Three dollars and 63 cents

My DVR is set. I'll be watching this while I have my coffee in the morning.

This arrived today. I'm enjoying it a lot on my first listen. It's not quite as "out there" as their more recent album, House of Return:

from the latest Wilco HQ email:

For seated, non-GA shows, I've had all of my closest seats this year: First row behind the pit on the right for Wilco in Wilmington Fifth row center for Wilco at Tanglewood (presale ) Sixth row right for Bob Dylan & His Band outside of Rochester in August First row center for Andrew Bird here in Ithaca a few weeks ago Second row left for Ryan Adams & the Cardinals in Syracuse For GA shows, I was second row for Bob Dylan a few years ago, and probably third or fourth row for Willie Nelson the last time I saw him. I think I made it about the third row the first time I saw Ratdog, proba

Jenny Scheinman is stunning. I highly recommend this recording of her playing with the Scott Amendola Band in New York last spring. I also second the recommendation of Andrew Bird. I need to listen to more Carla Khilstedt; a few people have played things by her for me and I've really liked them, but I haven't gotten around to buying any of her work yet.

I'm burning a cranberry candle that's making my apartment smell really nice.

I hope you had a good birthday. I was looking for a picture of the Hyde Park mastodon to post, but I couldn't find one. I'll have to take one myself when I finally get around to going to see it.

Happy birthday! (note that it's not )

You mean like opinions that are stated as if they're facts? There are songs on both albums that I skip, but overall I've been enjoying AM more lately. It was the last Wilco album I really got into; in fact, I hated it the first few times I heard it. I often find myself wondering how different the album would've been had they taken more time writing and recording it. I think it's a pretty impressive first album considering how quickly it was put together. I like that we can have twangy Wilco and poppy Wilco and noisy Wilco. It keeps things interesting, especially with how much they've dug

The iTunes bonus track, "Color of Pain," is disappointing. In fact, the high-pitched vocals are bordering on sort of awful. I got the "Fix It" single when I pre-ordered, but when I downloaded the rest of the album this morning, it didn't include "Fix It," so I had to relabel the tracks. I just finished my first listen to the official release, and I don't feel any differently about it than I did a few weeks ago. It's a coherent album, and I think it's more consistent than Easy Tiger, but it doesn't knock me out. I'm working from home today and grading papers, and it's nice background music fo

I hope your mom's surgery goes (or went) well and that she's feeling better soon.

This album just keeps growing on me. I'll probably end up listening to it a few times, as I usually do. I wish they were going to be touring the States again, since I was only able to see them once on their tour this summer. I can't wait to hear what they'll do next.

I love the Ark. The staff was so friendly, and it was a great space for a show. I was a member for the summer, mostly because I had to join to be able to buy alcohol at the show I went to, but I was glad to make a donation. I've also wondered if Jeff might do a run of solo shows around this time.

Good thing I have a DVR, since Tom Wolfe is giving a lecture at my school Thursday night. It's been a nice week of unexpected Wilco appearances, hasn't it? This, plus their appearance in Madison next weekend, plus the Rochester and Baltimore shows. Silly me for thinking they'd drop off the radar after the summer tour.

As much complaining as I think we're going to get in this thread, that's a fantastic pairing. I adore Willie Nelson, and it's been too long since I last got to see him, about five years, I think. I'm sure he and Neil will put on an amazing show. And you never know--there could be some special guests...

Pat has such a mancrush on Obama. Just look at that picture.

Rock 'N' Roll is great for what it is--a pop-rock album. I can see how some people would think of it as a throwaway, and it's definitely not his best album, but truthfully it might be the one of his albums that I listen to the most. I was going through a really rough patch in my life around the time it came out, and I played it a lot then. They weren't life-changing songs, but they made me happy.

Happy birthday! (no Zooey-lookalike cats or PBRs were harmed in the making of this birthday message)

Only a small percentage of tickets are available during presales, and they're not automatically the best seats in the house. You should have no problem getting tickets during the general sale, which I think is next Friday, and should still have a shot at good seats. I've been shut out of presales before and have still gotten seats in the first 15 rows. Good luck with your ultrasound

Oh Jesus, that trip to Wilmington was the very worst drive I've ever made. I actually thought about turning around and going back at one point, except that I knew the storm was heading north. I've never seen hail accumulate like that, especially not so quickly. The next day's trip through New Jersey, NYC, and Connecticut the next day en route to Tanglewood wasn't much better because of downpours and horrible traffic. It was all worth it, though. It always is with these guys. Rochester is a two hour trip for me, which is nothing considering that I'm used to driving to either Philly or Massach

Wow, the presale is tomorrow already, and the general sale is Saturday. They're not wasting any time, are they?

I listened to this earlier and didn't really care for it: Now playing: Next up: YHF