Panther Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I've really been enjoying the personal responses and stories to the Aeroplane thread in someone else Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I had a pretty similar journey with A Ghost is Born. When AGIB came out, Wilco was just starting to become my favorite band. I remember hearing some of the songs :Muzzle of Bees, Spiders, At Least That's What You Said, at the very first Wilco concert I went to in Pittsburgh in 2003. I left that show thinking "this next record is going to be amazing." A year later, I saw the new lineup play most of it at Bonnaroo a few weeks before it came out, and felt the same way. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on the album. When I actually got the record I was a little underwhelmed by it. I hated how quiet everything sounded. I thought the songs were a lot better live, and thought the mix was incredibly cold and distant. It was the first record I heard with Jim O'Rourke as a producer, that I thought didn't sound excellent on first listen. I did love about half of the record from the get go, but parts of it I saw either as mindless self indulgence: Less Than You Think, Spiders or flat out terrible I'm a Wheel. When I started coming here and collecting live shows-- particularly ones from the 2002-2003 era where the band road tested everything on AGIB except Wishful Thinking and Hell is Chrome,-- I found myself preferring the early live versions to the album. I also went through a period where I tried to "fix" the record by burning myself copies of different configurations of the songs. A live version of Not For The Season in place of Spiders, More Like The Moon in place of Less Than You Think (Chinese Apple ended up working best in that spot), a live version of the original Spiders, I must have had twenty different new Ghost playlists on my ipod. I'd eventually get tired of doing that and just listen to the real thing, and I found myself skipping the tracks I wasn't too fond of less and less (even the drone). By the end of my sophomore year, summer of 2006, I was listening to it more than any record I owned. It just snuck up on me. The production issue for me kind of faded. There were even times when it eclipsed Yankee and Summerteeth for me. I think Aeroplane is a good reference point for this record and it also reminds me a bit of the Eels Electro Shock Blues record. Tweedy really faces his demons head on this record and as dark and exhausting of a listen as it can be in some points, the record always leaves me with a feeling of hope. It's staggering, it's beautiful, it's fucked up, it's inconsistent, it's genius, it’s a hell of a rock record. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zebra Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 AGIB was my first experience with Wilco and at first, I didn't fully get it. I actually saw "Kicking Television" being preformed on TV and saw Glenn and was like, "Holy crap, that's Glenn." So, thinking their music was all fast like KT, I bought AGIB. The first few times I heard it I was not really listening, but mostly had it on for background noise while I surfed the internet. It was until I fully heard "At Least That's What You Said" by it self, with no distraction that it finally clicked that there was more to this music that meets the ear. Once the album clicked, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I've loved Wilco ever since. AGIB ranks higher than YHF for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Panther Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 Yea going back to the production, it was very challenging at first but now its what I really love about it.The spaces between the music are exceptionally brilliant. Lyrically as well I feel it reaches something that the other wilco records don't. I sometimes take it for granted but its rare to find real poetry in rock and roll, Hell is Chrome is poetry. "The air is crisp like sunny late winter days, springtime yawning high in the haze" Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Elixir Sue Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Lyrically as well I feel it reaches something that the other wilco records don't. I sometimes take it for granted but its rare to find real poetry in rock and roll, Hell is Chrome is poetry. "The air is crisp like sunny late winter days, springtime yawning high in the haze"Absolutely. AGIB contains some of my favorite Wilco lyrics...I'd post some, but I'd probably end up posting most of the album. As far as the music goes, I adore that too. So many little interesting surprises and gorgeous moments - Muzzle of Bees, Hell is Chrome, Hummingbird, ALTWYS, Theologians, Wishful Thinking, Company In My Back - there's not really a song on there I don't LOVE (okay, there's I'm a Wheel, but it's fun). YHF is still my favorite, but AGIB is a close second. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
anthony Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 You are going to think I am crazy, but AGIB is what hookd me on Wilco. It was my first CD purchase and I loved it from the opening riff. I think Muzzle, Hummigbird, Hell is Chrome, Spiders (yes, I said Spiders, dammit!), Theologians will go down as Wilco classics. Lyrically, the best LP, IMHO. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zebra Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 The second half of "Theologians" is pure gold for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Panther Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 nothing crazy about that, I think apreciation for this record is more widespread than you think. for me its a classic Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMaker Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 It's still their worst album by far according to me. It's fine, but it's nothing to write home about. The songs are better than the record, if you follow me. Two of my closest friends are music geeks, but aren't necessarily Wilco geeks. They like or love most of the band's albums, but detest AGIB. I still like it, regardless of its standing in my personal assessment of the band's canon, but on some days I can sort of see where they're coming from. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
froggie Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 It's still their worst album by far according to me. i wouldnt say worst (i dont know what is their worst), but its my least favourite. i prefer the songs played live. there's something missing on the studio cuts Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mathew Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 For me its perfect, it acctualy lives up to what most of the YHF hype suggested that album was. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jc4prez Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 You are going to think I am crazy, but AGIB is what hookd me on Wilco. It was my first CD purchase and I loved it from the opening riff. I think Muzzle, Hummigbird, Hell is Chrome, Spiders (yes, I said Spiders, dammit!), Theologians will go down as Wilco classics. Lyrically, the best LP, IMHO. Your not crazy, I personally think its their best record. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChooChooCharlie Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 Your not crazy, I personally think its their best record.I can't disagree, but on a given day its AGIB, YHF, ST, BT tied for first -- they're so different its not really a fair comparison. One thing I am certain of is that AGIB is their most underrated album. Kidsmoke is easily my favorite live Wilco tune, Handshake is a classic and 20 years from now will be a legend of a song. Fantastic pop at the end with Theologeons and Late Greats and Hell is Chrome and ALTWYS hit me over the head one day with their greatness. I used to detest Company in my Back and now I enjoy that too. Its the sleeper Wilco record and no album transports me like AGIB, even when I'm hungover: http://forums.viachicago.org/index.php?sho...p;#entry1071608 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mathew Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 The Wilco Book gives great insight about the writing and recording of this album. Its certainly Tweedys most original work.For me the delivery of the words is staggering, it Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SarahC Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 This record was basically THE record for me in me junior and senior years of high school. there's a lot of emotional distress attached to the songs, but at the same time the songs themselves offer comfort. 12 musical hugs. the loud guitar parts to me, embody what music is. like, the blood, tears, and ultimate release that goes into playing and making music. case in point "At Least That's What You Said"- even though it's loud, there's an elegance there that could rival something Beethoven composed (at least in my mind). Actually, a lot of that song reminds me of Beethoven's symphonys. Quiet and refined in places, but completely ripping your heart out of your chest the next. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jakobnicholas Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 On some days I'd rank it as my #1 Wilco album. First time I heard At Least That's What You Said.....the hairs on my arms stood on end when I first heard the first guitar shredding. Then the hairs on my hairs stood on end when I first heard Glenn's drum bashing near the end. Wow. It still hits me hard. My second favorite part of the record is Hell is Chrome. The lyrics may be my favorite Tweedy lyrics ever. Spiders' recording sounded so ballsy....especially when comparing to the early more straigh-forward "rocker" version. The band totally twisted the song into something that was the same, but so unique. And Muzzle of Bees is so damned beautiful. My only real complaint of the album is that I wish Theologians sounded like it does live now.....I like how Jeff screams, "...and noone's ever gonna take my life from me". On the album, it's very reserved....understandable knowing how hard of a time he was having. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Panther Posted March 6, 2008 Author Share Posted March 6, 2008 I Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted March 6, 2008 Share Posted March 6, 2008 I've read allot of the low tone vocals, were because of the migraines, that physically he couldn't sing any other way. a lot Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jak Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I love AGIB. YHF is great and nice - a nice, brilliant piece of work that lacks any real tension in my opinion (except for the opening). I've always felt that AGIB is very high tension. Many of the songs build up from beautiful melodies to really intense portions, and it feels like one more distorted chord or heavy drum beat and the string would snap into sonic chaos. Pure brillliance, imho. And very moving. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radiokills Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 this is exactly what is happening to me right now. its fucking rad. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bird jam Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 I didn't really appreciate AGIB until I saw the songs live. Up until I saw them on that tour, it hadn't really grown on me despite repeated listenings. After seeing most of the AGIB songs live, it is now one of my favorite albums. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sethyo25 Posted March 7, 2008 Share Posted March 7, 2008 AGIB is the record that introduced me to Wilco. I have listened to it trillions of times, have played everywhere I go, played it for lots of my friends, studied it...it just came out at a time when I really really needed it (as cheesy as that sounds, and the smell of cheddar is near). It's just a great, great, great set of music. One of my all-time favorite records from any artist/band. Actually I'm on my second copy, cause the first, well.....you know... -seth Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quiet Domino Posted March 8, 2008 Share Posted March 8, 2008 I love AGIB. YHF is great and nice - a nice, brilliant piece of work that lacks any real tension in my opinion (except for the opening). I've always felt that AGIB is very high tension. Many of the songs build up from beautiful melodies to really intense portions, and it feels like one more distorted chord or heavy drum beat and the string would snap into sonic chaos. Pure brillliance, imho. And very moving. Well said. YHF is still probably my favorite -- one-of-a-kind gems from start to finish. But the beautiful tension throughout AGIB is what makes it a close second. Such a great piece of art it makes me wish I could do something more creative with my life. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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