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SBS-- is Jeff f*cking with us??


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(at least two more, this and another. for today)

 

 

My thoughts were that, in a record with precious few weaknesses (none, really), if a gun was at my head and I HAD to pick the "weakest" track on SBS, I think it might have to be "Either Way".

 

That led to me thinking, did Tweedy sequence it as the leadoff song just to "throw" longtime fans? i.e. their initial reactions to the disc would be "...Meh. Nice but not exactly ground breaking esp after YHF/AGIB."

 

Don't get me wrong, I love Either Way - it's a good song and once you pick up the SBS vibe, everything fits perfectly. Wouldn't change a thing.

 

Anyway....it's a slow Monday. Hopefully JT doesn't obsess over people's reactions, he just makes good art and doesn't give a shit what people think. But, ya never know.

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I happen to think that "What Light" is the worst song on the record, so no, I don't think he was fucking with us in that way. Maybe he was fucking with us in making "What Light" the leadoff single.

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No, he's fucking with us. Look at him over there, snickering. Bastard. Look! - he just whispered something to that guy dressed as a cop in a clownsuit. It was about us, no doubt. Hey Jeff, screw you buddy!!

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I happen to think that "What Light" is the worst song on the record, so no, I don't think he was fucking with us in that way. Maybe he was fucking with us in making "What Light" the leadoff single.

 

haha...that was my initial reaction as well

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What Light shines so brightly in live performance though, that I view it as being pretty brilliant...even if, say, it isn't one of the 5 best tracks on SBS. The studio version could've been better, I'd definitely agree.

 

In case my original post isn't clear, I'm trying to come up with some plausible "reasons" (for my own benefit) as to why some oldtime Wilco fans might think SBS is a dud. I've thought about all the obvious ones, it just doesn't quite compute. This is Wilco - a revised but very strong lineup. The songs are very good, some are downright excellent. There isn't a lot of subjectivity to the thing. dunno.....

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What Light shines so brightly in live performance though, that I view it as being pretty brilliant...even if, say, it isn't one of the 5 best tracks on SBS. The studio version could've been better, I'd definitely agree.

 

In case my original post isn't clear, I'm trying to come up with some plausible "reasons" (for my own benefit) as to why some oldtime Wilco fans might think SBS is a dud. I've thought about all the obvious ones, it just doesn't quite compute. This is Wilco - a revised but very strong lineup. The songs are very good, some are downright excellent. There isn't a lot of subjectivity to the thing. dunno.....

 

No offense intended, but what in the world are you talking about? Anyone's thoughts and opinions about SBS (or any other piece of recorded music) is, for the most part, subjective.

 

For example: SBS is the greatest (or worst) CD in the Wilco discography is my subjective opinion. Nonesuch released SBS is an objective fact.

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My initial reaction to most of the album was, "eh. It's got a few good songs, but no bigee." Now, after about 30 or 40 listens I really love it. The only song I'd ditch is Suck It Up or Stick It Out or whatever that piece of crap is. I've tried listening to it countless times with the intent of letting it grow on me. And it has. Like a nasty fungus. It just sounds like a crappy Grateful Dead knockoff.

 

I do think however that this album shows the need for an outside producer. The thing that took YHF to the next level was bringing in Jim O'Rourke (although I guess he was doing the mixing more than anything.) It seems like they need someone who isn't as close to the music as they are to come in and offer an outside perspective on how what they are trying to say is coming across to those they are trying to say it to, and not to alter the band's intent but rather to help focus it.

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They would be f**king with us if 'Shake it off' were the first track on the album.

 

'Either Way' belongs at the front of the line--it's the thesis statement for the album. (Which is to say that the album's theme seems to be, "hang on tightly, let go lightly.")

 

 

radio

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No offense intended, but what in the world are you talking about? Anyone's thoughts and opinions about SBS (or any other piece of recorded music) is, for the most part, subjective.

 

For example: SBS is the greatest (or worst) CD in the Wilco discography is my subjective opinion. Nonesuch released SBS is an objective fact.

 

Sure, I understand that. But as "different" as the initial presentation may seem - until about a minute into YAMF - it's still very much a Wilco record. If you loved Being There, or YHF, I'm struggling to see why you could be indifferent to SBS. Especially since Tweedy is a very autobiographical songwriter, and his life journey has been pretty interesting to say the least.

 

Fine, some will like it more or less - whatever. Some ppl may not be in a Wilco mood this year, even...I understand. What has struck me as puzzling is that some people (and not just on this forum) don't really seem to want to give SBS a fair chance. See my sig.

 

I'll try to stop ranting on SBS so much. Right after the next post. :shifty

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I think the opening track was selected as such not to fuck with the fans, but rather to give the finger to rock critics. I think he did the same thing with the opening tracks of AGIB and YHF too.

I think "Misunderstood" is, at least partially, a deliberate jab at those who expected Being There to be like UT or A.M. Perhaps the best part of the jab is that it's followed by the very traditional "Far, Far Away."

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The vast majority of people on this forum have listened to Sky Blue Sky more than 4 times, I'm sure.

 

I have no idea how many times I've listened to it, but its a lot. And I like the record. But I don't love it like I've loved all the other records. Not sure why really. Might be because it doesn't have lots of hooks like some of the other records.

 

I feel like other records have been "Simple, awesome songs that are dressed up cool", and this one is more "complicated songs that sound nice". At least for me thats how it is.

 

I like it, but I don't love it. But I'm not done trying.

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i don't really get this thread.

 

The intent was to decipher:

 

1. whether Tweedy could be playing some mind games with his fan base, say the way Bob Dylan or Neil Young have often done in the past.

 

2. what is it about SBS that seems to turn off numerous (tho by no means ALL) hardcore Wilco fans.

 

 

I'm not trolling...just being curious.

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One thing I like about this thread is the healthy* amount of willingness to offer up a less-than-stellar review of a Wilco album, in part of in its entirety. It gets a bit scary when we all bow down at the altar of Tweedy and refuse to say anything that smacks of dissent.

 

 

*As healthy as anything on a rock band fan board can ever really be. It's all relative.

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ok, ok.....the truth is, I'm really a shill who works for Volkswagen. They pay me to promote Sky Blue Sky, they really can't figure out why a lot of Wilco heads are dissing the album.

 

But I just can't live with myself anymore, just had to come clean and tell everyone on VC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Kidding of course..)

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This was my honest to god reaction when I first heard the album:

"I've got it! The reason they played this on their website for everyone to hear is because this isn't the real next album! It's a fake that is meant to mislead everyone! Everyone will be expecting this but what they will actually get will be the REAL album which is so amazing that people's heads will explode!"

And then I saved the tracks on my computer, put it away for a month, still held out for the "real" album to leak and then had this one grow on me. Now I like it. End of story.

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ok, ok.....the truth is, I'm really a shill who works for Volkswagen. They pay me to promote Sky Blue Sky, they really can't figure out why a lot of Wilco heads are dissing the album.

 

You do know that Volkswagen doesn't make any money off sales of SBS, correct?

 

 

Oh, and I like "Either Way". In fact, many people do so the point of this thread is much in question. I think it is making the assumption that the majority would agree with you?

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You do know that Volkswagen doesn't make any money off sales of SBS, correct?

 

Yeah, I sorta knew that. But like, I just turned 14 last week. So take it easy on me, ok?

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Yeah, I sorta knew that. But like, I just turned 14 last week. So take it easy on me, ok?

 

ok, Volkswagen earns revenue based on the number of automobile sales. They purchased the rights to use Wilco songs in an effort to gain "credibility" with slews of Wilco fans and others that enjoy "hip" music.

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