smells like flowers

Is it just me or did John have one too many coffee?

He totally had ants in his pants!

Was just making dinner and put on Radiohead "The Bends," and was hit with this very visceral memory of how I used to feel when I listened to that-- driving down canopied roads in the dark, with the top down of my little white convertible. The stars pressed down and the music made it feel like the car could literally lift up off the road into the sky above the trees. Something about the combination of the songs on that record (especially Black Stars and the last track, Fade Out), the night sky, and the air rushing over me made it feel like flying.

Anyone care to share a similar experience, maybe with different circumstances, where music literally transported you? Post here.

Went to Solid Sound last year with a Wilco newbie, who I tried to indoctrinate by sharing all my faves... (ST, YHF, AGIB) but she surprised me by liking W(TA) the most. Most immediately accessible, I guess? It's still never gotten under my skin, but to each her own...

I live in North Florida, so spring has done sprung! It's been gorgeous since mid-Feb.

My birthday #1 song is kind of lame (Henry Mancini's theme from Romeo & Juliet) but I think I want to listen to this Billboard Birthday radio station!

Side note, that group promo picture has always weirded me out. Tweedy especially.

It reminds me of a goofy slumber party picture or a boardwalk photo booth picture. I like it!

Watching that made my heart beat faster. I fucking love Wilco.

Old songs heard with new ears:

Blackbird - Beatles. Heard this driving in the car one day and was bowled over by it's simplistic beauty.

Wendell Gee - REM. Was un-decorating the Christmas tree and was moved nearly to tears by the line, "There wasn't even time to say goodbye to Wendell Gee, so whistle as the wind blows, whistle as the wind blows with me."

One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - George Thorogood. I know! I heard this on the radio, driving to the Jacksonville airport, and I was listening to GT tell the story about the landlady, and laughed out loud at the part about she's not getting the back rent or the front rent, however it goes. My reaction to the song really surprised me. I really never liked any George Thorogood song until that day. And I definitely still hate Bad to the Bone!

At least it's well-written: "weary, Wilco-swaddled bones" is a great phrase.

But I can see what some people are saying about not being able to connect emotionally to the album. I think another reason why this album could be called the most daring is because the narrative content of the lyrics is different. I never get the sense that Tweedy's trying to work something out for himself in his head like I did when he sang IATTBYH or Company in my Back or whatever. He doesn't seem emotionally connected to the material at all, with maybe the possible exception of Country Disappeared. He's playing roles. It's as if he's saying, 'hey they're just songs' and I think that really works for the Wilco(the album, song, band) theme. I think it's funny and fun. And it doesn't stop the songs from being good songs. In this album more than the others he seems focused on singing rather than emoting. I think the writing is just as strong as the other albums (rhyming hill with mill aside); it's just that Tweedy isn't spilling his guts to us, or maybe it's more correct to say it doesn't sound like he's spilling his guts to us (since we can't really be sure his mind was filled with silvery stuff or that he assassinated down avenues).

I was thinking along these same lines today... about where I was in my life when when earlier Wilco albums came out and how the emotional elements of the songs hit home (for example, being in a long-distance relationship, madly in love, and listening to "At My Window, Sad & Lonely" or whatever that song is called on Mermaid Avenue pt 1.) Yes, the songs on WTA don't have much of an emotional impact and they don't feel like Jeff is pouring his heart out. I guess that encapsulates what drew me to Wilco, and kept me there over the years... the immediacy of the lyrics, and feeling some (imagined, I admit) connection to the songwriter's vulnerability. Also, when the lyrics feel like poetry (as in, "in my fragile family tree") rather than being delivered in an utterly straightforward way. (This has also been discussed at length on this board.)

I'm hoping that the new record has some content that will help restore my connection to the band -- but maybe we're all just growing up?

early Wilco video with Jeff doing a convincing impersonation of a very buzzed frontman, complete with hair shaking and midriff -baring tummy shaking. I'll tell ya, Jay looks like the stern, sober one!. There's gold in them thar youtubes!

Wow. That was something! I think sobriety's working for Jeff.

F-L-A!!!!

I'll say this again: one of my least favorite things about Nels is that while he can mimick any sound - country-western, rock, whatever W(TA) was - it sounds like he's mimicking. Jay played country-western licks; Nels plays licks that sound like country-western licks.

I agree with this 100%. When Nels plays lap steel "in the country style," it doesn't sound or feel like the real article. The country songs on AM do.

The screams SO do it for me. Not even really in a sexy way... just a heart-pounding, fuck-it-all way.

I think it would be cool if they played one of their albums in its entirety one night. and then played a regular set the next.

I love that idea, but what if the entire album was the yet-to-be-released one? That raises an interesting possibility (which has been thoroughly discussed in another thread)...

Didn't mean to start trouble here; I was a little bummed because I made a special effort to be at my computer at 10:30 (10:15, really), kept refreshing my browser until the sale started, entered my info as fast as I could, and still didn't get a ticket. Of course, I bought regular presale tickets when they came up.

I did the same thing; clicked the link at exactly 10:30, typed in the password, and got the red message back: SOLD OUT. It did feel a little bait-and-switchy, because of course I bought the early worm $99 ticket instead. When they said "limited," I guess they really meant it! No, I'm not bitching, but it was a little bit disappointing to the cheapskate in me. Anyhow, at this point, waiting for the new record, and contemplating a ticket to Jazzfest.

My cup runneth over. TWO HEADLINE SHOWS! Last year, in spite of how incredible the event was, I left there thinking I needed more Wilco. I mean, after the "Evening With" shows running at 3 hours, I figured we'd get at least that much. Now, with two nights, it's going to be full saturation. Sigh.

my favorite Wilco show of all time was the Florida Theater in Jacksonville.

Yeah, that was a great show! But I feel too hemmed in at the Florida Theatre... there's always that "Stand Up/Sit Down" tension, where folks who want to rock out are in the way of those who want to remain in their seats. Can't understand why people would want to sit through a Wilco show. (Unless they have a bad back or something).

**Speaking of favorite Florida Wilco shows, mine was many moons ago in Gainesville, during the YHF tour. Jeff said that the roadies picked the set list, and the band played all the balls-to-the wall songs like Monday, Casino Queen, Outta Site, etc. I was in heaven!

Heard a local band do a cover of "Acuff-Rose" last night. Scorching fiddle throughout -- it totally made my night!

Was just listening to Fables of the Reconstruction while taking the ornaments off the Christmas tree. I doubt I've heard this album all the way through in many, many years. But the closing song, Wendell Gee, just hit me like a mack truck. God, that's a sad and beautiful song.

For comedy, Jon Wurster. If the rest of Superchunk want to come, too, that would be even better! A crowd of Wilco-lovers would surely appreciate the softer side of the Chunk, should they wish to reveal it live.

Apples in Stereo

As long as we're speculating about 2011 tour dates, I want to put in a plug for the beautiful St. Augustine Amphitheatre. It's a fantastic award-winning venue. Rumors abounded last fall that Wilco was negotiating for a date there on the "Evening with Wilco" tour, but it never materialized. They played in Savannah instead. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for North Florida!

Ah, yes, thanks for the reminder: may I add Sufjan Stevens and The National to my list.

Ditto for The National. I tried, I reallly did, but I don't get the appeal.

Oh, just remembered this one: "Back Door Santa" by Clarence Carter. 'Nuff said!

"Born to Run" didn't define the '70s. "Moonlight Feels Right" by Starbuck did.

God, yes! That vibes solo slays me every time!