Passenger Sid

Bravo, Wilco. So damn feel-good. So fun watching the skaters. Great job by video-maker & the talented skaters/dancers.

Listened to Scarecrow a few times recently. Good-sounding record. Yeah, Kind of Fella I Am is nice. Between A Laugh And A Tear jumps out for me.

Good list by the OP...I've listened to many of those. The ones I haven't, I'd like to seek out. I'd add "Watch My Moves" by Kurt Vile, my personal 2022 fave.

REALLY enjoyed the documentary. Sparked me to listen to Jay's "Kicking At The Perfumed Air". There's a magic, to me, in how Bennett creates music, and you can hear the same magic-ness Jay brought to Summerteeth & the YHF demos & the Mermaid sessions on his final record. It's ram-shackle, but quite beautiful.

I think Tweedy is generally fair, curious and open to exploring different arrangements his band comes up with for records. But if you're saying that Cruel Country sounds too much all-Jeff, I'd agree. I'd sign up to hear what a Wilco record might sound like with someone like a Nigel Goodrich producing, but ain't gonna happen. Early buzz of Wilco's next record makes me think the band will have a LOT more influence on the overall vibe & sound.

The Sadies "Colder Streams" out today. Crackling. Tight...just 33 minutes.

Fair. A lot of it is subjective.

"There are great songwriters who regularly deploy their sense of humor, like Bob Dylan and David Berman" Paul Westerberg, Kurt Vile, Robyn Hitchcock, Dry Cleaning... "Whimsical" would be a way better word than "comedy"...I don't think any of us would want Wilco attempting that. Passenger Side is a Top 10 all-time Wilco song for me. And some of Jeff's Golden Smog contributions are wonderful. Besides all that, no matter the lyrics, an album that SOUNDS fun would we awesome. (I have Viking Dan on right now....I have no freaking idea what it means, but the jam s

"I agree CC isn’t “a step forward” as much as it’s just, imo, really fucking good." "...if you go back through you can hear the seeds of Star Wars in songs like I Might, and the approach of CC in One Sunday Morning and Black Moon." These are, to me, good takes. I like Cruel Country a LOT. I think it works GREAT as an album, as did Ode To Joy, in my opinion. But both works are VERY serious sounding. And arty (Ode To Joy especially). For me, Cruel Country really takes off and soars at Track 10, and is a beautiful ride until the end. But I do enjoy the f

My conclusion after many listens: I love Cruel Country, human & beautiful.

Only a couple listens. Perhaps a tiny bit underwhelmed overall, but yet I really do like lot of it. Three selfish gripes: 1. Wish "Sunlight's End" woulda made the record. 2. I prefer Spencer & Jeff's looser, acoustic version of "Hearts Hard To Find" from the Tweedy Show...particularly how Spencer's percussion keeps the song bouncing along. 3. I've long hoped Jeff's great sense of humor could be sprinkled into a Wilco album just one time. Look forward to listening to "Cruel Country" more over the summer.

I can imagine so.

I only get the freebie stuff. Anyone hear Jeff's new acoustic version of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now"? Such a GREAT song. This fairly recent performance by Judy Collins is a stunner.

A 19-song album of direct country songs (my assumption, based on the 2 new songs, along with the many Tweedy Show demos) feels fresh. So many nice lyrics in the samplings I've heard. "Hearts Hard To Find" particularly stands out.

I agree. Really beautiful. Fingers crossed it is in fact on the record. I'm intrigued by the loose concept of the album. Jeff discussing America & country music is interesting. Particularly love Jeff's quote: " I believe it’s important to challenge our affections for things that are flawed." Regarding the 1st album single, really dig the country twang sound.