SBS: 4 Stars in Rolling Stone

[Aaron1]

The review won't actually go up until tomorrow, but check out the first item here.

[zebra]

Interesting read, but why did he say lyrics are not always a Wilco speciality? Also, I don't think the guitar solo in "Either Way" is "really, really terrible". Oh well.

[lost highway]

Have Wilco ever come up with a better song than "Impossible Germany"? For the first three minutes, it's a mysterious soft-rock ballad with jazzy chords filtered through stoner-country guitar licks, like some lost outtake from Steely Dan's Katy Lied. Jeff Tweedy mumbles about isolation in his most beaten-up-by-life voice. Then, in the final three minutes, it builds into a twin-guitar epic, with Tweedy in the left speaker reinventing Fleetwood Mac circa Bare Trees, and Nels Cline in the right speaker reinventing Television circa Adventure. There's no noise, none of the spazzed-out distortion of the last few Wilco records: It's peaceful on the surface, demented underneath. After a hundred listens or so, you start to notice that even the lyrics, not always a Wilco specialty, are pretty excellent. Even if mellowed-out guitar jammery isn't your cup of tea, respect is due -- this is the kind of song nobody ever gets right.

 

If everything on Sky Blue Sky were as amazing as "Impossible Germany," there would be nothing to complain about -- but what fun would that be? Wilco are the kind of band that really likes to make people complain. So the Chicago boys have done another scandalous about-face, retreating to the light, sweetly zonked country rock we all thought they got out of their system years ago. The soft sound of the album will befuddle some of the fans they picked up with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born. With guitar whiz Cline on board, they seemed to be heading in a more rocking direction -- for many of us, the 2005 live album Kicking Television was their finest hour. Cline's presence is more low-key here, but so is everything else about the album. Sky Blue Sky (great title -- Allman Brothers via Laurie Anderson) is understated, erratic, often beautiful, disarmingly simple music; it really sounds like six guys playing in a room, and no doubt that's how they wanted it.

 

"Either Way" sets the tone straight off -- it's a slight ditty with the acoustic-guitar intro from "Blowin' in the Wind." There's a string section, plus a really, really terrible guitar solo that sounds like a Pat Metheny clone grooving to the Weather Channel, which makes sense, since Tweedy is singing about the sun, clouds, etc. The vocal is so straightforward you wonder if Tweedy's putting you on, but he's not -- he's reveling in clarity and simplicity, from the vaudeville piano roll "Walken" to the hippie-gospel hymn "What Light." He's obviously been listening to a lot of Grateful Dead lately ("You Are My Face") as well as Stephen Malkmus ("Shake It Off"). The influence of Jim O'Rourke, who helped Wilco discover noise on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, is noticeably absent, down to a couple of orchestral arrangements. Some of the 1970s soft-rock tropes work (dig that Basement Tapes organ), others don't (Lord, stomp that wood block). The guitar freakouts are great, especially the two-minute Crazy Horse eruption in the middle of "You Are My Face" and the woozy coda to "Side With the Seeds," which sounds like Robert Fripp doodling over Pavement's "Stop Breathing."

 

As you'd expect, there are some mighty sleepy moments, mostly pushed to the middle of the album ("Please Be Patient With Me"). But the band's light touch adds the right emotional timbre to the music. If Tweedy's trying hard to sound clear and simple, he has good reason -- a few stray lyrics refer to his harrowing rehab experience, and he ends with "On and On and On," a touching tune for his widowed father. Indeed, the smooth style of Sky Blue Sky, especially the emphasis on mellow crowd-pleasers, could be a twelve-stepper's apology to his fans, band and muse for past dramatics. But more likely Tweedy's too smart and too sincere to fake a turmoil he isn't feeling these days -- he holds these songs together with steady nerves and a satisfied mind.

 

ROB SHEFFIELD

(Posted: May 14, 2007)

[Aaron1]

Wait a sec...it is up? Way to make me look stupid Rolling Stone.

[Wilco LP #7]

lyrics aren't usually a wilco specialty? umm...

[Opuntia]

"Either Way" sets the tone straight off -- it's a slight ditty with the acoustic-guitar intro from "Blowin' in the Wind." There's a string section, plus a really, really terrible guitar solo that sounds like a Pat Metheny clone grooving to the Weather Channel, which makes sense, since Tweedy is singing about the sun, clouds, etc.

 

Another reference to the weather channel for the same song just like the pitchfork review....coincidence?

[Aaron1]

There are those (and I'm one of them) who don't think that Jeff's more cryptic stuff is so great. "I am an American aquarim drinker/I assassin down the avenue"? Um...OK.

 

(Please don't hurt me)

[LouieB]

There's a string section, plus a really, really terrible guitar solo that sounds like a Pat Metheny clone grooving to the Weather Channel, which makes sense, since Tweedy is singing about the sun, clouds, etc.

When did it become cool to hate Pat Metheny...

 

LouieB

[Sir Stewart]

The Weather Channel has some good tunes.

[Reflectedinthemoon]

i put in my two cents after the review... i dunno if people agree or not. i dont think i said anything groundbreaking, but just gave my honest feelings of the album (which i received today in the mail [god bless WilcoWorld preorders!])

 

go here to read it. mine's the long one (MagicSam).

[j4lackey]

....But more likely Tweedy's too smart and too sincere to fake a turmoil he isn't feeling these days -- he holds these songs together with steady nerves and a satisfied mind.

 

ROB SHEFFIELD

(Posted: May 14, 2007)

Nice line. Looks like Rob Sheffield's growing up, too.

[Melissa]

A Pavement reference? That's interesting, I didn't really pick up on that at all and I'm a big Pavement fan. Anyone else notice any similarities?

[HighFives]

A Pavement reference? That's interesting, I didn't really pick up on that at all and I'm a big Pavement fan. Anyone else notice any similarities?

 

pavement's prolly just under wilco on my favourite bands list and I didn't notice it either. I guess I can kinda see it now...

[socbret]

A Pavement reference? That's interesting, I didn't really pick up on that at all and I'm a big Pavement fan. Anyone else notice any similarities?

I definitly wouldn't have thought about it unless he mentioned it. To say it sounds like SM is kind of a stretch, but I can see where he is coming from.

 

Jinx HighFives

[cryptique]

When did it become cool to hate Pat Metheny...

Has it ever not been?

[HighFives]

I definitly wouldn't have thought about it unless he mentioned it. To say it sounds like SM is kind of a stretch, but I can see where he is coming from.

 

Jinx HighFives

 

damn.

[JohnW]

I never gave to much credit to reviewers or critics. This review makes my point stronger, I guess i have to keep in mind that the guy wrote this review is the same guy who goes on VH1 and talkes about new photos of ______ (insert lame celebrity here).

[mountain bed]

"He's obviously been listening to alot of Grateful Dead lately".

 

Maybe this dude has inside information I don't have, but I just don't hear it.

[winter party person]

A Pavement reference? That's interesting, I didn't really pick up on that at all and I'm a big Pavement fan. Anyone else notice any similarities?

 

sheffield loves Pavement, he talks about them a lot in his book Love Is a Mix Tape. Pretty good book about 90s music and Ive been wondering how he feels about Wilco since reading it. the review is a bit off in my opinion; im surprised fricke didnt do it.

[wheelco]

"He's obviously been listening to alot of Grateful Dead lately".

 

Maybe this dude has inside information I don't have, but I just don't hear it.

actually, he was talking about you, Scott

[Sir Stewart]

I never gave to much credit to reviewers or critics. This review makes my point stronger, I guess i have to keep in mind that the guy wrote this review is the same guy who goes on VH1 and talkes about new photos of ______ (insert lame celebrity here).

He may do that for $$$$, but Sheffield's a good writer with a real love for music.

[mpolak21]

He may do that for $$$$, but Sheffield's a good writer with a real love for music.

 

Love is a Mix Tape might be the best thing I've read all year. Also kiddos to Sheffield on the Pavement reference, I knew Side with the Seeds reminded me of something but I couldn't place it.

 

--Mike