jesus et cetera Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 What do you think of Wilco as a twentieth century band? How would you describe their music (popular, folk music, country etc.) and use of ambient sounds (in YHF)... Were you instantly attracted to their music, or did it take you time to get into it? For lack of better word, as a post-modern band? I'm curious what people think - I'm not reaching for any particular answer.... I need to get my brain rolling on a paper, and I would love some people to bounce ideas off of Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sgtpepper64 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 The thing that caught me most about Wilco at first were how beautiful Jeff's melody writing was/is. He can take a song and no matter how much they distort it with sounds and instruments, it's still breath-taking. The second thing I noticed was how great the lyrical content of the songs are on every Wilco record. But the reason I think most of us love them, is a combination of the two. Jeff has the ability to take the perfect lyrics and fit them with the perfect melody to create or inspire the perfect feeling in all of us. Wilco music doesn't tell a story, it tells a feeling and it makes the feeling the story of your life so to speak. No music today, or most in history is as moving, or as inspiring as the music they create. From all the way back to Uncle Tupelo, to On and On and On off of Sky Blue Sky, I continue to be constantly moved, and impressed, and amazed at how beautiful music can be. That's my take anyway. Hope that helped. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
you ever seen a ghost? Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 art rock? post modern? i dunno. rock. just rock. -justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jesus et cetera Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 The thing that caught me most about Wilco at first were how beautiful Jeff's melody writing was/is. He can take a song and no matter how much they distort it with sounds and instruments, it's still breath-taking. The second thing I noticed was how great the lyrical content of the songs are on every Wilco record. But the reason I think most of us love them, is a combination of the two. Jeff has the ability to take the perfect lyrics and fit them with the perfect melody to create or inspire the perfect feeling in all of us. Wilco music doesn't tell a story, it tells a feeling and it makes the feeling the story of your life so to speak. i couldn't have said that better. there's something ecstatic in the combination of his lyrics and the music. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 they are a 20th century band, so that excludes YHF and beyond. they were a rock band, with a bit of twang, that started using extra musical production on Summerteeth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LouieB Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Is this for college or high school? Rock and roll is a 20th century musical form. So is country music, so is art rock, so is "folk music", so is just about every thing we listen to. LouieB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
WaronWar Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 As Louie B mentioned, your question is a very ambiguous. If your paper is supposed to be about 20th century musical movements, then I would write about 20th century musical movements such as jazz, the development of blues from the plantations, country music, the birth of rock and roll, rap, dance, and of course classical music (though some purists hate more modern classical and would say it's dead). In any case, I would leave Wilco out of your paper because there are hundreds of other bands that pop up in rock and roll (Elvis, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Velvet Underground, The Ramones, The Beach Boys, King Crimson, Brian Eno, Nirvana, and sadly Van Halen) before we even get the evolution of Wilco. As a Wilco fan, it is always fun to be able to use them in a paper or suggest them; however, make sure that using Wilco or any information in any paper fits the paper in a clear concise manner. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
you ever seen a ghost? Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Dylan dammit! you forgot to mention Dylan! -justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JerseyMike Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 If you're really looking to put Wilco in the context of their times, you have to go back to AM, and even before that, and look at the "Alt.Country" or "No Depression" movement of the mid '90's. It never really got into the mainstream, but it was a pretty strong underground movement at the time: Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, The Jayhawks, etc. Since then, Wilco has been a good marker for what has been going on in rock music outside of the mainstream: compare "Summerteeth" to "The Soft Bulletin" by the Flaming Lips, one of the great indie rock records of the '90's, or YHF with Radioheads work around he same time. I'm not really prepared to take this thought any further, but it may be a good start! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
you ever seen a ghost? Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 i agree, i see an RH influence on YHF. in addition to the natural rhythm and melodiousness of a song, RH had started to use little ambient sound touches to push the song forward, always perfectly placed, however odd they seemed. same deal with YHF. -justin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jesus et cetera Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 i'll clarify a bit more... it's a personal paper for a college course, 20th century music history we were to read a paper on Igor Stravinsky's debut of The Rite of Spring (at which crowds rioted for its entirely unconventional sound and structure; the crowds of course came to see Stravinsky's genius later on). it went on to discuss the plasticity of the brain... you may be able to find this online; it's the sixth chapter of the book Proust Was a Neuroscientist by Jonah Lehrer, called Igor Stravinksy: The Source of Music. Assuming you're into such things. After reading the chapter we were to relate it to a band or specific piece of music that we had a similar personal experience with. YHF was released on the edge of the 20th century - it still makes sense to group it in, as Wilco is a 20th century band... and such lines are never solid. YHF was my first experience with the band, so it seemed logical to start there. once i was into that album, there was no stopping me.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
M. (hristine Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jesus et cetera Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 The apple didn't fall far from the tree. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sly like a Foxwell Posted January 25, 2008 Share Posted January 25, 2008 Were you instantly attracted to their music, or did it take you time to get into it? i just pinpointed it. after hearing the line" back in your old neighborhood, the cigarettes taste so good" i was hooked . It was the time , the place, the guitar noise.......... it truly was about "Being There". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dondoboy Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 i just pinpointed it. after hearing the line" back in your old neighborhood, the cigarettes taste so good" i was hooked . It was the time , the place, the guitar noise.......... it truly was about "Being There".Same thing here...that same moment. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mkush001 Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 if you would like an appropriate anecdote: i believe wilco sampled, cut up, and heavily distorted a clip of stravinsky for the transition from ashes of american flags to heavy metal drummer. so there's a connection there, see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted January 28, 2008 Share Posted January 28, 2008 you been talking to Jay, havent you? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mkush001 Posted January 29, 2008 Share Posted January 29, 2008 na, my ear for stravinsky is just that good. full disclosure: i think i read it in learning how to die Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jesusetc84 Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 First Wilco song I heard was "She's a Jar'; I ran out that night to best buy and bought Summer Teeth. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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