rwilson580

Another hole in my music appreciation. After Tom started being a combination of Captain Beefheart and Howlin' Wolf, I just don't get it.

 

If somebody wants to take the time to tell me what I should listen for, I would give it a shot.

The protypical, post-Swordfish Waits song has so much going on that has nothing to do with Waits' voice. Try to ignore it for a while. Listen to those guitars...truly some of the coolish solos in rock music ever. Amazing percussion. That eerie, Kurt Weill vibe that highlights so many of his great songs. Interesting, atmospheric lyrics...ok, it might be hard to appreciate those while you're in the ignore-the-voice phase. Years ago I realized some of the coolish sounds I'd ever heard were in these songs...and early on, I remember thinking, jeesh, imagine how great they'd be if this guy could sing. That didn't last long, of course...I came to love the growl, and the falsetto, and the croaks, and...and now I can't imagine anyone else doing vocals on these songs. Pick up Beautiful Maladies...it's a great sampler...and if that doesn't make you decide you have to own Rain Dogs, and Swordfishtrombone, and Frank's Wild Years, and Bone Machine, and a bunch others...well, at least you fought the good fight.

It might be interesting to pick the songs that would have made better openers than actually opened the record...

 

Like...

 

Bull Black Nova for Wilco (The Album)

or

Candyfloss for Summerteeth

Impossible Germany for Sky Blue Sky?

I agree with the poster above that "Either Way" is a great opener for SBS. I couldn't vote it higher than 5th over all, but it works here. I think the first few notes of that song set the table for the album very nicely.

One Sunday Morning, pretty easily. I'm not sure where the album will wind up on my final list, but I have no doubt that this song is an all-timer. Or that I'll find it a better song than any of these contenders.

BTW...if I'd made this list, I guess I would have caught serious hell. Because I always view Candyfloss as the last song on Summerteeth. I never listen to that second Shot in the Arm. How different is that version anyway?

Is the lone vote for Either Way a joke?

I turned a guy onto the band who was already a huge Radiohead and King Crimson fan. I think "Either Way" was a breakthrough song for him...the first song by the band that he really loved. So I guess you never know (good thing that song isn't on the list).

Yeah, it's pretty crowded at the top. I'm not sure I could squeeze it above IATTBYH, Misunderstood, or ALTWYS either. But that's very elite company.

Art of Almost is looming larger every time I take another trip through the new album. The second half of the song is so terrific that for my first few listens I found myself waiting for it...but lately I'm enjoying the first half as much, if not more. It's easy to say it's another great opener, one of the band's bests. But their absolute best?...that's tough to say. Just wondering what others think....

"Found a fix for the fits, come listen to this, it's buried under the hiss, and it glows"

I revived this thread just to salute these lyrics again. They knock me out every time. Even if the song as a whole stumps me.

Definitely:

YHF, AGiB

BT, SBS, WL

ST

AM, (TA)

Yeah, plus they received input from some outside party to help ensure its hitdom. As one who does find many of the songs on this album a trifle over-produced, this should put "Can't Stand It" at the top of my bitch list. But, strangely, that song has never bothered me much.

How'd the Summerteeth distribution look? That seems to be a life changer for so many. But to a few malcontents (like myself)...not so much. I wish the band had been on my radar in those days...I wonder how different my opinion would be. Still, at worst, it contains a few of the bands's very greatest songs..

It's still kind of early for Whole Love perspective. I'll take my first shot at this though.

1. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
   
2. A Ghost is Born
   
3. Being There
   
4. Sky Blue Sky
   
5. The Whole Love
   
6. Summerteeth
   
7. Wilco (The Album)
   
8. AM
   

3-5 are fiendishly tough for me. The Whole Love could ultimately move up to third. Maybe it's there now. I don't know. How do you rate things you love?

I don't understand at all the equation a couple people have made of "Capitol City" to "For the Benefit of Mr. Kite." There may be some thematic similarity, and, I don't know, maybe there's some structural similarity that I'm not smart enough to completely appreciate. But the overall vibe of the songs...hmm, hard for me to imagine two songs that are more different. I'm always found Mr. Kite to be one of the more sinister songs I've ever heard. Capitol City...anything but.

First...good parenting, Crow Daddy. If I could get one of my kids to listen to Wilco, I'd be out hear starting threads about it too. No luck so far. I suck at life (down in front!).

Second...excellent album, of course. I wonder about tossing around the word "great," though, or equating it to the band's absolutely finest work. As others have said, it's a little early for that. If you held a gun to my head though -- likely I'll ultimately decide it's a very good album with a couple classic tracks. There are several ridiculously good pop songs on here...and I'm not even talking about everyone's favorite whipping boy,CC...that I'd be hard-pressed to say are anything more than that. Good songs, but not really an expression of a great band doing its best work. One of these would be ok -- even YHF had its Heavy Metal Drummer -- but four or five of them? I think I agree with Jeff that they constructed this album so that, if you lopped off the first and last tracks, you've still got an excellent pop album. There's nothing wrong with that...I like every one of these songs A LOT...but I don't believe it can stand with their best.

Great Tweedy vocals in this song. What's he doing with his voice here?

 

Not at all. But if you're 6'6" and have seats in the first few rows, and refuse to sit down when the 4'9" person behind you asks you to, you are well within your rights to do so, but it may be a sign that you're a self absorbed, entitled, jerk. See your doctor immediately.

I don't think "entitled" means what you think it means.

I basically like it a lot. I'd ditch the "No standing O O O" line. And change the title of course.

I'd get rid of those opening four notes too. The ones that cause everyone to play Name That Tune. Are we doing 70's homages in all our albums now?

It's a beautiful song. Nice change of pace on this album. What's not to like?

It's a good article. Respectful of both bands, and pretty close to the mark. Is there anybody who doesn't think Wilco is more accessible than Radiohead?

One of the problems with W(TA) is that it's so technically precise. Every note is where it's supposed to be, to the max. They were finally able to capture some of their more raggedy, loose and fun side with TWL, but I think AM is brimming with rough-around-the-edges charm.

That's a good point. Although in some ways the band seemed to be reaching out to its audience (or maybe a broader audience) more than ever -- (The Song), the Camel, the duet, the homage -- the music maybe was sending a different message. Just a little too carefully constructed...a little too pristine...a little too remote. The rough edges that appear from time to time on their other albums are one of their endearing qualities.

Sky Blue Sky is probably the most polarizing of Wilco's canon, and Wilco (the album) tends to be cast aside as the weakest, most boring, unimaginative, etc.

Well said. We almost have to agree to disagree on SBS. So many of feel that that SBS is an outstanding and essential part of the Wilco legacy. And to others it is quite clear that SBS represents the same nadir as (TA). We can rinse and repeat this discussion until the end of time, and we ain't gonna get anywhere.

I guess that at least this means SBS is essential to a forum like this one. It always gives us something to talk about.

I have a hell of a time putting my finger on why (TA) doesn't work for me. I agree with what someone said earlier...this is a collection of good songs. They're all Tweedy songs, which means they're built on a solid foundation. They're chockful of interesting ideas...there's lots of entertaining stuff going on. I like every song on the album. But I have no interest in listening to it. I guess there's a lot of "good" stuff out there in the music universe. But very few absolute favorites. And every other Wilco album makes that favorites list.

I guess there's quite a difference from "Damn, that's a well-constructed song" to "Man, that song knocks me out."

As a relatively new fan, I'm sometimes surprised that there's not more love for AM here. I always suspect there had to be a lot of fans who were really into AM and Being There, were kind of disappointed in the trend that Summerteeth represented, and exited in droves when YHF came out. Those big alt-country fans that came over from UT, I mean. So the people who really preferred that sound have moved on, don't hang around sites like this one too much. And those that hung with the band the last dozen years are those who liked the changes. So almost by definition AM is gonna be one of their lesser Wilco's. Not so much a reflection on the album as much as a fan base that evolved with the band. Am I all wet?

I've never been confused about why there isn't more (TA) affection though.

I can understand why some would bail out on a post like this one, but this is exactly why I come to boards like these. When I get a new obsession I like to talk about it. And feedback like "YHF rulz!" and "Wilco sucks!"...the norm on some sites...don't cut it. Almost all the comments on this site are useful, but it's still nice to see a brain dump from someone who loves the band as much as I do. Good post Crow!

Sorry about the song title. No, I don't skip the song. When I'm on a Wilco bender, I don't skip SBS. And if I'm doing SBS, I don't skip LMLYFM. It's not a favorite, but not one I dislike either. Jeff Tweedy has written a lot of songs like that one.

My primary point was addressed to those who accuse SBS of being too mellow. If so, BT is definitely subject to the same charge. Again, not my charge.

I was wrong to stress the vibe / similar buttons argument too strongly. That's not literally true of any Wilco albums for me...they're all unique experiences. In fact, though, if you held a gun to my head, I do prefer the SBS vibe. I probably slightly prefer the album overall. SBS has a couple songs I could do without. But the first six songs are that strong for me.

I hope I didn't misspell any words that might distract from my actual points.

One thing I don't understand...with all the complaints about SBS being a little too laid back, a little too mellow....is the almost universal reverence for "Being There." Don't get me wrong, I love BT. Without reservation...as I do SBS. And the albums seem to push the same buttons for me. My wife has no patience for the noise I get into...but these are two Wilco albums she can get behind. To put it in the most damning, bring-on-the-flames way possible -- if you slid "Leave Me As You Find Me" into Being There -- would it really change the vibe of the album one bit? Would it sound out of place with all those nice relaxing songs on Being There?

You're right -- my wife doesn't like the noise in Misunderstood. But then she doesn't get Shake It Off either. Or Side With the Seeds. Being There is a beautiful album, and, again, I love it. But challenging it ain't.

Hmm...some say that SBS was a step back. Perhaps. I wonder...if the sainted Being There had been released in 2007...what would we be saying about that? Seriously, I wonder...

And don't even get me started on Summerteeth....