DiamondClaw

I loved "Everyone Hides"! Very glad it will get a proper release. The existing Tweedy version of the track is great, but I'm excited to hear what Nels and co. will bring to it (if it's been reworked/rerecorded). The new single is good — I especially like the guitar work — although I do admit I was/am hoping for something bigger than breezier this time around, as Warm/Warmer (plus Schmilco) scratched my itch for folky Tweedy.

Plus he wrote and produced a whole Mavis Staples album in 2017. Darn impressive.

Well, I wasn't planning on going to 10, but since you started it... Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars William Tyler – Goes West Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks Local Natives – Violet Street Mac DeMarco – Here Comes the Cowboy Jeff Tweedy - Warmer Son Volt - Union Cate Le Bon - Reward Jenny Lewis - On the Line Fujiya & Miyagi - Flashback

Getting a jump on those end-of-year lists with one at the midway point. What have been your favorite albums of 2019 so far? Here's my top 5: Bruce Springsteen – Western Stars William Tyler – Goes West Josh Ritter – Fever Breaks Local Natives – Violet Street Mac DeMarco – Here Comes the Cowboy

I haven't, but if I were forced to pick just 11 of the tracks, I think it'd be these: 1. Bombs Above 2. Some Birds 3. Don't Forget 4. How Hard it is for a Desert to Die 5. I Know What it's Like 6. Having Been in No Way to Be 7. Family Ghost 8. Sick Server 9. Empty Head 10. Evergreen 11. Guaranteed Just missed: And Then You Cut it in Half. I haven't heard the bonus track "Drawing From Memory," but I liked the solo acoustic version he played live once, so maybe that would make the cut as well.

And they might be waiting to announce anything until after Tweedy's solo show here in August.

It's interesting because, on the one hand, one of the great things about Wilco is that their setlist isn't rigid and they're free to play any song at any moment. And nothing's better than seeing them in a residency type setting with nearly the entire catalog covered. But Wilco is no nostalgia act. They're a contemporary band, and new material keeps the shows fresh and the band's purpose strong. I suspect this will all become moot relatively soon anyway.

Webcast was great! John's bass sounded particularly sharp to me. Jeff's vocals did seem a little strained in a few places, but aside from that, the band seemed locked in and totally on top of their game. Aside from my usual favorites, I liked "I'll Fight" and "The Joke Explained," which I think were both better than the studio versions. The one thing that occurred to me was that, as great as the band sounded, it's clear they need a new album to promote. The setlist variety is wonderful as always, but it will be nice when it is focused on new material.

It depends. If they're assembling the album piecemeal with lots of overdubs, they way they did Star Wars, they don't ever have to be in the same room at the same time to get it done. If they're trying to track live, like Sky Blue Sky, it might be a different story.

In all seriousness, do you guys really think the new album is 100% already in the can and they're just sitting on it? Or do you think there is still at least a little work to be done to complete it?

I'll chime in to say thanks bbop as always for these through recaps! I look forward to these every tour. If you're ever wondering whether the work you put into these is appreciated or not, it is! Great setlist last night. Surprising though that the newest song on there is from 2009. Nothing from any of the last three Wilco albums.

Yeah, that ending was pretty funky, and it's not the only spot on the album Mac brought the funk!

Good thread, well deserved for Mac! I'm a fan. I listened to the new one today and liked it a lot. Overall I think This Old Dog is his best — I listen to that album all the time, feels like at least once a week. Salad Days and Another One are very good too. Any way you slice it, this guy has an unmistakable sound. Like you said, it's very laid back, but there's such a distinctive tone to the instrumentation. It just takes one or two notes to identify a Mac DeMarco song.

Anyone know if this is actually happening? Today is May 10, and I haven't seen this confirmed on Wilco's site or even mentioned anywhere but the link above.

Yeah, that passage in the book gave me pause as well. I prefer when Glenn gets to create percussion/rhythm parts from scratch, but there's obvious a lot of comfort for Jeff to play with his son. Interesting thought about a possible shakeup in the band's future. It's been 15 years with the same lineup now, so they've certainly gotten their money's worth if anyone decides to go in a different direction.

I agree re: both Star Wars and Schmilco. I also kind of hoped the whole band would record together from scratch for a new Wilco project to create a different vibe than overdubbing to Jeff-and-Spencer demos as described in Let's Go.

That's definitely the way Jeff described the recording for Star Wars — calling band members in one at a time to overdub as necessary.

This is great news. I was wondering when the heck they would logistically even be able to get all six guys in the same place at the same time before they hit the road in June (even just to rehearse, let alone record a new album!). They all have a lot of solo stuff going on — Jeff and Nels especially. May seemed to be the only open month on the calendar. Nels is on the road this month, so if Wilco is currently working at the Loft, I wonder if Nels was able to drop by briefly. Plus, is Jeff still planning to release "Warmer" this spring?

I don't have a definitive ranking this year, but here are my favorites in no order: Josh Rouse – Love in the Modern AgeKacey Musgraves – Golden HourCourtney Barnett – Tell Me How You Really FeelNatalie Prass – The Future and the PastSalad Boys – This is GlueJim James – Uniform DistortionKurt Vile – Bottle it InMark Knopfler – Down the Road WhereverElvis Costello – Look NowJeff Tweedy – WarmWhite Denim – PerformanceSnail Mail – LushJ Mascis – Elastic Days

So I was thinking about these new songs the other day, that they felt so familiar to me already. Part of it is that they are just good songs, warm and timeless. But another part of it is they (subtly) reminded me of older songs that I just couldn't put my finger on. It was killing me that I couldn't nail it down... until I did! It finally came to me yesterday: 1. "Don't Forget" --> "Burned" (Wilco cover version) 2. Chorus of "I Know What it's Like" --> Chorus of "The Kids are Alright" by the Who Does anyone else hear these similarities? Nothing so overt that it is a blatant copy, j

Listened to it three times through now, and my first impression is it is great. "Warm" is a great title because it fits the vibe. Minus "Let's Go Rain," which I just can't get into, and the first half of "How Will I Find You," which I think is weak until the guitar gets going, this is a just a pleasure from start to finish. Highlights for me are "Some Birds," "Don't Forget" and "I Know What It's Like." And "Having Been."

Thirded!

First of all, thanks a million for your recaps on this tour, bbop. These threads are appointment reading the morning after Wilco/Tweedy shows! I've seen "On and On and On" pop up several times this tour, but no footage of it exists. I'm curious how that one sounds solo acoustic.

What about "Drawing From Memory"? Is that accounted for here under a different title or not on the album?

This is great news! It's been apparent at these solo shows over the past few months that Tweedy had a critical mass of new material, and the only question was whether they were on reserve for a future Wilco session or were already in the can in another form. This seems like a really good batch of songs, so I'm really excited for this!