You Can Be The Stone Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 I'm not a big fan of piano songs and that version of Hummingbird puts the pee in piano. I'm OK with other people loving it, I'm not out to win any converts to the jethro way, but I could do without the two piano attack. Handshake Drugs was already released before AGIB and that version isn't so amazingly better that they just had to put it out again. I'm not a huge fan of the instrumentation for Company In My Back and it seems kind of like filler anyway. Late Greats on the record is bland, boring, meh. I think removing those songs improves the sequence of the record rather than ruins it but that's just me. I do like most of those songs live, Late Greats in particular is much better now, and Hummingbird is an amazingly great song solo.Saying they were sub-par maybe gives the wrong impression. Jeff has been a really gifted lyricist, he's not listed on "best living lyricist" lists for nothing. Through all of the stylistic changes that's been the constant. This new batch of songs it seems like they've given that up in favor of bland MORness. I don't hate all the new songs or anything but none of them have really blown me away like when I first heard early live versions of I'm A Wheel, Hummingbird, Spiders, Less Than You Think, At Least That's What You Said, etc. Are you objectively blaming Wilco's decline on your subjective dislike of the piano? And I don't get all of these "Tweedy's lyrics are subpar" threads; You've distinguished the difference between the new lyrics, and the "Ghost" lyrics stylistically, but not whether one is better than the other. I'm not saying these lyrics are a godsend, but let's not forget all of the shock-value non-sequiturs Tweedy ripped off from Henry Miller to create Summerteeth, and the pastoral, but ultimately bland and esoteric meanderings of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'm sure the man who wrote "I invented a sister, I populate her knives" or "spiders are filling out tax returns" is choosing to make his lyrics a little more universal, not declining because he's getting old and square. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest tandylacker Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Can you imagine what the crowd felt like when they heard this song? I would have been pretty annoyed if they ended on that song... Is anyone like me though... I have disliked every Wilco CD on first listen other than Being There. And actually I really didn't like most of Being There on first listen either.... I have about unique songs from Wilco on my computer that I enjoy. I'm sure JT can shit out at least a few more... So those that are afraid of the new album, just put yourself in a medically induced coma and wake up next summer. We'll fill you in on the details when you come to. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lazy Locomotive Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 It's a Mach piece half Mozart half Bach. --Mike Simple lines, intertwiningBaaaaaa, baaaaaa, baaaaaaaa, baaaaaaa. Its Pretty.Yeah I like it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jethro Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 Are you objectively blaming Wilco's decline on your subjective dislike of the piano?If I was a really big fan of the piano in general and the sort of piano songs that Wilco is doing now in particular then I'd probably be happier with their direction. And I don't get all of these "Tweedy's lyrics are subpar" threads; You've distinguished the difference between the new lyrics, and the "Ghost" lyrics stylistically, but not whether one is better than the other. I'm not saying these lyrics are a godsend, but let's not forget all of the shock-value non-sequiturs Tweedy ripped off from Henry Miller to create Summerteeth, and the pastoral, but ultimately bland and esoteric meanderings of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I'm sure the man who wrote "I invented a sister, I populate her knives" or "spiders are filling out tax returns" is choosing to make his lyrics a little more universal, not declining because he's getting old and square.Music appreciation is subjective, there's no way to logically prove the superiority of one style of lyric writing over another. I just don't happen to think dumbing the lyrics down so they can be easily digested by Margie Minivan on her way to pick the kids up from soccer practice is much of a cause for celebration, and to be honest it seems a bit condescending to think that people aren't going to be able to grasp more complex lyrics or derive any meaning from them. When people hear "spiders are filling out tax returns" they're not likely going to be envisioning literal arachnids with pencils and calculators, they're going to think about what the allegory means, which would in most cases be people who have the traits of spiders. They might think of people they know who are like that, it might remind them of a movie, or a book and that's just one line in the song. It's a much richer experience than if Jeff had just come out and said whatever it was he was alluding to in as concise and straight-forward a way as possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wheelco Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 It's a much richer experience than if Jeff had just come out and said whatever it was he was alluding to in as concise and straight-forward a way as possible.objective correlative, or so they teach Quote Link to post Share on other sites
what i once was Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 We heard Rock/Wreck Myself at Purdue and several days later at Tall Stacks-loved it both times-a little rough but it's just out there. Song seemed so appropriate at Purdue after Jeff anounced the death of his mother-had his heart into singing it. Best aspect of the song may be Nels and Glens solos. They are both so amazing-its great to let them loose. Favorite Nels moment Ashes of American Flags solo- May 4 2005. Glen is always great but his solo shows and recordings let him shine . I would love to see more solos from him on stage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
what i once was Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 We heard Rock/Wreck Myself at Purdue and several days later at Tall Stacks-loved it both times-a little rough but it's just out there. Song seemed so appropriate at Purdue after Jeff anounced the death of his mother-had his heart into singing it. Best aspect of the song may be Nels and Glens solos. They are both so amazing-its great to let them loose. Favorite Nels moment Ashes of American Flags solo- May 4 2005. Glen is always great but his solo shows and recordings let him shine . I would love to see more solos from him on stage. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
You Can Be The Stone Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 I just don't happen to think dumbing the lyrics down so they can be easily digested by Margie Minivan on her way to pick the kids up from soccer practice is much of a cause for celebration, and to be honest it seems a bit condescending to think that people aren't going to be able to grasp more complex lyrics or derive any meaning from them. When people hear "spiders are filling out tax returns" they're not likely going to be envisioning literal arachnids with pencils and calculators, they're going to think about what the allegory means, which would in most cases be people who have the traits of spiders. They might think of people they know who are like that, it might remind them of a movie, or a book and that's just one line in the song. It's a much richer experience than if Jeff had just come out and said whatever it was he was alluding to in as concise and straight-forward a way as possible. Sorry, I left it kind of open to interpretation when I quoted Kidsmoke. I didn't use those quotes to be condescending, or bash the lyrics or something, I just used them as an example of the most abstract lyrics Tweedy has ever pulled off; I was trying to say that I don't know which lyrics are better, but Tweedy has done plenty of evocative poetry, and I'm sure there's a conscious decision to what he's doing, and with his experience, there might be something valid to it. And simplifying the lyrics doesn't have to simultaneously mean dumbing them down. "Either Way" and "What Light" are pretty simple, but I still think there's a rich humanity and aesthetic to them that I haven't seen in too many a Wilco song; contrast this to YHF, where there are some poetic passages that are certainly impressionistic and pretty, yet can sometimes be shallow. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 When people hear "spiders are filling out tax returns" they're not likely going to be envisioning literal arachnids with pencils and calculators, they're going to think about what the allegory means, which would in most cases be people who have the traits of spiders. I think of spiders. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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