DiamondClaw

Fingers crossed for a new Spoon album this year. It's been four(!) years since the last one. They have been confirmed recording for a while now and even put out a couple of new songs last year. I have to believe they're pretty close to the finish line.

I think 2025 was a darn good year for new music! Here are some of my favorites, no real order: Liam Kazar - Pilot Light My Morning Jacket - Is Benmont Tench - The Melancholy Season Japanese Breakfast - For Melancholy Brunettes (& Sad Women) Jeff Tweedy - Twilight Override Cass McCombs - Interior Live Oak Sharon Van Etten and the Attachment Theory - S/T Cate LeBon - Michelangelo Dying Dutch Interior - Moneyball Bon Iver - Sable, Fable Friendship - Caveman Wakes Up Tunde Adepimbe - Three Black Boltz Snocaps - S

Yeah, I don't get the "winding down" vibe either. He's always been a road warrior, and that's never really slowed down. If anything, he seems more invigorated now. This year alone, he did a smattering of solo acoustic dates, a cross-continental Wilco tour that hit North America, South America and Europe, a full-fledged Tweedy band tour and a few Golden Smog shows to boot. All he needed was to rouse up Jim O'Rourke for some Loose Fur!

Yeah, seems unlikely for next month. Of course, with these guys, you never know. They tend to do Chicago residences roughly every three years ('05, 08, '11, '14, '17, '19, '23), and 2026 will be three years since the last one, so maybe we have a better shot then.

Love all of these ideas! Only thing that could top those would be a Cruel Country-like debut of a new album (super unlikely).

I remember Jeff and Spencer doing Cold Water as a "work in progress" as well! That song always reminds me of early pandemic for that reason. Good track. "Pissing on the shopping carts outside of Jewel" is a gem of a Jeff Chicago lyric.

Others I can think of: All Lives, You Say? Tell Your Friends Cold Water Life Story At a Distance

Just my opinion of course, but if this is the lineup they're going with, I would move Liam to lead guitar (and keyboards) and have anyone else cover bass (Sima, Macie, heck even Sammy). I know there aren't any Nels/Impossible Germany style workouts in these sets, but lead guitar is still more important for a good Tweedy band show.

I'm happy Jeff gets to play with this group of friends and family he's comfortable with, but I'm disappointed Jim Elkington isn't joining them. He's a phenomenal guitarist and adds so much to the sound.

Great show as always. Thanks for the recap, Paul. A couple musings from my spot. I ended up, somewhat unintentionally, in the posh Premium section for this show. It was my first time up there, and it did offer a very cool vantage point of both the stage and the stunning Chicago skyline. Plus a bit of A/C which, hey, I did not complain about. It also came with the chattier casual fans, who were there for the previously mentioned summer night out social gathering. At this point, you have to just accept that and take it for what it is. The Salt Shed is an incredible venue, full of areas to explor

First listen I like "Out in the Dark" and "Enough" the best. "One Tiny Flower" is a little too hazy and strummy. It does remind me a little of Cry All Day from Schmilco though, a song I like.

Looks like he's (finally) going to make the official announcement in a livestream tomorrow afternoon.

With all these tiny breadcrumbs and little info leaks, I'm surprised a full announcement isn't out already. A triple album though? Wowza.

Wow, there's a blast from the past!

I watched several YouTube clips from this Argentina show and all I can say is wow! The enthusiasm from the audience is just incredible. The chants to the "Impossible Germany" riff and the "Either Way" solo were especially invigorating to hear like that. I can't believe Jeff resisted playing what would have been an epic "Spiders."

I agree "Insignificance" may be the best overall, but "Simple Songs" is super underrated. Also, I've been alternating two of the instrumental ones, "Bad Timing" and "The Visitor," just about daily while I work. Gorgeous pieces of music.

Just wanted to say that listening to this podcast (which was great!) made me go back and revisit some of Jim O'Rourke's solo albums. My goodness, what absolutely amazing records those are.

That makes two of us! Plus three versions of "Muzzle of Bees," two versions each of "Panthers" and "Diamond Claw" (both personal favorites of mine), "The High Heat," something called "Improbable Germany," and a whole bunch more. This track list is a dream.

You called it, TCP! I just saw the tracklist and I am floored. https://ghostisborn.com/

Intriguing! Any reasons (that you can state publicly) for this prediction?

Say what now? There are still plenty of us 'round these parts who tune in for these!

Me three! They come on at 11:15 tonight — I'm getting my coffee ready now.

That makes sense. I think Cousin is great, their best album since The Whole Love, but a not-insignificant factor in my enjoyment of it is an adjustment in expectations. With each new album over the last several years, I've hoped for a more explosive, dynamic Wilco, and then ended up somewhat underwhelmed by the eventual release. I had to just accept what Jeff Tweedy is nowadays and what he wants out of a Wilco album. That said, his own "art pop" hype didn't do this project any favors, since it conjured up expectations of stuff even more adventurous.

Curious, what made Cousin such a disappointment for you?

It's no coincidence that I think "Hot Sun" is the best song on the EP. It's the only one CLB is credited on, and it feels the most developed, three dimensional and Cousin-like to me.