Blackberry Rust

^ Absolutely. * * * So I eventually slept sometime yesterday, it's noon here in AU and I've been listening to the record all morning and I just can't wear it out. I must have listened to it about twelve times yesterday. This is one of the most enjoyable, challenging records they've made. Despite the rawness it just keeps revealing itself with each play, which I guess, proves that not every record has to be fussy and agonised over (Sky Blue Sky, WTA and especially The Whole Love). It's strangely recalling (of all things) the improvised jams/exercises/drafts on The Wilco Book disc merges

I've listened to this eight times on the trot now - maybe it's time to reign it in. That's the beauty of being over here in Australia, as the album landed just as I was logging on my work computer. Certainly seems possible. Either that, or a knock-out EP later in the year.

I think from a marketing point of view this was very tactful. The timing and execution was absoutely perfect (purr-fect). From a hypothetical point of view the perception of this album (cat on cover, titled Star Wars) would have been completely different and potentially detrimental to its reception when it eventually landed (i.e. a couple of months out). Potential singles or pre-release tracks wouldn't have helped matters either, as experiencing the album in its entirety is critical given its structure and tone. Radiohead did the same thing in 2011 with The King Of Limbs - no fanfare, no pr

Anybody else getting a very strong Pavement vibe from "Cold Slope"? There's something distinctly Malkmus-y about the chorus, especially.

I did a quick scour of the forum to see if there was a topic for all things Lee, apparently not. I figure there's quite a few fans of Lee/SY on here. I'm a huge fan - he's one of my favourite artists/guitarists. **************** Announced today, Lee is getting some documentary treatment in December 2015. In Doubt, Shadow Him! Via The Wire: http://www.thewire.co.uk/news/37710/lee-ranaldo-film-to-be-released

I've got a lot of time for Greg Kot, Learning How Do Die is an excellent, well researched read. I'm hoping that either Summerteeth, YHF or Ghost get the 33 1/3 book treatment some day. He's the best qualified to handle the task I'd say. With regard to his review: "[...] and the music itself carries its own puzzle-piece refusal to be instantly figured out. It’s strange, grimy and alluring in a way that a Wilco album hasn’t been in a decade." Nailed it.

Cheers!

Text grab? There appears to be a paywall on the site (at least from AU)

I swear I hear this in "The Joke Explained" at around 1:30 My pair of hair perished in the pubes. Surely not, Jeff.

4th listen now. Argh - I'm just... My picks: "Random Name Generator", "You Satelite" (love the Sonic Youth vibe to the opening), " Cold Slope", "Magnetized". In the scope of post-2004 albums: Star Wars > Sky Blue Sky > Whole Love > WTA.

I think the thing that sticks out the most for me (aside from my previous observations) is there's a really strong sense of purpose, direction and confidence to this record, which - as others have pointed out - I haven't heard since Ghost or Fur's Born Again In The USA. This is the sound of a group who haven't just turned 5 degrees; this is a full 90 degree turn.

For me "Magnetized" is one of the lovliest songs that Jeff Tweedy's ever written. I was profoundly moved by "Nobody Dies Anymore" off Sukirae, but this; this is really special. ...and that's the first listen. Really impressed - tight arrangements; songs that breathe; a short album (smart move). Contrary to concerns I've had in recent years, there's a lot of vitality in the studio and they've taken risks and sound hungry. Again - really, really impressed. Let's go again.

Indeed. Most of this sounds like quartet arrangements, rather than a sprawling sextet - they've reigned in the messiness that characterised the last couple of records. It's tight, there's space - it's fantastic. Really looking forward to hearing this on vinyl.

I'd like to think that's Jim O'Rourke on the "Pickled Ginger" harmonies.

Lots from Glenn on this album as well. "Your Satelite" is really excellent.

Given the ordainary week I've had this is a hell of a way to bring on the weekend! Two tracks in...real Loose Fur vibes going on here.

Lovely little tune, and by far the most Wilco-ish track on the album. Everything else is very much Minus 5 territory, but Tweedy's very familiar synth-guitar-skronk phase is in full flight on a couple of other tracks, i.e. "I'm Not Bitter".

I believe that was part of it. And if this image is anything to go by...well. I believe that's Skip Battin, second from left.

..and what a Dylan album to sing backup on. The harmonies on "Oh Sister" are stunning. Desire is my favourite Dylan album.

Now that I'm firmly entrenched in my 30's and fast approaching the mid-point, I'm finding that my love for music isn't necessarily declining, but rather nostalgia is coming back in a strong way and I'm probably listening to older stuff rather than newer stuff. This may explain why - after being a Wilco fan since around 97' - I've joined this forum...despite a false start back in 2011. There's still a vast amount of current music that grabs me (St Vincent, Nosaj Thing, James Blake, Algiers, Kamasi Washington, Flying Lotus) but I've also been discovering/revisiting a wealth of stuff in older g

I can't resist topics like this, so here goes. 20 > 11 (in no particular order) 20. Peter Buck 19. Django Reinhardt 18. Albert Lee 17. Stephen Malkmus 16. Joni Mitchell 15. Annie Clark (St. Vincent) 14. Prince 13. Blind Willie McTell 12. David Byrne 11. George Harrison 10 > 1 (in a slight order - subject to shuffling) 10. Neil Young 9. Roger McGuinn 8. Jimi Hendrix 7. Lee Ranaldo 6. Richard Thompson 5. Robert Fripp 4. Tony Rice 3. Ry Cooder 2. Neil Young 1. Clarence White

Excellent album - right up there with Eureka and Insigificance. I really couldn't believe it had been 14 years since his last songwriting record. On the subject of mixing, this is the way Jim's alway done it. He's big on dynamic range and Eureka is particularly quiet; which can wreak a little havoc if you're putting together a playlist in itunes, but it doesn't really bother me. He's a wonderful producer and an immensely talented musician and arranger.

I've been a Doctor Who fan since I was a kid subsisting of repeats of Tom Baker and Peter Davidson episodes back in the 80's on (the Australian) ABC. The revival's been fitfully entertaining, but I grew increasingly frustrated with the Matt Smith era and the whole blockbuster-every-week approach. Almost all aspects of the production suffered under the strain of trying to appease a dumbed down audience and flog merchandise left right and centre. Since Capaldi took over I've been won back with much better scripts, solid acting and an overall tone which harks back to Tom Baker's Gothic period of

- Finishing off John Banville's The Sea - ridiculously (yet thoroughly impressive) florid, poetic writing. Unrimmitingly glum tone throughout. - A couple of books on El Nino and Global Sea Levels. I feel as though I need to read something a bit uplifting soon.