New album news!

[quarter23cd]

So, have we started betting on what the album title will be yet?

Doing That

[nodep5]

Cris Cross Applesauce

[jakobnicholas]

I just got Rolling Stone magazine today! The article first talks about some album title suggestions that Wilco has pinned up in the loft:

 

Best Album Yet

Nova Bowl

Kiwi in My Pants

Down With the Skirts

 

The last one catches Tweedy’s eye “Down with the Skirts?”he deadpans. I thought I was saving that for my solo album.”

 

That article then says they wanted to use the studio more to create and artifact rather than a document. Cline says this album is more plastic, more sonic.

 

Some of the song descriptions:

 

"Deeper Down"- features cascading lap-steel and delicate fingerpicking and a bed rock of bizarre guitar and keyboard tones. With opening lines ”By the end of the bout, he was punched out, fists capsized, Muscles shouting.””

"Everlasting Everything"- Ends with a guitar solo that sounds like a flute,

"I'll fight"- bolsters B3 organ and smoking guitar from Cline.

"My Country has Disappeared"-simmering ballad.

"Sunny Feeling"- high energy track

"Wilco, the Song"- Standout track

 

 

 

I saw the new Rolling Stone article. I wish I could remember the exact quotes, but there were some interesting things said by Tweedy.

 

The GOOD: His explanation of "Wilco, the Song", which I LOVED on the Colbert show, makes me like it even more. He explains how music is something that is always there....music will always be there to love you. Sounds kinda corny, but it's true. There's always a song or record to help me deal with a problem or get out of a funk.

 

The SLIGHTLY NAUSEATING: Talking about "My Country Has Disappeared", he explains how he wrote the song pre-election and he wants it to be a hopeful song after 8 crappy years. I know George Bush won't go down as a one of the greatest Presidents, but this sweeping thought that Bush's 8 years has sucked and was miserable to live through just gets so tired. Wilco have exploded in those 8 years. Was life really that sucky for Mr. Tweedy? When he vacations to his Michigan home, is he THAT tortured that we've been in a controversial war? Fault Bush for the war. Fine. But is all this economic mess to be layed at Bush's feet? Is it Bush's fault that the stock market is in the tank? C'mon Jeff. Yeah, things kinda suck right NOW. But stop with this "8 years of living in Hell" crap.

[embiggen]

But is all this economic mess to be layed at Bush's feet?

 

 

yes

[samuel70]

Doing That

 

[Atticus]

"A Nap For Ction"

[lamradio]

yes

 

No

 

The SLIGHTLY NAUSEATING: Talking about "My Country Has Disappeared", he explains how he wrote the song pre-election and he wants it to be a hopeful song after 8 crappy years. I know George Bush won't go down as a one of the greatest Presidents, but this sweeping thought that Bush's 8 years has sucked and was miserable to live through just gets so tired. Wilco have exploded in those 8 years. Was life really that sucky for Mr. Tweedy? When he vacations to his Michigan home, is he THAT tortured that we've been in a controversial war? Fault Bush for the war. Fine. But is all this economic mess to be layed at Bush's feet? Is it Bush's fault that the stock market is in the tank? C'mon Jeff. Yeah, things kinda suck right NOW. But stop with this "8 years of living in Hell" crap.

 

That is quite nauseating, and is actually pretty damn disheartening. I can't stand it when bands bring politics into their music... I was hoping Wilco would never do this..

[nodep5]

No

 

 

 

That is quite nauseating, and is actually pretty damn disheartening. I can't stand it when bands bring politics into their music... I was hoping Wilco would never do this..

 

 

Ditto: I said this in a post a few weeks back relating to the new DVD. I think Wilco have recently walked a fine line with this political thing, and I think they are at times starting to fall victim to the socially conscious crap like this. You are in a rock band, and you have a forum, I know, but let's not become U2 light. this kind of crap is tired, and I was hoping that one CHANGE that would come from an Obama admisitration would be not having to hear tired crap like this anymore because the world would be so freaking perfect with our new president!

[Preferred B]

Wait - I haven't heard this song since I heard it live at Bridge School. But I thought people on here liked it. So I guess my question is: do you actually like the song? If so, does the thought process behind it honestly change that for you? I mean, are there any lyrics that say "These last 8 years with Bush have sucked / Really really sucked"?

[lamradio]

Wait - I haven't heard this song since I heard it live at Bridge School. But I thought people on here liked it. So I guess my question is: do you actually like the song? If so, does the thought process behind it honestly change that for you? I mean, are there any lyrics that say "These last 8 years with Bush have sucked / Really really sucked"?

 

I can't truly judge it until I actually hear it, but if it's anything like the article suggests then that's kind of sad..

 

I have always thought of Jeff as the type of song writer that leaves it up to the listener to determine what the song is really about.... If he is going to write a song that has a clear message "These last 8 years with Bush have sucked", then it'll be disappointing to me..

[Three dollars and 63 cents]

Ditto: I said this in a post a few weeks back relating to the new DVD. I think Wilco have recently walked a fine line with this political thing, and I think they are at times starting to fall victim to the socially conscious crap like this. You are in a rock band, and you have a forum, I know, but let's not become U2 light. this kind of crap is tired, and I was hoping that one CHANGE that would come from an Obama admisitration would be not having to hear tired crap like this anymore because the world would be so freaking perfect with our new president!

 

Because every single U2 song is political

 

There have been political undertones in Wilco's work for a long time. They've been subtle, and I think they'll continue to be subtle. "Hope" and "change" haven't been throwaway politcal buzzwords--they're things that people in this country have been desperately wanting for a long time, and they're not things our country is going to suddenly discover overnight. A huge amount of the art being produced in this country right now (be it literature, music, visual art, etc.) is going to reflect both those values and the desire for them. The personal is very much political, and we all know Wilco has never been a band to do things for show or because they're "trendy." This isn't Jeff buying into "the socially conscious crap"; it's him making sense of the world around him and how that world is changing, which is what he's always done.

 

I think people getting worked up over this is silly, especially when none of us really knows what's going to end up on the album.

[Preferred B]

I can't truly judge it until I actually hear it, but if it's anything like the article suggests then that's kind of sad..

 

I have always thought of Jeff as the type of song writer that leaves it up to the listener to determine what the song is really about.... If he is going to write a song that has a clear message "These last 8 years with Bush have sucked", then it'll be disappointing to me..

 

I guess my point is that the song is out there; at least a live version from October. And people have heard it and their reactions seemed to be quite positive around here. So I was just wondering if this news was changing the opinions of people who have actually heard the song.

[you ever seen a ghost?]

I saw the new Rolling Stone article. I wish I could remember the exact quotes, but there were some interesting things said by Tweedy.

 

The GOOD: His explanation of "Wilco, the Song", which I LOVED on the Colbert show, makes me like it even more. He explains how music is something that is always there....music will always be there to love you. Sounds kinda corny, but it's true. There's always a song or record to help me deal with a problem or get out of a funk.

 

The SLIGHTLY NAUSEATING: Talking about "My Country Has Disappeared", he explains how he wrote the song pre-election and he wants it to be a hopeful song after 8 crappy years. I know George Bush won't go down as a one of the greatest Presidents, but this sweeping thought that Bush's 8 years has sucked and was miserable to live through just gets so tired. Wilco have exploded in those 8 years. Was life really that sucky for Mr. Tweedy? When he vacations to his Michigan home, is he THAT tortured that we've been in a controversial war? Fault Bush for the war. Fine. But is all this economic mess to be layed at Bush's feet? Is it Bush's fault that the stock market is in the tank? C'mon Jeff. Yeah, things kinda suck right NOW. But stop with this "8 years of living in Hell" crap.

 

is your bowtie a little too tight today Mr. Carlson?

 

-justin

[nodep5]

I don't really care what the song is like (in terms of this argument). Actually I give Tweedy enough credit to assume that the song won't be some overt political statement. What I think is sad is Tweedy (who I think is a bright man) is just acting like a pawn or puppet for Rolling Stone. It is speaking to the choir. Rolling Stone is just aching for someone like Tweedy to bash Bush and what does he do? It would be the equivalent of Shawn Hannity interviewing Toby Keith. It is obvious to the little circle of thought so it does nothing but make people pat themselves on the back for having this cute little opinion. Either way, I tend to reach out for music to get away from this back and forth left and right crap. Please don't make me cringe when listening to the new album. That is selfish but I don't want to have a moment where I cringe

[jakobnicholas]

Wait - I haven't heard this song since I heard it live at Bridge School. But I thought people on here liked it. So I guess my question is: do you actually like the song? If so, does the thought process behind it honestly change that for you? I mean, are there any lyrics that say "These last 8 years with Bush have sucked / Really really sucked"?

 

 

 

It's my favorite of all the new tunes I've heard. It's really great.

 

I think it's cool that it has a political tone to it. But it's done so in vague way. Tweedy doesn't mention any specific names or details. Like most great songs, it seems like it might have a timeless-ness to it. The song might make sense in 2020 or 2030. Obama haters might relate to it if they think their rights and freedoms are disappearing.

 

 

 

I'm just hoping that I don't have to hear artists forever refer to the Bush years as "those 8 sucky years" or "those 8 years of Hell to live through." It just sounds lame. Politics aside, 9-11 changed EVERYTHING. Al Gore may have made some of the same decisions Bush did. Congress is equally or more responsible for the economic part of the recent years.

 

Tweedy says it like it was SO painful to live through and our country is SO messed up because of Bush. Gimme a freakin' break. Obama's here now Jeff. Everything's gonna be alright, OK?

[nodep5]

is your bowtie a little too tight today Mr. Carlson?

 

-justin

 

 

Just because he stated an opinion doesn't make him a right wing nut job. He just doesn't want this band to become overtly political.

[lamradio]

I guess my point is that the song is out there; at least a live version from October. And people have heard it and their reaction seemed to be quite positive around here. So I was just wondering if this news was changing the opinions of people who have actually heard the song.

 

I'm still sticking by my almost obsessive compulsive attitude of "I dont want to hear any new songs until the album is out"... So I haven't heard the song... I actually shouldn't be in this thread... lol

 

But seriously, you also make a good point Three dollars and 63 cents. I seriously doubt Jeff has started to write songs to become "trendy" or for "show" or for a political agenda.. Unless Jeff has an evil clone or something, he's just not that kind of song writer.... That little article entry just left a bad taste in my mouth, but I guess we'll just see when the album is released.

[you ever seen a ghost?]

Just because he stated an opinion doesn't make him a right wing nut job. He just doesn't want this band to become overtly political.

 

thank you Mr. Hannity. he states that the last 8 years were not a hellish nightmare in which Bush screwed everything up entirely. everyone knows that that is in fact exactly what happened.

 

-justin

[Moss]

I don't know how you can be a songwriter and not have the last 8 years creep in at least in some way. I did fine financially but put me in the camp that says the last 8 years politically (war deaths, economy, torture, holding people without just cause, wiretapping, knowing that a moron was running our country, etc...) were quite painful and worthy of talking about in song. I'm not saying Bush was responsible for all of it but do I think Gore would have been much less painful to live through? I know that to be true to the very fiber of my being. How could it not have been?

 

Wait, is this the new album thread? Looking forward to it!

[mountain bed]

I don't know how you can be a songwriter and not have the last 8 years creep in at least in some way. I did fine financially but put me in the camp that says the last 8 years politically (war deaths, economy, torture, holding people without just cause, wiretapping, knowing that a moron was running our country, etc...) were quite painful and worthy of talking about in song. I'm not saying Bush was responsible for all of it but do I think Gore would have been much less painful to live through? I know that to be true to the very fiber of my being. How could it not have been?

 

Wait, is this the new album thread? Looking forward to it!

Nice save at the end there!

[mfwahl]

I like My Country Has Disappeared and never thought of it as political.

[lost highway]

I think being "so over" thinking of the Bush administration's wrong doing might be a bit callous. I think any American song writer is following a rich tradition when they meditate on events and the shaping of our country. The last eight years have been profound, I assume we are still digesting them and will continue to for decades. The almost mythological importance of the Reagan years as well as the Nixon years are still contemplated in cinema, art, music and literature. There is still fruit to be had in considering an era of our country's existence.

 

I think this train of thought, which is not only political, is the only thread of legitimacy in the often trite genre of Americana. Considering your place, and what it means, making a new 'folk' music, that describes your people and their times is a noble order when it is actually accomplished.

[nodep5]

Ok, can the new album come out already. I'm just amazed we still can purchase albums after 8 years of tyrrany. Thank God that is over and we can listen to rock and roll again. Sorry for the sarcasm but that is how I feel about politics. If anyone hear truly believes in one party or another than that is cool. I just don't quite see it as being all that different. tell me again who is truly on my side? I don't see that way, I think I'm in this one alone, not waiting for a congressman or president to speak on my behalf anytime soon. Back to the tunes now.

[lost highway]

I think you have a false dichotomy. It doesn't have to be about something as asinine as which party is right. Good music often explores history, the times. You don't need to wait on congressmen to sing about your life and your country.

 

I think a lot of this meaning is what has enriched Wilco's music for a long time. It is part of the tunes. It's a lot of what makes them tick. Accessing those ideas and images aids in the enjoyment of them. If you choose not to dwell on a certain lyrical trope, you're at your liberty as a patron of the arts- but to suggest that rock and roll is obliged to be disinterested in the changing times is anti-intellectual and inconsistent with the history of the culture.

[mpolak21]

Not every band that writes political songs turns into U2, (and even U2 wrote some pretty awesome politically themed songs). Tweedy has been talking about politics have informed his songwriting on the last few releases, and the songs themselves have never seemed excessively driven one way or the other and having heard Crush the Cities/My Country, it's not exactly something off of Living With War. I have no problem with him with talking about how he feels about our political situation, but I do acknowledge I agree him. "Fuck George Bush" just really can't be said enough.

 

--Mike