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Guardian Review of SBS


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Wilco

Sky Blue Sky

Nonesuch, 14 May

 

It's been a while since the last offering from Jeff Tweedy and Co, but three years of slavering from fans is about to be rewarded with this seventh studio album. And, boy, was it worth the wait. Though Wilco are known as purveyors of alt country rock, Sky Blue Sky is an astounding demonstration of their ability to move between soulful acoustic folk, jazzy blues, country skank and pumping rock. Tweedy has the vocal range of three people, from country lilt to blues ache to folk sweetness - all this often in the space of one song. And what songs they are. 'You Are My Face' is a classic Wilco segue, as a sleepy Beatleseque ditty is suddenly interrupted with a jazz guitar explosion twinned with Tweedy's achy blues voice before returning seamlessly to piano tinkle and smooth vocals. There are stories of love lost and found, told with originality, humour and sweetness. 'How can I warn you my tongue turns to dust? Lack of disgust doesn't mean that I don't care. It means I'm partially there,' sings Tweedy on the delicately beautiful 'Please Be Patient With Me'. The instrumentation is a mini-rock opera in itself. Glorious riffs, thumping piano and virtuoso guitar solos from Nels Cline are orchestrated with skill, complementing the intricately composed and woven melodies. Simple and soothing, yet rich and rewarding, this is an album you unknowingly yearn for, like a cool hand on a hot forehead. A great album from a band in their prime.

 

Katie Toms

 

http://music.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,,2030994,00.html

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"Sky Blue Sky is an astounding demonstration of their ability to move between soulful acoustic folk, jazzy blues, country skank and pumping rock."

 

Mmmmmm, country skank.

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It's strange seeing Beatlesque into jazz freak out being described as "classic Wilco." I guess they are moving away from being seen as only an alt.country band in the eyes of some reviewers.

About coddamned time. They haven't been "alt-country" since what, A.M.?

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plus, i mean that "lack of disgust" is obviously "like we've discussed." that's a gross error. over the past couple weeks, i read a quote that said that all the reviewers that kept calling Wilco alt-country would be closest to the mark with this record. while that's true, SBS is definitely not even close to that kind of sound...

 

-justin

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great review, but a few "issues" i can't help but point out. sorry, i couldn't help it.

 

It's been a while since the last offering from Jeff Tweedy and Co, but three years of slavering from fans is about to be rewarded with this seventh studio album.

 

studio albums

 

1) AM... 2) BT... 3) ST... 4) YHF... 5) AGIB... 6) SBS...can someone tell me where 7 is?

 

And, boy, was it worth the wait. Though Wilco are known as purveyors of alt country rock,

 

back in the '90's they were alt-country. as we all know alot has happened since then. at least they didn't mention "from the ashes of uncle tupelo."

 

Sky Blue Sky is an astounding demonstration of their ability to move between soulful acoustic folk, jazzy blues, country skank and pumping rock. Tweedy has the vocal range of three people,

 

country skank....sometimes those brit's crack me up....skank? ewwwwwwwwww...and does jeff really have a "range"..?.

 

that is all

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plus, i mean that "lack of disgust" is obviously "like we've discussed." that's a gross error.

Yeah, that didn't look right to me either, but I hadn't gone back and double-checked it until now. Oops!

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what is country skank...?

 

according to wikipedia there is no such term. however, i offer you this...

 

Skank is slang and a pejorative term used in the Western World to describe an extremely self entitled or promiscuous female.[1] It can also refer to how a woman is dressed.[2] Skanks are supposedly shallow women, obsessed with celebrity lifestyle and emulating or focused on the attainment of material goods. This term is distinct from "slut" in that it usually implies a slovenly or ill-featured woman.

 

Originally denoting a bad smell[citation needed] or a filthy surface[3], "skank" has come to refer to someone who is physically repugnant for their filth, and figuratively applied to someone who is morally or socially repugnant for their behavior and demeanor, most often sexual conduct.[4]

 

a search of images under country skank will bring up various "classy" photos including britney spears.

 

i'm thinking skronk was what the reviewer was reaching for which is most commonly associated with various forms of jazz.

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In a musical sense, I'd say "skank" would be more accurately associated with the dancing that accompanies ska music, which further cements my theory that the SBS copy we all have are demos and that, in reality, this will be Wilco's long-awaited reggae album. :dancing

 

Edit: I see parm beat me to it.

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Guest tandylacker

Hello.

 

Wilco has AM, Being There, and both the Mermaid Avenue CDs that would classify them as 'alt-country'. They still play songs at their concerts from Being There and Mermaid Avenue. And many songs have a country slide guitar.

 

While there has been an overwhelming amount of music from them lately that cannot be classified as anything related to country, or skanky for that matter; they definitely have plenty in recent history and a few alt-country type songs on SBS to still mention the alt-country connection.

 

Is this the first time this has been debated?

 

Anyway, nice to see SBS get good reviews. Alot of you SBS hating bitches sure didn't think it would.

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