NateNotta

This really is terrible news.

I don't like any Wilco releases since More Like the Moon EP, I really feel Jay was 1/2 the magic. I've always hoped they would get back together... I see Jay Bennett / Jeff Tweedy as I see Strummer / Jones or Lennon / McCartney.

Real Wilco is dead forever! The magic, the unique vocal melodies, the interesting song structures and instrumentation - it's never going to happen again.

Maybe this CD is as great as the last few, but come on. Wilco's music really has just been getting better and better since they started. If they would have topped AGIB, I would be thinking JT sold his soul to the devil.

AGIB was the sharp dropoff in my opinion, and is only a hair better than SBS. I think there are a lot of Wilco fans who think this new stuff (AGIB and SBS) is real Wilco because they have never really got how good Summerteeth and YHF are. But these post-Jay albums are not even close. The last thing great moment of Wilco was the More Like the Moon EP, IMHO.

sbs is flat, linear, and boring. the only thing that they could have done to make it worse would have been to hire a pro to lay down some killer jazz flute licks to compliment nels' generous offering of noodle orgies and cluster notes.

I totally, totally agree.

Some people claim to like the new lyrics better, and maybe they even believe that now, but looking back at a record like Summerteeth or YHF there's just no way to fanwank around Jeff just not writing at the same level. The songs just don't capture the same depth of emotion and I can't help but have the feeling that most of the songs I do like were older songs that were in some way resurrected for this record (e.g. SBS or Hate It Here). Listening to a song like Via Chicago or Poor Places at the end you were like "holy shit", at the end of an SBS track it's like "well, that wasn't too bad".

I totally, totally agree. Jeff's lyrics used to be weird and original in a good way (all of ST and YHF). Now they are to a large extent lyrical cliche's and lame narratives.

I agree with the above post, I don't really like anything on this album.

Most of it is ok and listenable, but I've concluded that whatever was there that made Wilco (Summerteeth/YHF) magical is gone.

I think it goes back to Bennett being gone... I believe he was half the recipe.

I will still see Jeff solo, he still seems to be amazing by himself, but I don't think I'll be seeing Wilco on tour. The new lineup sounds way too polished and soulless, and it shows on this album.

Specifically on the new album, some of the vocal melodies are probably not that far off from they would have been with the band a few years ago; but musically (instrumentally) the songs are not special. The guitar and piano are boring. Nowhere near the unexpected and completely unique melodies of summerteeth.

Go ahead and disagree, because I know many people will love whatever Wilco put out, and many people just starting listening with AGIB and think they're witnessing the peak... but that's how I feel.

It was a pretty great show. We showed up to pick up our tickets at about 2 pm, right as the band was sound-checking, with the doors open so we could see them. We watched them play 'Walken', the new song, about four times in a row, changing things up a bit each time. Very cool.

And the setlist was awesome too: Far, Far, Away, She's A Jar (!), Airline to Heaven, Misunderstood, War on War... lots of great stuff. Finishing with Spiders was a dissapointment for me, but Shot in the Arm right before that was awesome, with Jeff letting the croud sing along.

Jeff was wearing a walking cast, too, he must have broken his right foot or something.

Nate

Joel Plaskett is awesome... he came to Windsor last year and played in a little box called Phog (this is usually where Elliott Brood plays too)... it was great, very intimate, and I was able to shake his hand afterwards and tell him he rocks.

Your friend's brother's band kicks fucking ass. Ambassador was one of last year's best records. That'll be one helluva show!

 

And then he read the other posts in the thread...

 

An official Wilco tour of this fine land excites me. And AROUSES me. Oh, dear. Maybe they'll come closer than Toronto this time, but I doubt it.

Yeah I'm so pumped to see them becoming more and more popular, they really are awesome. Mark and Casey from the band both went to my high school, then when Steve Pitkin (from Toronto) produced their EP he joined them after that as their drummer.

I've seen them twice here in Windsor, and that number would be higher if we had some good venues with more capacity, because they always sell out.

If this Wilco concert is just Wilco w/ Elliott Brood as the only opening act, that will be amazing. I suppose that would mean for sure that Casey and them would get to meet Wilco... man I want to get back stage, I don't even think I would bug anyone in the band, I just want to be in the same room as them

Well consider this a little more of a confirmation then... July in Quebec. I wonder if I can get backstage.......

Edit: By the way everyone should really check out Elliott Brood... I know one of the guys in the band, but I can honestly say without any type of bias they are great. You won't regret giving them a listen (they're opening for Wilco so you gotta check them out right?!). If you can get stuff from their first EP called Tin Type, it's really good, or anything live, or their major label album Ambassador is good too. It was nominated for a Juno (Canuck Grammy).

My friend just told me his brother's band (Elliott Brood) is opening for Wilco in Quebec in July ... but I don't see the show on the website. Is this not yet announced?