What We All Really Want

[pivoboy]

Judging by the hand-wringing, angst-filled missives that have erupted here since the album was streamed, it's clear we all want our heroes to present something more than music itself - something life-affirming, something that trancends art and is ultimately hot-wired into our DNA. We want to be able to tear our hair out and knit belts to them in tribute, to hire skywriters to adorn the heavens with the received messages and of course for the album to move a million units so we can tell the Non Believers that they were really wrong, man. Me too. And judging from what I can see, there are some feelings here that This has not been Achieved. This may be known as the Astral Weeks Disappointment in that it is somehow clear that a favourite artist has not produced the Zen-like nirvana one thought was apparently right around the corner. A number of years ago Peter Buck said he still thought REM had yet to produce their Astral Weeks record yet. Whether it has or hasn't is a matter of debate, but in all these years of listening I have yet to have an album other than the self-titled Astral Weeks open itself up, slide into my CD player and glibly announce, ``Hey, I'm Astral Weeks.'' It takes time, and a lot of listening, before these things become apparant, I guess. I wish I could have been old enough to hear someone open up Astral Weeks and say, ``Gee, not bad, but it's no TB Sheets.''

 

I don't know when it was that Being There exploded in my head and became a Desert Island Disc. Goodness knows it wasn't when I first listened to it. The same holds true for London Calling or Exile on Main Street or Paul Simon's first solo record or even Massive Attack. I shrugged off Born in the USA in one afternoon in favor of vacuuming my used car only to return to the Boss over that long hot summer in 1984 when Springsteen competed with Prince and REM's second record for my affections. My obsessions grow slowly and after these past years I still find I favour AGIB over most of YHF but hardly close to Being There.

 

I am somewhat surprised by the new record but can't say much about it having only listened to it once, except for Hate It Here, in which I hit the repeat button at least six times like some drug-addled monkey in a FDA-sponsored cocaine test out of fear the stream would end and I wouldn't be able to hear it again - it was that good and seemed to match what I had thought was coming: some sort of unholy Little Feet meets Wilco (perhaps I was fooled by the early live takes on Walken and We Can Make it Better and Impossible Germany). It seems things mellowed a bit in the studio. But I can't make any more judgment from there - I liked what I heard and need time to enjoy it more. I will not fall victim to the Astral Weeks Disappointment.

[Basil II]

Nice post,budvarboy!!! could not have said it better.....

 

 

-Robert.

[quarter23cd]

I wish I could have been old enough to hear someone open up Astral Weeks and say, ``Gee, not bad, but it's no TB Sheets.''

TB Sheets is a damn fine song. In fact, I like that song better than much of Astral Weeks. There, I said it.

[owl]

I'm pretty much okay with this new album. I think it might be better than AGIB, which I liked, though maybe they could've been combined to make one really sweet album minus a few tracks from both. I want to hear a high quality version.

[Nonlinear Nonfiction]

it's clear we all want our heroes to present something more than music itself - something life-affirming, something that trancends art and is ultimately hot-wired into our DNA. We want to be able to tear our hair out and knit belts to them in tribute, to hire skywriters to adorn the heavens with the received messages and of course for the album to move a million units so we can tell the Non Believers that they were really wrong, man.

 

Not me. I just want them to keep touring and keep playing - that's enough for me. I think this album is a B+ and I was a B student, so it definitely satisfies me. I hope it is not the last Wilco album and it seems like everyone has forgotten one thing - the songs on the album that were at the core of their 2006 live performances (Impossible Germany, for instance) are 1,000 x better live than on this release. The songs that we haven't heard live yet...whoaaaa am I excited.

[welch79]

the songs on the album that were at the core of their 2006 live performances (Impossible Germany, for instance) are 1,000 x better live than on this release. The songs that we haven't heard live yet...whoaaaa am I excited.

i feel ya nonlinear.

 

now, if we can only coax them back from europe sooner!

[uncle wilco]

...and of course for the album to move a million units so we can tell the Non Believers that they were really wrong, man.

speaking for myself, wilco does hold a place near and dear to me. but as far as wanting to convert the "non-believers", i really don't care. either people get it or they don't. i'm used to favoring music a bit below the radar and i don't need someone elses "thumbs up" to validate what i listen to. i just listen to what i like and if someone asks me about one of those bands/artists, i'm more than happy to enlighten them.

[WaronWar]

I think Wilco has achieved something great within Sky Blue Sky and that is their still revelant. They made a great record (though I have only listened to it twice but I throughly enjoy it) and they have changed their style. You can not expect a band to create a YHF, AGIB, BT every time out. It's just not possible because they would be repeating their styles over and over again; which would thus make them lose their revelance. So in short, I think Wilco will and has made amazing records because they do something different every time out, which I believe if they continue to do hop the hurdle of becoming nostalgic later on.

[Wilco LP #7]

Who else has thought about the fact that Wilco is already quite old? Nels is over 50, Jeff will soon be 40. They're nowhere near their creative end if this album is any indication.... but one does have to wonder how much longer this can go on. There's more than enough there to make multiple more great albums, I just hope they do.

[Gobias Industries]

This is...

 

my favorite Wilco album.

 

Deal with it.

[Spawn's dad]

it's clear we all want our heroes to present something more than music itself - something life-affirming, something that trancends art and is ultimately hot-wired into our DNA.

 

 

you pretty much lost me at 'heroes,' but how is it clear that that is what we all want?

[So Long]

All I really want are some US tour dates...

[cryptique]

it's clear we all want our heroes to present something more than music itself - something life-affirming, something that trancends art and is ultimately hot-wired into our DNA.

you pretty much lost me at 'heroes,' but how is it clear that that is what we all want?

Seriously. Don't assume that I consider any musicians to be heroes, or that you know what I want them to present. These things are not "clear."

 

I just want my favorite musicians to play good music. I couldn't care less if that music is "life-affirming" or "trancends [sic] art."

[embiggen]

I think it's expecting a bit too much to say we want something life-affirming, and yet they've put out this music that is in and of itself life-affirming. this is a conundrum sort of statement, but isn't any kind of music that is uplifting to anyone life-affirming? not everyone has to or is going to love it. just because that is the case doesn't mean that it isn't good or meaningful to people. not every band achieves the status of Exile on Main Street or whatever. it's purely subjective IMO. it's for you, not necessarily the masses, and I think that's what Wilco aims for. this band enjoys the music that they put out and if they feel good about it, it is what it is. I'm an amateur musician who plays for my own enjoyment. I could give a rat's ass if anyone ever liked what I played in front of a crowd. I think Wilco has the luxury of putting out the kind of music they like to play. if you like them great! if you don't, I'm sure they are fine with it. I can never truly rate any of their records without it being completely subjective. any rating system is either subjective on some level or based on sales. if YOU like it and the music brings you joy, that is what matters more than anything.

[Clouds of Fluff]

if YOU like it and the music brings you joy, that is what matters more than anything.

 

Well said.

[embiggen]

did I say the word 'subjective' enough?

[Clouds of Fluff]

I think it had just the right amount of subjective Flick...I'd like to see a few more rat's asses though to be honest.

[Spawn's dad]

did I say the word 'subjective' enough?

 

I don't know, I still have you on ignore.

[viatroy]

What I really want is Wilco to play some western US dates to coincide with my summer travels.

[SarahC]

i wouldn't say that wilco's music is life-affirming, but it makes me feel better a lot of days, and i think that music is supposed to evoke emotion, so i guess they're doing a bang up job.

 

i also have faith that they're just gonna keep going for things that they've not done yet, which is great.

 

go wilco go!

[tweedfolds]

Who else has thought about the fact that Wilco is already quite old? Nels is over 50, Jeff will soon be 40. They're nowhere near their creative end if this album is any indication.... but one does have to wonder how much longer this can go on. There's more than enough there to make multiple more great albums, I just hope they do.

 

 

I always think about that with older artists as there are many who would say that the best art comes out of youth. I don't think its always the case. Take Sonic Youth. I think they make better music now then they ever did 15 or 20 years ago. Flaming Lips as well.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[Somnambulist]

I only listened to the stream twice and I like the new album. I was thinking the other day about how I listen to Wilco. I had heard a few UT songs back in the early 90s and picked up AM on the strength of Box Full of Letters which I saw them perform on that old VH1 show Crossroads. I loved AM at the time it came out and since then have been anxious for each new release. Which brings me to my point...I have memories of the anticipation and eventual enjoyment and understang of each Wilco record. When I pop in Summerteeth, I remember buying the CD on my lunch hour in some little record store on Bleeker Street and having my first listen on the train ride home. It was different from the first two and I kept hitting repeat because at the time it was like a good novel that you were trying to wrap your head around.

I'm not sure how the new record will fit in in my understanding of the Wilco catalogue but I can't wait to explore and make some new memories with it.

 

On another note, I was wondering how other people view the Wilco records. If say YHF was your first Wilco record, how did you view the other records? Did you give AM a fair shake? Did you try listening to AM without thinking of later records? I think that's what's cool about music. Everyone brings a different background to the listening experience.

[cryptique]

On another note, I was wondering how other people view the Wilco records. If say YHF was your first Wilco record, how did you view the other records? Did you give AM a fair shake? Did you try listening to AM without thinking of later records? I think that's what's cool about music. Everyone brings a different background to the listening experience.

I suspect that those of us who heard A.M. when it came out tend to appreciate it more. Or am I wrong?

[bleedorange]

I was late to the party, getting in to Wilco with YHF. Those first few notes of IATTBYH sold me immediately. I hold all their albums in equal reverence, but I was an Uncle Tupelo fan first, so appreciating AM and folowing the progression of their catalog was easy for me.

 

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the new album. In some ways, there are songs that I think surpass a lot of what they have already done (Side with the Seeds, You are My Face, Hate it Here, On and On and On), along with songs that go back to what they've done before (SBS, Leave Me, Patient With Me, Either Way). Nels has added a different dynamic to the band - one that I like a lot. And Shake it Off feels like the most underdeveloped song they have ever recorded. The thought of hearing the live version of the song fills me with a great deal of excitement and dread.

[caliber66]

I didn't hear A.M. until 2002 (aside from "I Must Be High" on college radio), and I like it just fine. Couldn't tell you how it would be if I had bought it back when it came out, though. FWIW, I bought Trace not long after it was released and I still love it.