says profits were anathema. “You kept everyone who’s making money, the idea of making money, at arm’s length,” Tweedy says. “But when Uncle Tupelo ended, it became very obvious that we were in a business, because we owed people money.”

awesome, thanks for the link

it is interesting that this lineup has been so stable -- wilco, inc. must be a decent employer.

too bad all their best records came out before any of this

maybe the sun will shine again some day

the clouds will roll away

whole love was def the best post ghost is born record, so i guess i'm cautiously optimistic.

i haven't listened to the mavis staples/tweedy things... should i?

i mean, i'll probably listen to the next thing they put out however bad it is, but i think at this point i'd be surprised if it wasn't . . . [word(s)]

i haven't either

too bad all their best records came out before any of this

otm

http://pitchfork.com/news/55244-wilcos-jeff-tweedy-announces-tour-new-solo-album-coming/

i'm a huge fan of Wilco AM thru YHF, but at this point i'm probably more interested in hearing a Tweedy solo album than another Wilco album

you forgot a ghost is born

you better get on it!

Given the number of *Wilco* albums I haven't gotten around to listening to it would be highly ironic if I sought out any of these mysteries on their recommendation first.

Well, they’re certainly right about the Hard Quartet.

billie eilish and chris corsano should make a record together. would buy!

Lotta Wilco threads.

I was driving home from somewhere last night and the radio was playing a Wilco show from the archives. It was "Outtasite (Outtamind)" and they were absolutely killing it. I thought to myself, man, this must be from the "Being There"-era, I miss this kind of performance, this band used to be absolutely killer. And then they played "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" and I thought, oh, this must be from some time after "A Ghost is Born," this band used to be absolutely killer. And then they revealed it was from a residency as recently as *2017*, and I thought, man, what a great band.

they still are absolutely killer live

<3

I've been listening to the Ghost box set pretty much non-stop for a couple of weeks now, and I think it's now my favorite album of theirs. Being There>Summerteeth>YHF>A Ghost Is Born is one of the all-time 4-album runs, in my opinion.

I had some stuff on shuffle over the weekend and the live version of "Christ For President" from the Boulder show included with the Summerteeth deluxe version popped up and it was so good! I almost skipped it because the studio version never did a lot for me, but this live take smoked.

They remain a great live band and honestly their last few albums are unremarkable. Not weak, just not nearly as interesting as their live work.

they remain a great live band *capable* of life-changing live shows, and also live shows that are almost as unremarkable as their past few albums, i would say.

like, imagine if they really decided to do a serious "see, we like experimental music and we can really play" flex concert. would be incredible.

to use a sports-ism, their ceiling is insanely high ... i'm not sure they get close to it, ever. or at least very often.

their last two albums were decent enough and their best material since sky blue sky, and they're still way way better live. idk how the band i saw a year ago could possibly put on an unremarkable show - maybe to someone who's seen them like five times already but their average live show is still going to be way above most other bands out there, surely

well yes, that's probably fair. i think they're the only band i've seen in 4 different decades ... maybe 10 times total?

I've seen them a bunch, in numerous line-ups, and while there are some shows that I recall being better than others, I suspect that's largely because of the number of times I've seen them has made me take them for granted. Because I am sure I've never seen them play a *bad* show.

First time I heard them play "Impossible Germany" (in Prospect Park, I think 2012) may be my favorite moment at a Wilco concert. But for overall experience, it's hard to beat the first time, simply because it was the first time and one of the very first rock concerts I ever saw. I think Jeff Tweedy is the only act that I really saw grow old in-person, or at least go from black hair to completely grey.

the show i saw last year is probably the best show i've ever seen from anyone, though i'm sure it helps that they were touring behind their strongest material in a while. if a third of the show had been from ode to joy rather than from cruel country & cousin then it would have been a bit worse, but i think even that would have been excellent

Golden smog’s version of “glad and sorry”is playing at the bar

Hell yes.

I do bang on about it, but “Levee” off Cousin is an astonishing track, its own mysterious world. Recommend loud, immersive listening.

Def. one of those bands that is simultaneously overrated and underrated.

Perhaps every fan vacillates between love of the music and their self-perception of “being a Wilco fan”

Won’t you take me to the store and the drunk tank
I got five dollars we can put in the bank

Catching them tomorrow, hard to pass up a hometown gig.

The band was at its most mellow and Dead-y for much of last night's two sets. Not my favorite mode, but a good soundtrack to a summer night, I guess. Couple of acoustic versions of rockers ("Spiders," "I'm Always in Love"), a rare performance of "It's Not That Simple," ended with a cover of "U.S. Blues" (as if to drive home the Dead vibe). Not the most memorable show, imo, but chill. I know I'm in the minority, but so many years down the line and I still think Nels is a snooze of a guitarist.

Always happy to see John get his due.

How's the new solo record? I'm a bit intimated by its run length but really liked the "Lou Reed" single they put out.

Tweedy - Sukierae (Jeff Tweedy and son) discussion here - it's very good!

It's great, best thing I've heard from him in a while. There is a solo Tweedy thread where we (a couple of us) agreed that were it a Wilco record it would be up there.

jinx!