marino13

That's a hell of a day, right there. Two great albums at the same time.

It was a great day. Amorica was so good to me from the start that it may have overshadowed A.M. at the time. Thankfully, I had a good enough taste of Wilco that I was able to hop back on the bus during Summerteeth. I can think back on most of the good to great cd's I've purchased and remember where I bought them. For example, I remember buying Superunknown and AIC's Dirt on the same day at a K's Merchandise in the spring of 1994 while on the way to watch my future wife run in a high school track meet (yes, I was late to the party on AIC).

It may have been done before, but it is always useful and interesting to know how others came to find the band.

 

I had never heard anything by Uncle Tupelo.

 

I was at a Best Buy in Arlington Texas on a Wednesday afternoon after work when I discovered Wilco. I know it was in early April because of some work related issues. Best Buy used to have a CD sampler rig in the stores where you could listen to the CDs. Something about the cover interested me. The CD had a little card that said that the band was 'formed from the ashes of Uncle Tupelo'. I wasn't even aware Uncle Tupelo had broken up. What the hell, I'll give it a whirl.

 

...so I gave it a listen.

 

To this day I cannot tell you what hooked me, but from almost the first drum notes of I MUST BE HIGH, I was sold.

 

Very similar experience for me. I first heard A.M. at a cd listening station in Circuit City. I remember buying it and The Black Crowes Amorica on the same day. While I liked the album, I can't say I was totally hooked. I missed out on Being There and then Summer Teeth reeled me back in for good, although I have had some small peaks and valleys with the band ever since. Right now is a great time for me with Wilco, and my daughters are fans too. There is nothing like hearing my almost two year old girl singing along to "whooooole love" with a big smile on her face.

Received this via email today:

Like a cadre of musical brothers finally coalescing after years on the road apart, Yim Yames has joined forces with Jay Farrar (Son Volt, Gob Iron, Uncle Tupelo), Will Johnson (Centro-matic, South San Gabriel), and Anders Parker (Varnaline, Gob Iron) to gratefully deliver New Multitudes, an intimate interpretation of American icon and musical legend Woody Guthrie’s previously unrecorded lyrics.

Set to coincide with the centennial celebration of Woody Guthrie’s birth year,New Multitudes will be released on February 28, 2012 by Rounder Records as a 12 track release and a 24 track limited edition. The limited edition features original Guthrie lyric sheets, the 12 track release, and 12 additional compositions recorded by Farrar and Parker. The album will also be available on vinyl.

Please visit the New Multitudes Facebook page: facebook.com/newmultitudes to hear “Old L.A.” from the album, featuring Anders Parker on lead vocal. "Like" the page to receive updates including interview footage, live performance video, etc.

Under the invitation of Nora Guthrie, Woody’s daughter, to tour the Guthrie archives, each of the four songwriters were offered the chance to plumb and mine the plethora of notebooks, scratch pads, napkins, etc. for anything that might inspire them to lend their voices and give the words new life. “These guys worked on an amazing group of lyrics, much of it culled from Woody’s times in LA. Lyric wise, it’s a part of the story that is still mostly unknown. From Woody’s experiences on LA’s skid row to his later years in Topanga Canyon, they are uniquely intimate, and relate two distinctly emotional periods in his life.”

The spirit of Guthrie may have been involved in more ways than one, as all four songwriters mentioned the immediate connection to the songs they chose, or as they would suggest, “chose them.” The writing came together quickly, as if the mischief muse who originally penned them latched himself to each writer's grey matter upon first contact.

Musically, it is this sense of collaboration that makes New Multitudes not just another trite and traditional acoustic regurgitation of back porch blues. From the ragged jangle of its opening track, “Hoping Machine”, the loping lilt of “Fly High”, the floorboard stomp of “No Fear”, to the lush warmth and sudden sonic gut punch of “My Revolutionary Mind” the cohorts deliver a lesson in discovering a song’s sweet spot. It’s the function and preparedness of each artist’s dogged work ethic gleaned the old-fashion way; veracious songs, road weary odometers, and sweat stained live shows, all attributes of the man they are honoring.

After two times through, I'm liking it. I'm guessing my wife and daughters will really like it, which will in turn make me enjoy it even more. Brothers was about 3-4 songs too long, but I still like it better overall than El Camino. There is nothing on the new one as stunning as "Too Afraid To Love You", but there are also no tracks I want to automatically skip either.

I actually enjoy their albums much more than the live show. I saw them about five years ago at the Vic. I thought it was a good show, but it was only 75 minutes. The thing is, I was ready for it to be over, it was just about the right length. I can't imagine paying $60 to go see that in an arena on this tour.

i do not often listen to the new gillian welch album, but it sounded beautiful at the Ryman last weekend. Nothing uninspired about dave rawlings in person.

 

sat in front of robert plant who periodically groaned and/or growled his enjoyment as well.

You must be a VIP if you got better seats than Robert Plant. Was he really that into the music or was someone squeezing his lemon?

Unfortunately, there is a decent chance they don't even broadcast the Best Rock Album award. I think they have a chance, but Foo Fighters is the favorite. Arcade Fire didn't win Best Alternative Album last year and they won AOTY. I find it funny that AOTY has five mainstream artists this year after the backlash from the Arcade Fire win last year.

I don't get the logic where you think Bon Iver or Fleet Foxes have a shot at Album of the Year but "no way" for Wilco.

Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes

1. They are the critic's darlings right now. Both sold more albums than Wilco.

2. They aren't too new. If this was their first album, no chance. Just like Funeral and Neon Bible didn't get nominated, even though many think they are better than Suburbs. Or AGIB winning and nothing for YHF.

3. Bon Iver's work with Kanye brings him into a bigger spotlight.

Bottom line, they are only going to give one or two slots to non-mainstream artists, and Radiohead, Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes will be ahead of Wilco in the pecking order.

Personally I think an "indie" artist has no chance to win this year after AF won last year. The Empire Strikes Back!! I agree with the above Adele prediction. Perfect combo for them of highly popular and actually talented. There are some good songs on the album, but several throwaways as well. Def. not AOTY material.

I can see a nomination for Alternative Album. No way for Album of the Year (even though it's one of my favorites). Adele and Kanye will be two of the noms and maybe Radiohead or Bon Iver. Taylor Swift and Fleet Foxes are other possibilities. They always have a few big name artists nominated, regardless of quality. Not many popular old farts made comebacks this year (see: Herbie Hancock, Robert Plant, Steely Dan, Dylan, Springsteen, Neil Young, etc.) so no nominations there.

Great show, so much energy. Opener was David Mayfield Parade.

US Cellular Coliseum, Bloomington IL, Nov 17, 2011

1. Will You Return?

2. Shame

3. And It Spread

4. Pretty Girl from Cedar Lane

5. Down with the Shine

6. Paranoia in Bb Major

7. January Wedding

8. The Weight of Lies

9. Go to Sleep

10. The Fall

11. Colorshow

12. I Won't Give Up My Train (Merle Haggard)

13. Tin Man

14. Murder in the City

15. Just a Closer Walk with Thee

16. When I Drink

17. One Line Wonder

18. Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise

19. Slight Figure of Speech

20. I and Love and You

Encore

21. I Killed Sally's Lover

22. Talk on Indolence

The shows they did in Japan last month looked fantastic on paper. I'm not sure what version of the band they are on (4? - AFD, UYI, 2002 and now 2010), but this would be my least favorite of the four....thought they had an interesting thing going with Buckethead, Brain and Robin Finck but now those guys are gone too. Good luck in Canada Axl - I'm sure you'll sell a lot of albums there - I hear their best buys are superior to the US.

http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090321&content_id=a1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp

The new guitarist, DJ Ashba went to my high school. He was a few years older than me, so I didn't know him very well. He was in the pep band playing electric guitar during basketball games . They had a really good drummer too, and they would play "Paradise City" together every game and it was always the highlight of the night. Nobody there would have ever guessed at the time that he would be in GnR over twenty years later, not someone from a little town of 3,000 in central IL.

Heard "Secret of the Sea" at an outdoor shopping area this weekend and about tripped and fell.

I got in right at 10 and pulled two, but my computer just kept cranking on the screen that said "you have five minutes to complete this purchase". There was no continue button to click because the page still had not fully loaded. After about five minutes the session timed out and I hit try again. The tickets were still there and I continued, entering all of my info figuring it would be too late by the time I got to the end. To my surprise, I got the tickets!!! So pumped to see them. I didn't get tickets to the other shows because of the drive during the week. Good luck to everyone with the refreshing.

http://www.billboard.com/#/news/j-cole-debuts-at-no-1-on-billboard-200-blink-1005384552.story

Wilco's new "The Whole Love" takes a bow at No. 5 with 82,000, marking the fourth top 10 effort for the band. Its last release, "Wilco (The Album)," debuted and peaked at No. 4 off a 99,000 start in 2009.

So, with the bonus tracks available for individual purchase, the question is, how nice is the 50 page booklet that comes with the deluxe cd version?

For something new, have you heard Gary Clark Jr. yet? Can't wait for a full length.

And a song from the EP...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e18BHJ7uajQ

Also did Borders the other day and picked up:

Panda Bear - Tomboy - $3.40

The Roots - Tipping Point - $3.00

TV On The Radio - Nine Types of Light - $3.40

Carl Broemel - All Birds Say - $2.40

A week or two ago I grabbed:

Low - C'mon

Roots - How I Got Over

Nicole Atkins - Mondo Amore

Chopin and Champagne Compilation

These were in the $5-$6 range.

I will miss Borders. Used to buy many cd's there with 40% off coupons and gift cards through Discover rewards. I was able to consistently buy new music for $7-10 bucks, not to mention the giftcard perk.

The Saadiq/Black Joe Lewis episode is looking good. Here are some more from the ACL website:

"PS – because you’ve read this far, here’s a sneak peak of Part 2 of Season 37: look forward to episodes with Coldplay, Arcade Fire, Florence + the Machine, Joanna Newsom, Gomez, The Head and the Heart and many more that we haven’t even announced yet."

Obviously, add Wilco to the list as well. Adele was scheduled to record but had to cancel when she cancelled her summer tour.

 

 

I agree, how can people be so judgmental after such a sort time. Oh, I forgot, look at history.

 

Maybe later we can parse it all based on the past musical history. But for now, just shut up and listen ok, talk about it too, it wouldn't be a chat board if we all sat around and said it's great.

 

but I do think it's great....

I think I agree with what you are saying. It bugs me when someone gets jumped for rushing to judgment on a song or an album after just a few listens when they don't like it, but aren't the people who love the songs after a few listens really rushing to judgment as well? It could get worse over time. As a matter of fact, many of the albums that I love on first listen fade quickly over time, where as the ones that take a few listens to enjoy have more staying power. Some of the best albums grab you from the beginning and stay great forever.

I have listened to this 1.5 times and now I'm going to shelve it until the release date. I absolutely LOVED what I heard and it will be really hard to wait until the 27th. I have a strong hope that it will balance that fine line between accessible and complex and be a great album for a long time.

No, thankfully a beautiful blonde (my wife).

It was weird watching Source Code in downtown Chicago (I had no idea ahead of time it was filmed there) when the city skyline came up at the very beginning. It was also a little creepy since I had just got off a train and was hopping back on one later in the day.

Liam Finn open for Wilco

Delta Spirit open for MMJ

In both cases I felt like I had easily gotten my money's worth before the main act came on stage. Also in both cases the main act then came out and played an amazing 2.5 hr. set.

I came across this thread searching for The Raconteurs and found it too hilarious not to bump!! I read an article where Rick Rubin said her new album is just getting started even though it's sold over 2 million copies. Said "Someone Like You" will be the next huge hit and there are 3-4 more hits on the album.

I recently posted on the MMJ board regarding a recent setlist that had 5 Evil Urges songs and ZERO from At Dawn. I expressed disappointment that Evil Urges has taken At Dawn's place as a former album from which they play 4-5 songs every night, while At Dawn songs are becoming rarities. This was met with some immediate backlash. Forget negative opinions, one is hardly allowed to have a neutral or lukewarm opinion over there without getting pounced on for not having blind devotion to the band. I appreciate that this forum seems to allow much more of a reality check to what Wilco is doing. Sure, there will always be some off the wall opinions from all directions, but I think it makes for good discussion and self evaluation.

Pretty sure I've seen a couple places where he played every instrument on the album. I've only been through it one time. Don't like it as much as the first one yet, but I can see growth potential.

Definitely running out to pick this one up over lunch today along with the new Bon Iver. Wasn't a big fan of the BARB album, hoping this one is much better. Really like his first album and the live stuff.