remraf

Roxifari99 & Hixter - THANK YOU.

Sorry if this has been asked and answered elsewhere but does anyone have an mp3 of the studio version of Cars Can't Escape (the one that Wilcoworld was giving away for free) that they could post? Thanks in advance!

I was going to host and post this today, but as fate would have it, a Blog I RSS (The Good, The Bad, and the Unknown) just posted the "11 Best Wilco B-Sides & Bonus Tracks" yesterday. Number 7 on the list is the very studio version of Cars Can't Escape that you are seeking. I downloaded it just to see if it was any different than the one I got from the official website some years back, and it appears to be the same (same 160kbs bit rate, same track length, sonically sounds the same to me, etc.)

http://goodbadunknown.blogspot.com/2009/07/11-best-wilco-b-sides-bonus-tracks.html

I will stress that I am in no way, shape, or form affiliated with the aforementioned blog...I'm just passing along information in light of having seen your post. Hope it helps.

http://stereogum.com/archives/photo/wilco-the-wiltern-los-angeles-62209_075392.html

 

it can be found there, or here:

 

http://thesteamengine.blogspot.com/2009/07/wilco-unlikely-japan.html

thank you!

 

On the positive side, Nels burned up the stage on Impossible Germany, and although he looked like he was in severe pain during Misunderstood, Glenn was brilliant.

OH! I hadn't realized anything was wrong with Nels...being as far away as I was. Is this the same problems he talks about in the Ashes DVD, or something new?

Great show! I really enjoyed it after I came to terms with the fact that I participated in the presale and didn't even make it onto the floor/orchestra. My wife and I were in the "Loge", which apparently is a euphemism for "lower balcony." It's quite the difference from being 4th row last time at Aronoff, and 4th row at Taft before that.

Anyway, I have some random impressions:

• The mix on the new songs was not as good as the mix on the classics
  
• I have only streamed the album once on tiny computer speakers with the sound down low a work, so I'm not familiar with the new songs. But the new stuff all sounded good to me, with Bull Black Nova standing out.
  
• Jeff did keep the banter to a minimum, but his stage presence is stronger than ever. Quite the difference from the guy I first saw at Bogarts on the Summerteeth tour in 1999. His uber frontman schtick during Hummingbird - microphone swinging, rockstar posing, etc - was very tongue in cheek, funny, and awesome all at the same time.
  
• Jeff's guitar was too loud in the mix, and Nels' was too low. During Impossible Germany, when they are both playing, I had to concentrate to hear Nels.
  
• Besides being louder, Jeff played more prominent guitar parts than I remember from last time.
  
• Not trying to sound negative here, but Jeff didn't have much interaction with Nels at all during the show. In fact, his stance while singing was one where he was moderately turned away from Nels.
  

I realize this is the hater free thread, but I mention this Nels stuff because I did not have a good vibe with what I was hearing and watching. Trust me, I hope I'm full of shit.

Still, I had a great time and they put on a helluva show overall. The crowd was totally into it, and maybe I was just fortunate with the seating, but I didn't hear any "talkers". Lots of "yellers" mind you - you know, the ones that just HAVE to holler during ALTWYS - but noone in my section came to converse all night. That is a first in 5 times seeing them for me.

I snapped some shots from way up where I was. No flash, little 7 point something megapixel, but a few turned out decent.

Thanks for that. Are those your italics at the end there or was it in the article that way?

My italics for emphasis...upon reflection, I believe will remove them. Sorry for the confusion.

Hope this hasn't been posted...I did use the search function and toiled about the forum a bit, and didn't see anything.

http://cincinnati.metromix.com/music/article/jeff-tweedy-the-interview/1238829/content

Wilco is arguably the most popular high-credibility band in America—or the most high-cred band that’s actually popular. From their formation out of the ashes of alt-country godfathers Uncle Tupelo in the mid-‘90s to their explosion with the two-CD “Being There” album in 1996 to their personal and professional chaos of “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”—finally released in 2002 and considered by many their finest hour—there has rarely been a dull moment.

Along the way, the Chicago-based band has been dogged not just by adulation, but by expectation—that they should still be a country or roots band, that they should push the envelope with each record, that they should take up the mantle, since their enlisting of experimental guitarist Nels Cline, of being “the American Radiohead.”

We talked to singer/songwriter Jeff Tweedy—one of only two original members still in the band—about Wilco’s eponymous new record, influential singers, the groups’ set of rhinestone-encrusted, country-and-western Nudie suits, and his confused feelings about Jay Bennett, the ex-Wilco multi-instrumentalist and one of the architects of the “Yankee” sound, who died in his sleep on May 24, shortly after suing Tweedy for breach of contract.

So how’s the tour going? You’re just back from Europe, I think?

Not all of Europe, just Spain. And two shows in Portugal. Just the parts of Europe you really want to go to. Spain’s been really, really good to Wilco, so it’s been fun to go there. Kind of not that normal to do a whole tour or Spain, but that’s what we just did and it was glorious.

From the fans’ point of view, it seems like each of your records has a specific sound or style—“Yankee” is considered the experimental one, “Summer Teeth” is the ‘60s orchestral one, and so on. I wonder, does it seem that deliberate when you’re working on them? And if so, what were you going for with the new one? It sounds to me like a collection of good songs, but with no specific historical reference.

Um, it’s got a camel on the cover—so I don’t know what more people can want.

I’ve got several thousand records, and I don’t think there’s a camel among them. You’ve staked out new territory, I think.

Well it was very tricky to make sure it was a Bactrian camel and not a dromedary, or else it would have been shilling for a cigarette company. But I don’t know—I understand that it feels like all those Wilco records have that narrative from the get-go, but in most cases that’s something that’s been attached as it’s gone on. And this record doesn’t come with a built-in backstory. “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot” had the record company stuff, “A Ghost is Born” had rehab or whatever, “Sky Blue Sky” was post-rehab or whatever. I think it’s okay to sound like a Wilco record. Having had records that people have claimed sound very different for so long…it’s never been our intention not to sound like ourselves. I think this record incorporated most of the other periods into an overall package—if anything, it’s the Whitman’s sampler record.

Does that have anything to do with calling it “Wilco (the album)” and having a song called “Wilco (the song)”? Or is this a nod to Big Country or something?

I think this band, which for all of us, has become the definitive lineup of Wilco, has been together longer than any other lineup of Wilco and really feels like what the band was meant to be. When we did the residency shows a year or so ago, this band became conversant with all those other records, and was able to lay claim to some ownership. Whatever different styles we’d tried on those other records, this band is adept at them, and maybe this record grew out of that experience…I think this record is the least self-conscious and most confident of all the Wilco records.

Through all the different styles and lineups, the real constant over the years has been your singing. Wondering what were your earliest influences vocally and how you think your singing has changed over the years?

I’ve grown from forcing myself to sing in the early days, when I didn’t want to as much, into a guy who really wants to sing. It’s something I’ve tried to get better at; I try to sing in tune, and I try to sing in ways where I feel the lyrics I’m singing. It’s very intuitive. I don’t know what to say except that I really feel I’ve gotten better at it as I’ve gotten older, from a lot of experience I guess. From not smoking over the last four years. I definitely feel like I have a stronger voice on this record than any of the others.

What were you hoping to sound like, in your early days, before you started belting it out yourself?

Otis Redding! But that was not in the cards for me, in the hand I was dealt. Neil Young, Bob Dylan, Paul Westerberg, the Beatles, Joe Strummer, Kinks. Not usually country guys, but John Prine maybe—guys who had to struggle with some limitations, I identified with them. Jonathan Richman, for instance. I’ve always liked the guys where you go, “He’s opening his mouth, I should pay attention.” When I’m on onstage, I’m supposed to be saying something to somebody.

It’s funny, some of the people you mention are not technically great singers, but they communicate something real. I hear what you’re saying about limitations.

Limitations are really, really good for creativity. A lot of the world’s great technicians have a lot tougher time saying what they want to say. To be honest, I don’t have a lot of options, so I make the best of it. I humbly submit that I have worked hard to get better. Beyond that, I can’t see getting beyond even the first round of “American Idol.”

At last year’s Lollapalooza, the band wore Nudie suits, I think?

I’ve had one for a while, and had another one made. I like things that are sort of weird and out of context. I love country music—I don’t think Wilco’s a country band—but I thought it would be really fun to have one kickass set of stage clothes. We wear them very sparingly, because the fact is, most nights you put a Nudie suit on, you feel like an asshole.

Yeah, it’s sort of hard to go down to the corner bar dressed that way unless you’re Gram Parsons.

Exactly. The inside artwork of the new record has a lot to do with those suits. You’ll see what I mean.

I wonder if it was a joke on the country roots of Wilco? Do you still get authenticity b.s. from old fans—that you somehow betrayed the cause by not being an alt-country band?

I get bullshit from old fans from damn near everything that happens! [Laughs] Some people, I swear to God, just stick around for the sake of having a dissenting opinion and thoroughly enjoy being disheartened by us! So yeah, there probably are people waiting around for us to make a country record we never made.

I think it’s probably true of artists, in any genre, who change over the years. But there’s something especially zealous about the alt-country crowd.

I think there’s a psychology there that for whatever reason, people take on as part of their persona.

They are wearing the Nudie suit to the corner bar.

They’re wearing a psychic Nudie suit, of whatever they perceive you to be. And then they realize they don’t have any control over that—and when you change, there’s an enormous amount of resentment released, because they didn’t have any say in it! “I invested myself in this—how can you change without notifying me?” I don’t think it’s particularly healthy, and I don’t think there’s any damn thing I could ever do about it—I’ve known that for a number of years now, luckily. There’s no record Wilco could make, and this is going back to the Uncle Tupelo days, that isn’t gonna upset somebody.

Do you want to say anything about Jay Bennett, whether the man or his music?

I don’t have much to say about Jay. I really hadn’t been in contact with Jay for eight years now. Obviously there’s a lot of ambivalence there—from the unplugging of our lives from each other. The timing with that lawsuit is extremely unfortunately, obviously—I won’t comment on that. But overriding all of those emotions, it’s a confusing thing. The tragedy of it is certainly not lost on me, and I feel it very deeply. He was an extremely bright, and gifted guy, and I wish he was still around and I wish I could have seen him thrive and flourish, especially in the years he’s been out of Wilco. And I feel really sad [he] didn’t in the way he was capable of.

That part is not cool at all.

 

I ended up with Row FF (on Pat's side), but only after I started trying for just 1 ticket instead of 2. Oh well...hopefully my neighbors will be nice!

This is CRAP. Last two times in Cincy via Pre-sale I got 1st and second row. Today I was right in at 10 - 9:58 by my computer actually - and ended up in the Loge, row D (A co-worker of mine got Loge Row B.) That is not even on the floor. What the hell is going to be available to the public? Sidewalk seats?

I liked when Wicloworld.net handled the pre-sale better. Frontgate can suck it.

i don't know of any band that does this for their fans. I'm sure that they're just as upset about all the mess ups. We should just feel lucky that they try.

Very True. I felt bad after posting my last, as I started thinking of all the great stuff this band has done for it's fans. I am grateful for all of it.

yeah this is pretty pretty.... whack.

I think it's more wiggity whack myself...

Muzzle of Bees - from Burn to Shine DVD, 2002.

http://fuelfriendsblog.com/listenup/Burn%2...ne%20versio.mp3

What Burn to Shine is all about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burn_to_Shine_%28DVD_series%29

Assuming the band won't play any oldies AND wouldn't consider playing "The Thanks I Get", I'm pulling for "Walken" and "Hate it Here." For what ever reason, I find the speculation of what they'll play to be intriguing. It's as if we all realize this is a national stage where the band can reach a lot of people - what 2 songs off of SBS would make the best impression?

On another note, I know their songs got exposure in the VW ads, but I really believe that a lot of people don't know who's playing those songs in the commercials. For instance, a colleague at work came up to me telling me about the 2nd time he had heard of Wilco (the first being from me). I asked him if he had paid attention to any recent VW commercials. He thought about it, and agreed he had probably seen a couple. I told him all of the recent ones had Wilco playing over them...he was like "HUH!"

Okbye

Thanks so much for all of this, but my question is why is night 4 only 94 mb? That just seems very, VERY small for a 3 hour show, if it's good quality. It should at least be 150 mb, if it is at 128 kbps.

 

A little technical, but I am just trying to figure out why it is so small.

Each of the 4th night's mp3s are about 90kb (VBR) a piece. Now I hate to bitch about free stuff and all...so I guess I won't. I'm sure it took a lot of time to convert these and tag them, so a BIG thanks to Cars Can't Escape!

Mini-Nels sounds good, and why wouldn't Jeff want to be Nels? I know Nels gets talked about as a major reason why they're so mindblowing live right now, but is he always as good as he was tonight? I wouldn't know since I've never seen them before, but I find it hard to believe that he could be this perfect every night. Everything sounded exactly how it should sound, and I'm glad some of the new songs feature him so prominently (Side with the Seeds and Impossible Germany I LOVE). I was also ecstatic to hear Handshake Drugs because I think his work on that makes it 10 times better in person. His hands are so fast it makes me want to cry and never play my guitar again.

No doubt, Nels has made his presence felt in this band. After the long-awe inspiring guitar outro to Impossible Germany, I saw one dude give Nels metal (was that you?) and I laughed and thought to myself "Wow! I don't know that anyone would have given anyone in Wilco metal like 5 years ago...but there it is, and damned if it ain't appropriate!"

Glenn was freaking awesome last night too, and seemed to really be enjoying himself.

Just got back from the Cincinnati show. It was fantastic, as expected. I don't have a setlist, and I have to get up early, so here are a few thoughts on the show:

Tweedy looks good! Looks like he's lost quite a bit of weight actually.

The band is absolutely on fire right now.

Tweedy did a little "mini-Nels" during his "I'm the man who loves you" guitar solo. It's hard to explain, but when Nels gets his strumming hand going like a million miles per hour? Tweedy did that during "Im the man...". It was cute. Shall we call him mini-Nels? lol.

In a sheer Spinal Tap moment, they lower this Owl down above Glenn during the show. It's really funny, actually. And they brought it back out during Spiders in the first Encore. I guess you have to see it to understand. Anyone know if there is any signifigance to it?

Tweedy mentioned the fight in Davenport....he said something like 'right in the middle of the show, Altmont broke out.'

That's about all I can think of right now. Having seen Wilco on every tour since Summerteeth, it's somewhat surprising that this show was absolutely the most ROCKING show I have seen them do. Surprising, given that the new album is supposedly "subdued". I will say that the new SBS songs sound AWESOME live.

Someone, please, post that setlist!

Just wait until they release the jam of the summer - On and On and On - as a single, then the sales will fly again.

Ha! Is that comment only funny to me?

My wife and I will be there ready to get our wiggle on....1st row - orchestra.

I got the files. Took forever to come up with the menu after clicking "Extras", but after that, I did not have to change any Quicktime settings. I have Quicktime 7.1.

Wilco and Tweedy just rule. Always giving the best value for your buck!