Jesusetc84

"Life on Mars?" by David Bowie

"Children of the Revolution" by T. Rex

"Outtasite (Outtamind)" by Wilco

"Ob-La Di, Ob-La Da" by The Beatles

 

With the likely exception of "Being There," their other albums have some huge fans, but also some huge detractors. And you can understand consensus on BT -- if you're not a head banger, there's not a lot to dislike with BT. Strong songs built off a fairly conventional pop structure.

 

 

Detractor might be a strong word, but I always found Being There a great deal below Summerteeth, YHF, and AGIB in terms of quality. I heard Being There after Summerteeth and YHF and was very disappointed at the lack of lyrical and musical complexity. It felt sappy and trite to me the first time I heard it. Even though it eventually grew to be one of my favorite albums of the 90s retroactively, it still falls slightly short of their best work imo.

Hope that doesn't offend anyone, but after hearing endless dissing on Summerteeth (which is to my ears, flawless) I figured I'd get my two cents in.

I usually say Summerteeth is my favorite Wilco album, just to give my other favorite some props, but ultimately, Foxtrot is their best album. It's simultanously warm and inviting and cold and cerebral. It's basically Wilco's perfect storm.

I really don't understand the context that the term "pop" is being used in this thread. If we're talking about 2009 then there's no way W(TA) can be placed in the same category as the material that is being produced by today's "Pop" artists like Britney Spears, Owl City, Fireflies, Iyaz, Kelly Clarkson, Lady Gaga, Jay Sean, Lil Wayne, Ke$ha, Beyonce...

 

The band certainly writes tight, structured and thoughtful songs which they have done consistently through out the years. Summerteeth reminds me so much of the "Pop" of my youth which were the Beachboys, Beatles and CCR. W(TA) is consistent but at the same time different which is the genius that is Wilco. imho

When I hear "pop" in the context of a band like Wilco, I think Beatles, Beach Boys, The Zombies, Big Star, Simon & Garfunkel, The Kinks, Yule-era VU, Elvis Costello. I think that's an accurate assessment of Summerteeth and W(TA). Summerteeth is a masterpiece in that style, while W(TA) is just a good album.

My take:

 

After a period of pleasantness with the record, followed by a period of disillusionment, I've settled into just kinda liking the album. Is it Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or Summerteeth? No. And it's not better than SBS.

I can actually stand every song on W(TA). I can't stand about 50% of SBS.

After a period of absolute bliss with the record, followed by a period of disillusionment, I'm back to loving the album. Is it Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or Summerteeth? No. But it's still a lot better than SBS.

I'm alreay tired of these best of decade lists and the decade isn't even over yet. It is becoming like reading the cover of Us Weekly or something of the equivalent. Sure I clicked on the link to see what RS said, but it didn't compel me to do anything further or shed any insights.

 

I'm mostly grateful that I feel good about knowing what I liked and what I didn't. I feel hopeful/frustrated that there is more to be explored.

 

Now if RS would have had a top ten that included:

 

Wilco: YHF

Iron & Wine: Endless Numbered Days

M. Ward: Post War

Ryan Adams: Heartbreaker & Love Is Hell

Josh Ritter: Animal Years

Fleet Foxes: S/T

Dolorean: You Can't Win

Matthew Ryan: Vs. Silver State

 

then I would claim they were genius.

 

As a side note: I really am cool with Kings Of Leon, but placing three of their albums in the top 100 was pure marketing to the lowest common denominator. Maybe Aha Shake Heartbreak, but cmon.

Soooo basically the only good music this decade was folk/ country based rock?

I'm loving this album. It's the Darth Vader to The Soft Bulletin's Luke Skywalker. It's just as epic as that album, but in a completely opposite way.

This is imo the best thing they've done this decade.

Just as long as they don't Ryan Adams and start putting out 3 records a year at the expense of quality, I'm on board.

So, basically, the next album isn't coming out early, it's just going to be a 2 year wait (a'la Ghost and W(TA)) rather than a 1 year wait (Being There) or a 3 year wait (Summerteeth, YHF, SBS)

I guess if I had to pick:

Red-Eyed and Blue

What's The World Got in Store

Someone Else's Song

Kingpin

Was I In Your Dreams?

the thing with Being There is you could put the whole thing on one cd, so there's no reason to remove songs. I personally wouldn't mind if in the future if it's ever reissued, if they put it all on one cd.

The best was the Giant Machine...cause like...there was more than one 7', 500 lb man running around?

In other news, the LA's are also working on their 3rd album, scheduled for release in 2030.

Well, depending on what article you read, Radiohead is recording/will soon be recording for their next album. For whatever that's worth.

 

And, as said, studio time in January doesn't at all mean album in January. For all we know, this'll be the first session for a three years in the studio kind of album.

Well obviously. I mean look at Summerteeth. The initial Kingsize demos were in what? 1997?

Or...it's a particularly fruitful creative period.

 

Hell, if they have confidence in whatever new stuff they have now, why should they wait to get the recording started?

Well, let's hope your right.

It's kind of weird that Wilco is beating Radiohead to album #8. Slackers!

01. Nirvana- Nevermind

02. Radiohead- OK Computer

03. R.E.M.- Automatic For the People

04. Wilco- Summerteeth

05. The Flaming Lips- The Soft Bulletin

06. Pavement- Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

07. Radiohead- The Bends

08. Jeff Buckley- Grace

09. My Bloody Valentine- Loveless

10. Neutral Milk Hotel- In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

11. The Magnetic Fields- 69 Love Songs

12. Nirvana- In Utero

13. Elliott Smith- Either/ Or

14. Smashing Pumpkins- Siamese Dream

15. Lucinda Williams- Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

16. Mercury Rev- Deserter's Songs

17. PJ Harvey- Rid of Me

18. Talk Talk- Laughing Stock

19. Primal Scream- Screamadelica

20. Nirvana- MTV Unplugged in New York

Nirvana- Come As You Are

Primal Scream- Damaged

Jeff Buckley- Eternal Life

Pavement- Gold Soundz

Smashing Pumpkins- Mayonaise

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds- Into My Arms

Exactly. And even if "recording session in January" meant "new album in January," how is that sad? I don't understand that at all. I'm a big believer in not forcing anything artistic. And I would wager a lot of money that Jeff is the same. So if they've set a studio date, odds are there's a good reason.

 

Sheesh.

Generally when a band tries to record a new album that quickly after one just came out, it's a sign that the band is unsatisfied in some way with the previous record.

Let's hope they don't make another Sky Blue Sky.

Kind of sad they've given up on W(TA) this quickly. It didn't even get a second single, or a W(TA) EP.

My favorite song of the decade. Probably one of a few Wilco songs that never get old for me, no matter how many times they play it. They could play it twice a show and I wouldn't mind.

"Walken", "Late Greats", and "I'm The Man Who Loves You" on the other hand.

I think that the criticism of Sky Blue Sky's "Skynrdesque" musical sections is a complete overlook of the beauty of simple melody and clean playing, which frankly, Wilco does better than anyone else.

 

Exactly, this album has too elements I don't like...Slick 70s quasi-yacht rock and grating jamming, all in the most uber professional of packages.

Basically, it's adult contemporary rock made to sell VWs.

I love the lyrics, but it just bores me to tears.

I think it's beautiful and atmospheric. One of the classiest, most restrained songs Wilco's done. Also a great headphones track. It's a beautiful melody too.

I would love to read that interview. Thanks for the heads up. What is a cherry ghost, btw? This thread has seems to have raised more questions for me than it has answered. so it goes.

I always thought a newly born Ghost, as in a newly dead person.

I'd say W(TA) is more consistent than Hail to The Thief, but HTTT had more interesting ideas when they got it right.

Both albums kill Sky Blue Sky.