Sky Blue Sky

[Golden Smoghead]

Disappointed in SBS then, still pretty much the same. A few tracks have grown on me -- I liked the list of five earlier in this thread, roughly where I'm at as well.

 

One thing this did get me thinking though, is about the discussion of Wilco's arc as a band. Lots of hate for AM in here, which makes sense for people who like SBS. But this led me to thinking about how I'm going the reverse arc to Wilco.

 

I started liking Wilco a lot with YHF. Had heard some of the Being There and Summerteeth tracks on St Louis radio but they didn't really appeal enough for me to investigate. But then I got drawn in by Heavy Metal Drummer and was just completely amazed by the rest of YHF. Like about 50 zillion other people. That album is just brilliant, and pretty accessible to boot.

 

So then I did what I think a lot of other suburban folks who had missed the alt.country movement did: bought the Wilco back catalogue, and then went out and tried to find other music like this. In that process, I loved-loved Golden Smog... Became friends with the music of the Jayhawks and Old 97s... Never dug superdeep -- like for example, I didn't find Jason and the Scorchers until my Steve Earle revelation a couple years later. Anyway I wound up really liking the Steve Earle brand of Outlaw Country, plus the string band revivalist music / the Del McCoury Band brand of bluegrass.

 

To summarize: I feel like this alternative rock guy who thought the culmination of music was Counting Crows (blech!) ran into circa-2000 Wilco and then went from there back towards the band that recorded Anodyne and AM. I adore those straightforward banjo lines, the country guitar riffs, the simple populist lyrics about getting drunk and arrested, and never getting to leave your small town. So for me SBS is just another step away from the simple band that recorded AM... But ironically, I would never have work around towards loving AM without them drifting away from that sound, because of the fact that I started out in the direction Wilco is headed.

 

Hope this makes some sense... And should mention that I dig all the SBS songs much more in their live show forms.

[LouieB]

The only song I am just really sick of is Walken, but not too sick of it since the title is a backhanded tribute to VC....

 

I pass the Wilco loft nearly every work day and I always flash to the vid included in the deluxe set. I always hope that the door is open to the loft, but at 7;45 AM it never is....

 

LouieB

[stooka]

SBS - a year later.......well, let me see.....

 

I never was much into Wilco, but a good friend of mine (Tweedling) kept giving me material to listen to. It never really sank in until I Sky Blue Sky was released. The music and lyrics all came together and I revisited those other cds again. I was sold, they were the shit! Follow that with seing them at the ACL taping, festival and a Jt living room show and you could say it's now all official. I'm a fan!

SBS opened the door for me, brought me closer to an already great friend and allowed me to start an adventure that doesn't look like it will end anytime soon. What a great year

[Oil Can Boyd]

The only song I am just really sick of is Walken, but not too sick of it since the title is a backhanded tribute to VC....

Wait, what? Did I miss something?

[LouieB]

Wait, what? Did I miss something?

I don't know....

 

When the song was first performed it showed up as "Walken" on the set list, clearly a misspelling, and everyone here started calling it that anyway (was it supposed to be called "Walkin" or "Talkin to Myself About You" or something that made sense??), since clearly the song has nothing to do with Christopher Walken so far as I can tell. I suppose someone will have to ask Jeff if this is true or not, but I can't imagine that that was supposed to be the name of the song, but when everyone kept calling it that, it took on the name. It was sort of the first new song that was played after AGIB had already run its course.

 

Of course I could also be wrong about this.....but I don't think so....

 

LouieB

[broc]

I was disappointed with SBS when it came out but thought there were some excellent tracks on it all the same. This thread inspired me to play it again after not listening to it for months and I now think it's worse than I previously thought. It contains some of the worst songs Wilco have recorded (Walken, Shake It Off) and Cline's uber-noodling taints some of the better songs. I welcomed his addition with AGIB but now am of the opinion the band would be better with him gone.

 

The other SBS era tracks do little for me also.

 

It would have been a great 5 track EP but I think it's their worst record, give me AM anyday..

[Guest Cousin Tupelo]

I mean this innocently, and not argumentative: how is that different than, say, Kingpin?

 

 

that's some Dave Matthews Band shit...let's keep that out of Wilco shows...

[caliber66]

I mean this innocently, and not argumentative: how is that different than, say, Kingpin?

My first thought as well.

[Guest Cousin Tupelo]

Thanks for this thoughtful viewpoint.

 

Disappointed in SBS then, still pretty much the same. A few tracks have grown on me -- I liked the list of five earlier in this thread, roughly where I'm at as well.

 

One thing this did get me thinking though, is about the discussion of Wilco's arc as a band. Lots of hate for AM in here, which makes sense for people who like SBS. But this led me to thinking about how I'm going the reverse arc to Wilco.

 

I started liking Wilco a lot with YHF. Had heard some of the Being There and Summerteeth tracks on St Louis radio but they didn't really appeal enough for me to investigate. But then I got drawn in by Heavy Metal Drummer and was just completely amazed by the rest of YHF. Like about 50 zillion other people. That album is just brilliant, and pretty accessible to boot.

 

So then I did what I think a lot of other suburban folks who had missed the alt.country movement did: bought the Wilco back catalogue, and then went out and tried to find other music like this. In that process, I loved-loved Golden Smog... Became friends with the music of the Jayhawks and Old 97s... Never dug superdeep -- like for example, I didn't find Jason and the Scorchers until my Steve Earle revelation a couple years later. Anyway I wound up really liking the Steve Earle brand of Outlaw Country, plus the string band revivalist music / the Del McCoury Band brand of bluegrass.

 

To summarize: I feel like this alternative rock guy who thought the culmination of music was Counting Crows (blech!) ran into circa-2000 Wilco and then went from there back towards the band that recorded Anodyne and AM. I adore those straightforward banjo lines, the country guitar riffs, the simple populist lyrics about getting drunk and arrested, and never getting to leave your small town. So for me SBS is just another step away from the simple band that recorded AM... But ironically, I would never have work around towards loving AM without them drifting away from that sound, because of the fact that I started out in the direction Wilco is headed.

 

Hope this makes some sense... And should mention that I dig all the SBS songs much more in their live show forms.

[So Long]

I mean this innocently, and not argumentative: how is that different than, say, Kingpin?

 

good point...but I dunno...

 

good point haha.

[Maggie]

To summarize: I feel like this alternative rock guy who thought the culmination of music was Counting Crows (blech!) ran into circa-2000 Wilco and then went from there back towards the band that recorded Anodyne and AM. I adore those straightforward banjo lines, the country guitar riffs, the simple populist lyrics about getting drunk and arrested, and never getting to leave your small town. So for me SBS is just another step away from the simple band that recorded AM... But ironically, I would never have work around towards loving AM without them drifting away from that sound, because of the fact that I started out in the direction Wilco is headed.

 

Hope this makes some sense... And should mention that I dig all the SBS songs much more in their live show forms.

 

Change some details around and my story is similar to yours. I was an alt-rock fan during the nineties (Pearl Jam was my band). In 2001 I discovered Ryan Adams and despite my better judgment (I always detested anything country in the slightest) I liked the guy. It took me a couple years to break down and buy some of his albums, but I eventually got a few of them. Then in May or June of 2005 I purchased Cold Roses and my musical life changed. In November of that year, after months of listening to nothing but Ryan and Whiskeytown, I knew I had to branch out, so I started looking into "alt-country" artists.

 

In a matter of a couple days I was investigating Wilco and Son Volt, both of whom I'd heard of during the nineties (had never actually listened to the former, disliked what I knew of the latter). I was disappointed to find that they were now making music with little to no country influence, but I pressed on anyway and became a huge fan of both bands.

 

I enjoy every Wilco album, including SBS, but I'd love to see a return to the simplicity and honesty of all those so-called "alt-country" bands. I do listen to quite a few "indie" bands and try to keep myself up to date in other areas of music, but you can't beat a "straightforward banjo line," as you put it.

[lamradio]

I welcomed his addition with AGIB but now am of the opinion the band would be better with him gone.

 

Blasphemy!

 

But I guess opinions are like butts etc. etc...

 

I'm just a huge fan of jazz/avante-garde guitar, and Nels really added that to the band. To me, he really completed Wilco and right now they have the perfect line-up.

[othersongs]

great to see this topic... here is my story

 

i got my new car last year and then got the new wilco...

 

i played that thing in the car over and over, and I would just go out in my car for drives because the car was new and I would listen to SBS with the windows and sun roof open...

 

so last night, I had the same thing over again, I got my car detailed and it seemed like it was new again, so I listened to SBS in it.

 

Not to mention, I have listened to SBS once a week since last may. It was easily my favorite album of the year.

 

Now, I ve always had YHF as my top album of all time for all music. But I realized last night that SBS could possibly take it's place. It's such a soulful album. I love the guitar solos. I love the production style the best.

 

wow.

[Moe_Syzlak]

great to see this topic... here is my story

 

i got my new car last year and then got the new wilco...

 

i played that thing in the car over and over, and I would just go out in my car for drives because the car was new and I would listen to SBS with the windows and sun roof open...

Is it a VW?

[Guest Cousin Tupelo]

Wow, I'd have to second this response. My sense is, as far as the band as a whole, Nels is the equalizer. Here is someone as talented (IMHO opinion, better) than Jay Bennett, but for Tweedy, this tremendous talent comes without the baggage, without the needing. Nels fully gives to the band's collaborations, and he has the other irons and artistic avenues that ego is removed from the picture. Complete conjecture, but I suspect there's a similar artistic approach with Nels as with Glenn -- two guys confident, extremely talented but w/out superstar egos. Each add their color to the pallete, all at Tweedy's disposal.

 

My hunch is, if you tied him down and threatened him with honey and fire ants, Tweedy would admit that this is his favorite Wilco album -- and not because it's the most recent.

 

Each fan brings his own baggage of experience/opinions to judging each album, finding their favorite points on Wilco's creative arc -- those most familiar, or in harmony with tastes, musical backgrounds yada, yada, yada.

 

For Tweedy, this whole arc is all his; the twists and turns are his direct reaction to those around him, his inner drives (and demons), and within the context of his musical experience and molding tastes at each step of the way. Leaning on Kot and a ton of interviews, but there's a comfort, a richness in the songs, how they're fitted together in sequence (sigh, I miss album sides), the promise, comfort, confident exploration.

 

It's not a jaw-dropping album for the ages, but I believe you can sense six musicians, coming together and creating something, that they breath further life into each time they revisit these songs live -- and moreso, how they breathe new dynamics into songs that range across the arc of Tweedy's spectrum.

 

 

 

Blasphemy!

 

But I guess opinions are like butts etc. etc...

 

I'm just a huge fan of jazz/avante-garde guitar, and Nels really added that to the band. To me, he really completed Wilco and right now they have the perfect line-up.

[Sunken mountain]

Another nice post of Cousin Tupelo.

Tweedy can consider himself a lucky man with this "entourage" of talented people without superstar egos,being the center of one wonderful circle.

His talent deserves this success.

[M. (hristine]

My hunch is, if you tied him down and threatened him with honey and fire ants, Tweedy would admit that this is his favorite Wilco album -- and not because it's the most recent.

The night SBS was streamed was the night of the living room show. Tweedy said that SBS was his favorite album. Straight up. No qualifier.

 

I don't remember any honey or fire ants though. Or maybe that's what they were doing in the basement before we were all allowed to go down there.

[uncool2pillow]

Wow, I'd have to second this response. My sense is, as far as the band as a whole, Nels is the equalizer. Here is someone as talented (IMHO opinion, better) than Jay Bennett, but for Tweedy, this tremendous talent comes without the baggage, without the needing. Nels fully gives to the band's collaborations, and he has the other irons and artistic avenues that ego is removed from the picture. Complete conjecture, but I suspect there's a similar artistic approach with Nels as with Glenn -- two guys confident, extremely talented but w/out superstar egos. Each add their color to the pallete, all at Tweedy's disposal.

 

I agree with everything in your whole post, but esp. this first paragraph. You took the words right out of my mouth!

[roby]

I don't know if SBS is better of YHF, (or A.M. or Summerteeth, or AGIB, or..u know..I don't like charts) but I am sure that by the time of the issue to the late fall I listened to it more than once in a day. Never happened with no other albums I have at home (I count near 5000 in my collection).

So, it would says something...

 

Bye all, I love this album!

[indy81]

The quality of the B sides for this album is surprisingly high. If they would've thrown some of the more upbeat B-sides on SBS instead of "Leave Me", "Shake It Off", etc. they might've really had something. "One True Vine" is gorgeous too.

[Guest Cousin Tupelo]

I've listened to a stream of that living room show. You were some plenty lucky folks. I remember hearing him say that, but I've also heard him beg off in more public settings.

 

The night SBS was streamed was the night of the living room show. Tweedy said that SBS was his favorite album. Straight up. No qualifier.

 

I don't remember any honey or fire ants though. Or maybe that's what they were doing in the basement before we were all allowed to go down there.

[M. (hristine]

I've listened to a stream of that living room show. You were some plenty lucky folks. I remember hearing him say that, but I've also heard him beg off in more public settings.

Indeed we were. 'Twas a magic night.

 

I was the one that requested "Workin' At the Car Wash Blues". Tweedy would not play it, but happily played Muzzle Of Bees (skillful guitar work, that) for me instead.

[Guest Cousin Tupelo]

Working' At The Car Wash blues .... Muzzle of Bees ... Working' At The Car Wash blues .... Muzzle of Bees .... hmmm...

 

I really think you got the better deal!

 

I know there was a thread on that show and the folks involved, but can you give a Readers' Digest version of how it came to happen? I know roughly about the "Santa" fundraiser....

 

 

Indeed we were. "Twas a magic night.

 

I was the one that requested "Workin' At the Car Wash Blues". Tweedy would not play it, but happily played Muzzle Of Bees for me (skillful guitar work, that) instead.

[M. (hristine]

Maybe...

 

Groups of people band together with big money and send a bidder to the auction. Three separate groups of folks have won an Evening With Tweedy for the past two years. The form and tenor of each show varies according to the groups.

 

Is that what you mean?

[Guest Cousin Tupelo]

That was a great summation. Would love to chip into one of those pools

 

Thanks for the enlightenment.

 

Maybe...

 

Groups of people band together with big money and send a bidder to the auction. Three separate groups of folks have won an Evening With Tweedy for the past two years. The form and tenor of each show varies according to the groups.

 

Is that what you mean?