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Sky Blue Sky - The Grower Thread


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Considering I'm one of the 8 people out there who didn't listen until it was officially released, this is my first post in this thread.

I've listened to SBS at home late at night on vinyl, in my car while driving through the mountains of West Virginia, while jogging on IPOD, while at work, in a large variety of settings. I have probably listened 20 times through, but have already gone some days without listening to it, a problem I've never had this early on after previous albums. I genuinely like most all of the songs, save for On&On&On, but am catching myself let down by the overall pace of the album, that is to say no real peaks or valleys, just sort of the same song over and over. I'm hoping seeing some of these songs in Charlotte in a couple of weeks will present them in a new light to me. As of right now, I put it only above AM, and I'm not even sure of that. In general I think it's a good record, maybe a B-, but I don't think it's a good Wilco album. I think in the long-run, twenty years from now, most will rank it towards the bottom of their output.

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Big Wilco fan and I was originally from Chicago..........have since moved elsewhere..........anyway..........the first time I heard this album I was kind of torn...........now after about 75 listens a few things stick out..............this is not their best but it is a very straight forward album as far as sound and lyrics...............something I think they needed to make at this time...........there is not a bad song on it imo and is very easy to listen to start to finish..............I give it 4.5/5 stars and my favorite song by far is "What Light?"...............something about it gets me everytime..............I got to say as I listen to all music today.............Wilco and obviously Tweedy is that there is such an honesty to his voice where the listener wants to believe every word sung and hang on every emotion..............that is why I keep coming back no matter the album or change in style.............that is one aspect that never changes and is sorely missed in modern music........

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I'm one of the fans who's not been floored by SBS. I'm continuing to listen to it quite a bit, and there are individual tracks/moments that definitely strike me as genius, but the whole of it has yet to really connect. I don't agree with those who critique it as "safe" or, as I think Pitchfork put it, "dad rock," though I think I can see where that perception comes from -- SBS is plenty experimental structurally, but fairly straightforward sonically. That is, songs like "You Are My Face" and "Impossible Germany" have tons of Wilco idiosycracies, but it's all in the chord progressions, countermelodies, rhythms, etc. We're used to hearing this experimentation more in the arrangement and production, I'd say -- "Misunderstood" and "Via Chicago" being two examples that jump immediately to mind, both being fairly straightforward as far as songwriting but offering mindblowingly unexpected and thrilling takes in how those songs are delivered. What makes YHF such a deeply affecting album for me isn't just the quality of Jeff's songwriting but the unique and moving way that the three chords of "IATTBYH" are constructed to expand and wander and build...

 

Anyway, SBS seems to do almost exactly the opposite. The band has put as much detail and effort into the tracks as ever, but now that's all focused within the songs themselves, and the delivery of those songs is what I think strikes some people as Eagle-esque, or whatever. I think personally I am still trying to get my brain around this new Wilco sound, but that doesn't mean SBS won't grow on me, and I certainly give Tweedy and company credit for continuing to play in new territory record after record.

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I'm one of the fans who's not been floored by SBS. I'm continuing to listen to it quite a bit, and there are individual tracks/moments that definitely strike me as genius, but the whole of it has yet to really connect. I don't agree with those who critique it as "safe" or, as I think Pitchfork put it, "dad rock," though I think I can see where that perception comes from -- SBS is plenty experimental structurally, but fairly straightforward sonically. That is, songs like "You Are My Face" and "Impossible Germany" have tons of Wilco idiosycracies, but it's all in the chord progressions, countermelodies, rhythms, etc. We're used to hearing this experimentation more in the arrangement and production, I'd say -- "Misunderstood" and "Via Chicago" being two examples that jump immediately to mind, both being fairly straightforward as far as songwriting but offering mindblowingly unexpected and thrilling takes in how those songs are delivered. What makes YHF such a deeply affecting album for me isn't just the quality of Jeff's songwriting but the unique and moving way that the three chords of "IATTBYH" are constructed to expand and wander and build...

 

Anyway, SBS seems to do almost exactly the opposite. The band has put as much detail and effort into the tracks as ever, but now that's all focused within the songs themselves, and the delivery of those songs is what I think strikes some people as Eagle-esque, or whatever. I think personally I am still trying to get my brain around this new Wilco sound, but that doesn't mean SBS won't grow on me, and I certainly give Tweedy and company credit for continuing to play in new territory record after record.

 

That is the most insightful analysis of SBS that I've read. Thank you.

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I'm one of the fans who's not been floored by SBS. I'm continuing to listen to it quite a bit, and there are individual tracks/moments that definitely strike me as genius, but the whole of it has yet to really connect. I don't agree with those who critique it as "safe" or, as I think Pitchfork put it, "dad rock," though I think I can see where that perception comes from -- SBS is plenty experimental structurally, but fairly straightforward sonically. That is, songs like "You Are My Face" and "Impossible Germany" have tons of Wilco idiosycracies, but it's all in the chord progressions, countermelodies, rhythms, etc. We're used to hearing this experimentation more in the arrangement and production, I'd say -- "Misunderstood" and "Via Chicago" being two examples that jump immediately to mind, both being fairly straightforward as far as songwriting but offering mindblowingly unexpected and thrilling takes in how those songs are delivered. What makes YHF such a deeply affecting album for me isn't just the quality of Jeff's songwriting but the unique and moving way that the three chords of "IATTBYH" are constructed to expand and wander and build...

 

Anyway, SBS seems to do almost exactly the opposite. The band has put as much detail and effort into the tracks as ever, but now that's all focused within the songs themselves, and the delivery of those songs is what I think strikes some people as Eagle-esque, or whatever. I think personally I am still trying to get my brain around this new Wilco sound, but that doesn't mean SBS won't grow on me, and I certainly give Tweedy and company credit for continuing to play in new territory record after record.

 

Thank you! Even Pitchfork had their heads too far up their asses to realize that!

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I'm one of the fans who's not been floored by SBS. I'm continuing to listen to it quite a bit, and there are individual tracks/moments that definitely strike me as genius, but the whole of it has yet to really connect. I don't agree with those who critique it as "safe" or, as I think Pitchfork put it, "dad rock," though I think I can see where that perception comes from -- SBS is plenty experimental structurally, but fairly straightforward sonically. That is, songs like "You Are My Face" and "Impossible Germany" have tons of Wilco idiosycracies, but it's all in the chord progressions, countermelodies, rhythms, etc. We're used to hearing this experimentation more in the arrangement and production, I'd say -- "Misunderstood" and "Via Chicago" being two examples that jump immediately to mind, both being fairly straightforward as far as songwriting but offering mindblowingly unexpected and thrilling takes in how those songs are delivered. What makes YHF such a deeply affecting album for me isn't just the quality of Jeff's songwriting but the unique and moving way that the three chords of "IATTBYH" are constructed to expand and wander and build...

 

Anyway, SBS seems to do almost exactly the opposite. The band has put as much detail and effort into the tracks as ever, but now that's all focused within the songs themselves, and the delivery of those songs is what I think strikes some people as Eagle-esque, or whatever. I think personally I am still trying to get my brain around this new Wilco sound, but that doesn't mean SBS won't grow on me, and I certainly give Tweedy and company credit for continuing to play in new territory record after record.

 

I agree with others that you've provided some great insight here, in fact it pretty much summarizes a lot of my feelings towards the record as well. Still an enjoyable record, but I'm hoping for better next time round. Here's to hoping the songs really take to the live setting.

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I agree with others that you've provided some great insight here, in fact it pretty much summarizes a lot of my feelings towards the record as well. Still an enjoyable record, but I'm hoping for better next time round. Here's to hoping the songs really take to the live setting.

 

i think they already have - (maybe apart from What light which sounded better when played in Bb mid last year)

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I agree with others that you've provided some great insight here, in fact it pretty much summarizes a lot of my feelings towards the record as well. Still an enjoyable record, but I'm hoping for better next time round. Here's to hoping the songs really take to the live setting.

 

I'm really looking forward to hearing the songs live in Boston later this month -- in the context of older material and with everything being played in the same sound space, it might be easier to figure out how I actually feel about the individual songs. None of those "where are the spacy Jay Bennett noises?" production questions to get in the way of just appreciating the songwriting.

 

And for the record, yeah, Side with the Seeds already pretty much floors me with every listen.

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  • 2 years later...

I feel like this album as a whole has a bad rap on this website, I'm so happy to see some appreciation geared towards it. This is coming from someone who can't really find anything wrong with most Wilco songs, but that having been said, I adore Sky Blue Sky. I can see criticisms of Wilco (The Album), but SBS is top notch in my mind. There's a handful of songs on this disc that have nearly brought me to tears before (Impossible Germany, Sky Blue Sky, On and On and On) plus straight up amazing rockers. Gahh, I'm gonna go put on Either Way right now haha

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Guest Runaway Jim

SBS has not held up for me at all. It's basically become a 4 song album for me - You Are My Face, Impossible Germany, Please Be Patient With Me and On and On and On. I do not actively seek out any of the other songs to listen to, and a couple song I liked have just become annoying (Hate It Here, Walken).

 

YAMF is one of Wilco's very best songs.

 

 

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Guest Speed Racer

SBS really has grown on me. I enjoy it as a nice Saturday morning record, alongside Blood on the Tracks and March 16-20.

 

YAMF is one of Wilco's very best songs.

 

Shake it Off and Side With the Seeds have become two of my favorite songs on the album, though they started off as some of my least favorite.

 

Either Way is as terrible as My Darling.

 

Leave Me Like You Found Me is an abomoniation. Not only is it the worst song in Wilco's catalog, but it is easily one of the worst songs in my entire music collection.

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I just bought a Volkswagon and had to listen to SBS on the way home. I am the stongest "SBS is Wilco's best Album" advocate on this site. I will bravley state that I like this album more than YHF and AGIB -- and willingly absord the numerous figurative slings and arrows that will be hurled at me for stating my beliefs!

 

It makes me happy, makes me cry, and makes me dance. And Leave Me Like You Found me is growing on me. I even like What Light.

 

Bring it on -- I got my armor to protect me!

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Haha, SBS is not my favorite Wilco record but I absolutely love it nonetheless. It probably ranks either 3rd or 4th for me in terms of being my favorite, but that means very little considering I love every Wilco disc. I don't get why this album gets so much guff. I feel like it's meticulously crafted, and a fantastic blend of jammy emotional tunes and intricately arranged mournful ballads.

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Guest Runaway Jim

Leave Me Like You Found Me is an abomoniation. Not only is it the worst song in Wilco's catalog, but it is easily one of the worst songs in my entire music collection.

 

What makes you hate that song so much? I like it fine. It's certainly nothing special, but it's light years better than "What Light".

 

 

I am the stongest "SBS is Wilco's best Album" advocate on this site. I will bravley state that I like this album more than YHF and AGIB -- and willingly absord the numerous figurative slings and arrows that will be hurled at me for stating my beliefs!

 

I wildly disagree with you, but I wouldn't give you any shit for it. I'm glad you like SBS. I've wanted to like it so badly, I just don't. Same with W(ta).

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Guest Speed Racer

What makes you hate that song so much? I like it fine. It's certainly nothing special, but it's light years better than "What Light".

 

The lyrics are terrible, and sound like a passive-aggressive 7th grader wrote them. "Oh no, don't mind me, I'm fine here all miserable and by myself! You go off and have fun!" And the "awakening" at the end of the song is written by the same 7th grader on a slightly better day.

 

The keyboards are probably my least favorite keyboard sound, Nels solos as if he's channeling Kenny G, and the whole sound of the song makes me feel like I'm hearing it over the loudspeaker at JC Penney's.

 

It's Wilco's JC Penney's song. That's why I hate it.

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