wilconut

I haven't listened to the album all the way through yet, just songs here and there, so I will reserve a more final analysis for midnight tonight when I go Cruel Country front to back with good quality headphones. But I will say that what I've heard thus far is exactly what I expected: excellent songwriting, fantastic musicianship, and a true Wilco (today's Wilco) country record with the requisite twang, plus a couple 'what the fuck was that?' moments to keep folks on their toes. I will also say I am a bit underwhelmed (at this point) by the album as well, and I think both points o

I've read maybe a handful of reviews in recent days that, while praising Ode, take shots at both Star Wars and Schmilco, which I find funny because the critical response to both of those records was also pretty strong. I can see why some folks believe Schmilco hasn't aged well (in 3 short years) and I also understand the critique that Schmilco felt slapped together, kinda disjointed, not a strong holistic effort. But Star Wars (stupid title aside) is a really, really strong record (at least for me) that is listenable all the way through, has urgency to it, and felt like more of a creative leap

Anyone know of a place to stream (or a straight-up MP3 download) of the leak? For some reason, my phone/iPad won't process the leaked versions available thus far...I may be a bit antsy in pantsy, but waiting for my version to arrive Friday/this weekend seems so far off right now.

Studio versions.

Couple of tracks (White Wooden Cross, Hold Me Anyway, and We Were Lucky) are now on YouTube. Have to say, after a couple of listens to each, I was a little underwhelmed, but I'm coming around to the first two - We Were Lucky will take more time. Without a full listen, methinks Ode will be an album where you can't cherry pick tracks to enjoy on a whim. I think Ode, perhaps more than any other Wilco album, will be one you put on from beginning to end rather than saying "I'm really in the mood for X or Y song from Ode." Rather, I think the thought process will be "I'm really in the mood for Ode t

Appears word on the street is Ode has leaked. Anyone confirm? Or, even better, if anyone wants to share a reputable link before I buy the record Friday, that wouldn't suck...

Anyone heard word of the album leaking? Just curious given that Schmilco leaked about a week before its release in 2016 and I have to imagine there are enough digital copies floating around out there.

Any idea where I can hear the song without the video? I love the video, don't get me wrong, but I'd like to hear it all the way through without the stops and starts of video...

OK, um, for those of us (myself included to some degree) who are worried Ode is going to be another iteration of recent Tweedy recordings, check this gem out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98F7I1rva6I Hold Me Anyway. Only so-so audio quality, but the build and complexity of the sonic layering, Tweedy's more exuberant vocals as the song peaks, and tenor of Nels' guitar lines makes me supremely confident Ode to Joy is going to be another fine step forward (and into a slightly different direction) for the band. I'm pumped.

Something of a tangent here, but I can't believe a second track from Ode hasn't been released yet. Not expecting the whole album to leak, but with the band hitting the road this week in Europe, I thought we'd have a second offering by now.

After hearing the acoustic versions of White Wooden Cross and Empty Corner on the BUILD show, this record better leak ASAP because I haven't been this excited for a Wilco record since The Whole Love.

Curious as to whether Everyone Hides is going to be the exact same version as on the St. Vincent soundtrack. I would hope they don't simply run back that version but perhaps take a second crack at it with the full band. I really dig that song but am hoping for a reinterpretation.

I agree with you on Nels' guitar work, but something about the vibe and sound of this tune leads me to think the rest of the record will feel 'bigger' than Schmilco, Warm, Warmer, etc. We may be at a point in Tweedy's career where this breezy, folksy sound is more or less what he is, but something about the arrangement of Love Is Everywhere leads me to think Ode will be a much fuller sounding record.

Yes, Choo-Choo is right, it's worth picking up. And yes, the record is what it's billed to be. As I said, I think my expectations were outta whack and that's 100 percent on me. As has been said, there are some really wonderful cuts here. Worth buying for the Wilco/Tweedy fan.

I think Number 2 in part answers Number 1, though not completely. Perhaps, as you somewhat referenced, it's the song selection. Maybe if the record include more 'deep cuts' or songs we really haven't heard in an acoustic setting before? I don't know... I do agree with you: A perfect weekend morning record, which is probably where this will reside for me. And again, this record contains some fantastic cuts: Via Chicago, Laminated Cat, Ashes, Future Age, Break Your Heart, etc. But for an artist like Tweedy who prides himself on making records a holistic listening experience, this one finds me

It's been a while since I've posted here, but after giving Together At Last a few complete spins, I thought I'd chime in with my initial thoughts: 1). On the whole, my question is: Why? Why did we need a record of all acoustic songs? While I think the super fans (me) will enjoy this, I'm left wondering what Jeff wanted to accomplish by releasing this collection? For the most (and there are some exceptions), these tracks don't feel reimagined or seem to gain much from being stripped back, etc. Perhaps this is more of passion project for Jeff and more power to him - the man has certainly crea

I've had Schmilco basically on repeat since picking it up Friday morning - and I'm completely in love with it. Perhaps some of the most intimate, personal work Tweedy has put forth in a long, long time. Still struggling to find my way with Common Sense and Shrug and Destroy, but the rest of the cuts are stellar. Hate to create a false dichotomy here, but, since both Schmilco and Star Wars were recorded during the same period, I'm way more pleased, excited, passionate about Schmilco than Star Wars. Don't get me wrong, SW has some killer songs on it, but I rarely listen to it from start to fi

Cry All Day? A new Wilco classic. After only one listen, it's a really, really wonderful listening experience, though you do get the sense this is less of a collaborative effort and more the Tweedy show - much like Star Wars, which makes sense given what's been written about how these records were composed. That being said, as with Star Wars, there's a couple of tracks I really question/suspect multiple listens won't do much for my opinion of them - they seem hard to access for the sake of being hard to access. That said, more so than Star Wars at least for me, the highs on Schmilco are

If anyone is feeling generous, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Cheers!

If download links are out, it has to appear at some point. No disrespect to the band, just speculating it will hit the internet sooner rather than later.

http://oneguyonebeer.com/2016/02/24/small-pour-5-alpine-brewing-companys-duet/

Anyone heard anything about first week sales numbers for Star Wars? Just curious.

After five or six listens, I'd give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. Easily the most adventurous and ultimately rewarding record since YHF.

On listen number five, and I think it's safe to say Star Wars is the band's most challenging record since YHF/AGIB - and I mean challenging in the best possible way. It's gruff, rough around the edges, pretty inaccessible at times, and wholly masterful. I fear the critical shorthand for this record is going to be along the lines of "Wilco is back' - they never really left, folks - but Star Wars is a refreshing, complex turn for the band, especially at this stage in their career. I can't get over the urgency of it, how unfussy it feels, almost like these are demos - again, in the best way.

Um, then there's this via the band's FB: https://www.facebook.com/wilcohq/photos/a.127996970420.136900.8290410420/10153437544455421/?type=1&theater Does anyone else think this looks more like album art than a concert poster/press shot? Or is that just me...