smells like flowers

I loved that one, too! Haven't read any of his other stuff, though. I'm going through some very intense family stuff right now, and the kind of novel I'm usually drawn to (dark realism, maybe you'd call it?) just feels too depressing. Can anyone recommend an author or novel that is well-written but on the lighter side? Please no sci-fi or fantasy-- those are not for me.

Me, too! Though not really of the festival itself (jammy lineup not of particular interest to me) but definitely jealous of those who get to see two nights of Wilco! I hope 2015 has a big fat Wilco tour in store for us, as well as the beloved Solid Sound Festival!

Those Tweedys are smart and insightful and honest. Great read!

Finally got to see Boyhood. I don't go to very many movies in the theatre, so this one will easily make my Best of 2014 list. One of the most moving scenes in the film, where Patricia Arquette breaks down over the swift passage of time and her children growing up and leaving, brought a whole new layer of meaning to the line in Summer Noon that goes, "never leave your mother's womb, unless you wanna see how hard a broken heart can swoon."

I like it as well. It's one of the songs I got attached to right away from the live shows back in June. It has such a pretty groove. Love the acoustic lead.

One of the hardest things to accept about a loved one's depression is that refusal to get help is a hallmark of the disease. Talk about a vicious cycle.

Diane, if you can listen to Strangers Almanac (Whiskeytown) a few times and still not get sprinkled by the Ryan Adams fairy dust, then maybe it's just not meant to be!

Those Lucius girls are fabulous, but the John & Pat background singers are number one in my book!

We're meandering off topic here, but I agree that these songs don't need to be compared to Wilco. They have a life of their own. But Diamond Light taken on by the boys could really knock it out of the park, IMHO. Kind of like how Laminated Cat is played live these days -- still a fairly minimalist song, but filled with all kinds of cool subtle psychedelic sounds for atmosphere.

Yes, this! So eloquently expressed.

I wonder how that works in the brain. There must be a familiarity component, but it's bigger than that. Pretty sure we both love Rhett Miller's voice, too, and while his has a clarity that Jeff's doesn't, Jeff's voice just has something totally special. Hard to define why some people find it so disarming. Part of the magic, I suppose?

Like a lioness or a coyote Also love that! Fantastic lyrics.

I've had good, but not great, luck with Front Gate. The best I ever did for Wilco was fourth row, but mostly it's been around row 9 or higher. I like getting tickets early, but hate that crazy anxiety about logging on at the exact right time and rushing through the process. Nothing's perfect, I guess.

Gimme Fiction is great. I especially love "I Turn My Camera On," which reminds me of the Stones' "Miss You" and which I think is a sexy beast of a song!

Looks and sounds amazing! I I think this one is my favorite so far off the new record.

I think maybe it's just a different approach for this record. The lead vocals on most of the Sukierae studio stuff sound like there are multiple tracks, which is a new thing. In recent live performances, though, Jeff's voice sounded as great as ever to me. (I loved the rasp of the younger Jeff, too, but that's been gone for a really long time now.)

I hate how that happens!

I want the Wilco show with the Tweedy solo setlist and banter. Please and thank you!

Precisely. What's more, even at his most disheveled, he still lights up the stage when he smiles.

Mine too!

I'm with you. The second year was my fave. Even though Wilco played both nights the third year, too, and the Friday nite covers show was super-fun, I like to be saturated with Wilco for Solid Sound.

"Lo fi fuckery." I hope to use that terrific turn of phrase very, very soon.

That's kind of creepy considering Spencer still looks way more like a kid than a grown-up! When we've got Josh for eye-candy, we cougars are satisfied.

And just cuz you need one more: Mikal Cronin

And, has a Tweedy song on the soundtrack! (Summer Noon.) What's not to love?