WaronWar

"I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" or "Laminated Cat"

Yea don't get me wrong id much rather see them at the vic - thats a near holy experience - but the last few shows at the auditorium have been rockin'... for some of us diehards who have seen them in real intimate settings, sure its not the same, but it still beats the majority of rock shows out there... as long as you dont get stuck up in that balcony that sent tweedy into rehab the following day then ur cool

Your right about seeing them at the Vic. I was in the front row on May 7, 2005 at the Vic, the last day they recording "Kicking Television" and easily out ranks seeing them at Farm Aid and at Lollapoolza.

The beatles released twice as many albums in less time, and most of them are better than anything Wilco's done except for YHF, which is at least as good as Rubber Soul, but not as good as Revolver, SPLHCB, White Album, Let It Be, or Abbey Road.

Sgt. Pepper is way overrated. But Abbey Road kick ass and so does Revolver. I think the test of time will decide if Wilco is one of the greatest. Right now, there number 3 on my list.

1. The Who

2. The Velvet Underground

3. Wilco

4. Sonic Youth

5. Miles Davis

6. Radiohead

Note: Minutemen are rapidly growing for me

I actually just when through a breakup from a relationship that lasted a long time myself and I found that music help me out along with talking about it with my friends.

I'm not a big fan of the Death Cab For Cutie bands and the rest of the emo crowd because there just whiners.

Bob Dylan- Entrie "Blood On Tracks", "Don't Think Twice It's Alright, and "Girl From A North Country"

Wilco- Hummingbird, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart

Jeff Tweedy- Bob Dylan's 49th Beard

Beck- Entire "Sea Change" album

The Flaming Lips- The Gash

Jim O'Rourke's stuff is also amazing a la "Insignafence"

Sister Ray- The Velvet Underground

Desolation Row- Bob Dylan

So What!- Miles Davis

Marquee Moon- Television

Pigs- Pink Floyd

Down By The River- Neil Young

Spiders (Kidsmoke)- Wilco

Take The Long Way- Jim O'Rourke (off of his amazing 1997 album "Bad Timing")

I Heard You Looking- Yo La Teng

Hallo Gallo- Neu!

There's a new band out there that beats every single band. They ruled South by Southwest and took over Pitchfork music festival in Chicago. There new CD "Bang Bang Rock & Roll" hit stores in America this year, but came out in the U.K. last year. The band is:

ART BRUT

As soon as I heard the intro of "Everything Thing In Its Right Place" with its haunting electronic keyboards, I was swept away. To me, it's their best. That's right, it's better than "Ok Computer"; however, I do love "Ok Computer".

I read a comment by Nels Cline that he said the band was taking a more straight-forward apporach rather than something weirder and wackier since he was now on board. I do not think they are taking a step back. Instead musically, they are growing because they are doing different things each record. This next record wil have a lot of soul vibe to it and guitars that weaved together.

Plus, I think all of us can say that many bands can be labeled, but Wilco can not be.

He reads a lot of books by digging deep into them and listens to a lot of music. It's known as the input output method.

Lyrically, Jeff is good because in order to be a good writer; you have to be a good reader. For instance, the lyric "bloodier than blood" appears in Omensetter's Luck by William H. Gass.

Musically, he listens to a wide varitey of music such as strange progressive rock such as Amon Duul, country (The Carter Family), punk (The Minutemen, The Ramones, etc.), funk (Charles Wright), folk (Bob Dylan or Bill Fay), adult happy music (Abba), avant-grade jazz (Derek Bailey or Albert Ayler), and other generes that he can hit a wide varitey of people's musical specturm. Plus, like any person creating music, the music that they have heard can translate into music that they create. For example, "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" sounds very smilar to the german art-rock band Neu's "Hallo Gallo" off of their self-titled debut album.

Is That The Thanks? and Walken are amazing.

A lot of the other songs are great too. The new CD will be another change of Wilco's musical format with a lot of soul vibe in it via the keyboards and will have Tweedy and Cline interweaving guitar parts together a la Television (Verlaine and Lloyd).

I would pick Jeff Tweedy over Dylan because Dylan would be a big bore. I love Dylan to death, but nowadays I proabely would not be able to understand what he would be talking about and he would be too mysterious since he acts like he knows nothing.

Concert: I would go back in time and would have killed to seen Dylan performing songs circa "Freewheelin' Bob Dylan" or to see him with The Hawks (before they were called The Band) during 1965 or 66.

However, during present time, he is not that bad at concert. I saw him at the Auditrioum in '05 with Haggard and he was not bad because he is keeping fresh by rearranging old songs and his horrible voice is filled with emotion.

But I would have to choose Wilco over Dylan nowadays because all six members jell well together which creates a perfect musical atmosphere.

Hey War on War...I'll let you borrow my copy of MA II...I teach at DGS (saw your previous post about Thax)

What do you teach?

A Ghost Is Born- The Guitar Solos and rough live sound is amazing.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot- I love the ambient folk music and Tweedy's lyrics on America

Summerteeth- A Great record if you ever feel manic depressed

Being There- The Rock and roll tunes and the sounds of Americana are great

Mermaid Avenue I- The music prefectly matches Wood Gutherie's lyrics especailly "California Stars"

A.M.- The First three songs are fantastic, but the record sort of dies the rest of the way expect for "Passenger Side" and "Dash 7"

Note: I do not own Mermaid Avenue II. But also, my ranking does not mean I do not love their albums because compared to most bands they have a fantastic discography that is hard to match.

Husker Du's "New Day Rising" or "Zen Arcade"

The Pikies's "Doolittle" has tastes of hardcore in it.

Black Flag's "Damaged" (I think this is what it is called; I don't own it, but I've heard of good things)

Finally, anything that was a part of the amazing indie scene of the 80's.

Once you expand on the traditional great artists that's when you go into the Avant-Garde or Free Jazz. Of course, get Contrane's late work ("Interstellar Space Revisted") some Albert Ayler ("Live at Greenwich Village"), and some Ornette Coleman.

Also, can anyone recommend Derek Bailey records because I have "Aida" and it was decent. But I want to hear what he has can do on the electric guitar.

They have not been country since "Being There" because it had tracks such as "Far Far Away", "Forget THe Flowers", and "Lonely 1"

Its hard to lists songs, but "God Only Knows" is a fresh choice. Instead of the obvious "Like A Rolling Stone", which is a great song, but already has been honored a million times.

"God Only Knows" is a great song that has perfectly layered orchersteration that whispers into the listener's ear; plus, the lyrics are heart felt and can be used as a great way to romanticze a relationship.

Finally, I thought Herion should have been higher, but really was painful was seeing the VU's "Sunday Morning" being place on the list instead of replacing "Sunday Morning" with the epic organ and guitar screeching, drum pounding, transexual lyrics of "Sister Ray".

I read the article in the tribune today and also the Mary J. Blige article by Greg Kot (good article). The story was not really well written, but the journalist at least told his story and really seems like a sad one. For example, the story mentions after Thax got shock treatment he never had demons agaim; however, his whole life seems like his inability to face his demons. He seems like a great guy; I saw him at Lollapoolza, but he needs to face his fears that went through his head when he was in his basement in Woodridge.

Also, it was cool to learn that he went to the same school I go to now, Downers Grove South.

I was wondering if anyone knew how old you had to be to get into the Chicago show or the Black Orchid because I am 17 and some shows you have to be 18+. Since the venue's stupid website does not stay, instead it plays annoying music.

Damn! That shoots down my hope of seeing him solo or even with Loose Fur.

After picking up Insignificance, Half Way To a Three Way and Bad Timing as well as both Loose Fur albums i was really starting to get attached to his work.

 

I have all five on vinyl and am looking for more. Can any one please tell me what other vinyl is available by Jim? Sense my live fix does not look like it will happen anytime soon i guess it's back to the turntable.

You should get his work with Gastr Del Sol like albums such as Upgrade and Afterlife and Cameoflour (spelled wrong). Plus, he has produced thousands of other people that is worth checking out. He is the Brian Eno of today.