random painted highway

I still think, for me at least, that it's better listened to by itself, rather than randomly plucked in shuffle rotations, etc. along with all the live stuff--but I think that's more a function of my tremendously happy memories of the live tunes (and the images and feelings the live tunes bring back to life) than anything having to do with the record itself.

agreed

If you want to go through torrents, i'd recommend the william and mary one.

For me, I can't imagine they could top AGIB - and I'm not sure I'd want them to; I'm ready for something different, but will always come back to this one. The raw emotion, in the guitar and the lyrics, is what gets me.

 

Oddly, I like this recorded version of Muzzle of Bees better than any I've heard live. The building of guitars at the end just takes me off somewhere.

 

-Laura

Agreed. I wish Tweedy would play his solo from the studio version live; make no mistake, Nels' solos in songs like "Ashes of American Flags" bring down the effing house! but I dunno, it just doesn't have the fuzz of Tweedy's solo, removing it from the context of the song, and it sounds more like a bebop solo than anything; so it seems a little too difficult for the sake of it. Yet judging by the setlists, I don't know if they're even playing "Muzzle" anymore =(

It's my favorite album too; it was the one that got me into Wilco. It was the first album that taught me the importance of not taking a song for face value, and giving it repeated listens, and the immense rewards that come from such a thing. "ALTWYS" is the greatest curve ball opener since "everything in its right place". The album evolves, too. Originally, my favorite songs were "Hummingbird" and "Theologians". Such amazing songs, po from the cosmos. Now I'm just in love with "Handshake Drugs". The song is a subtle, rich, detailed masterpiece. I love how John and Glenn add so much groove to it, while Leroy's piano work, and Tweedy's guitar work give it this great sense of fogginess; goes great with the lyrics "exactly what do you want me to be?" You know you're listening to a great song when even the shaker part stands out in the mix. Even if it isn't their best, most heartfelt album, I think it is their most intriguing, their most interesting, and most engaging album. As for live verses studio, I think it's apples and oranges for most of the songs. "Handshake Drugs" is the best example; both are great, but for their own reasons. For me at least, it really kills the flow if I were to mix live with studio.

It seems like there's reems worth of material on the contextual backdrop of the first three albums, yet nothing on YHF and especially "A Ghost Is Born"

Hey Chicken

 

Clean Jeff wrote that and it is one awesome tune

The same with "Wanted". Besides sounding exactly like Hummingbird, it's got just as much pain in it.

I think there's sometimes a misconception about Illinoise, if not the 50 states thing, from the standpoint that it's pretentious. There's a lot of talk about how it seems like the album's just dropping a bunch of names and dates and so fourth; but most of the songs, like the stuff from Michigan, all deal with the humanity and experiences of a certain area, rather than a backstory. "Casimir Pularski Day" is about a girl dying of bone cancer, not about Casimir Pularski Day. I guess that's a rather obvious point, but still, it applies to many other songs on the album. And while the music is pretty much everything and the kitchen sink, i'm sure there's a purpose. Seven Swans was so stripped down I could barely listen to it, so he's capable of giving the songs a lot of space when need be. I'll give Erlewine the benefit of the doubt though.

BTw, does Nels' guitar in this remind anyone else of Astral Weeks?

Good call; it also pretty much screamed out most of the accoustic stuff in Led Zeppelin III, especially "that's the way"

This is the first time they've done 6/8 in *quite* awhile too.

In one of the recent interviews with Jeff Tweedy, it got mentioned that Jeff had a deep seated hatred of words that begin with the letter K, and that Wilco had been trying to phase out such songs as Kamera, pot Kettle black, and the band is only allowed to refer to that 11 minute song as Spiders, not Kidsmoke, and they certainly can't say that its Krautrock. He also hinted he might be altering some songs titles to help him out in this regard, including the old favorite Queenpin, and the fast tempoed Punching Television

Erlewine said that? Aw man. I thought he was cool.

Miles Davis was pretty much clean as a whistle when he did "Bitches Brew", and that album was one of the most bold and experimental statements in music. So anything's possible, really.

I think just because of the collaboration and good communication we've heard about, this album is going to be kick-ass no matter what. judging by the tours, there's a sense of egolessness. glenn has always been about serving the song instead of flourishes, pat and mike will stick to the board parts if need be, and there seems to be no wankery-solo-hogging between nels and jeff. it's like the early '70s heyday of floyd, where pretty much all four members contributed equally, no one above the over. maybe i'm exaggerating a little, but you get the point.

this is what's so great about moving to seattle; it's pretty much a mandatory stop for any west coast, or north american tour!

is that the thanks i get foreshadowed!

hahaha! yes!

For 2, count 'em, TWO live shows of your choice, I challenge any of you to name the song the concert will close with. As before, no, you may not wait to hear the opening notes.....

Why does Jeff keep sneering my username, I ask you. Hmmm.

hoodoo voodoo would be awesome

oh... shit... sweet.

what new atonal nightmare has tweedy come up with?

i hope they keep that massive crescendo from charlottesville, as well as mikael's dissonant piano strike

yes!!!!!!1

nels, you's the man!

this one is one of the top 5 live / nels > studio / bennett cuts imho

gotta love the encore kidsmokes =)

well, i think hell is chrome is definately on the outs tonight

i hope he sings to a 6 year old girl on stage ala every north carolina show