Boots Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 This is the first Wilco record that I'm not really hanging on it's release........ -Robert Same here. I hope that means I get a nice surprise like I did with the Son Volt record. Not expecting much and than loving what came out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
davidtobin100 Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Got my tickets for the Dublin gig yesterday and glad I'll have ample time to digest it before seeing them live again. Seeing them live after SBS made me see some of my least favourite songs in a different light. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 So is the one song "Sunny Feeling"? or "Sonny Feeling"? In the news site as of 10:27 AM EDT on 4/30 its "Sonny". In the first post of this thread, its "Sunny". Should I change my screen name to Sonshine? And yes, that really is me on my avatar. It's been listed as "Sonny" in all official track listings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Preferred B Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 It hasn't, actually, since the first report of song titles - but now it seems to be. Fans of parallel structure will also be pleased that Wilco (the song) now mimics Wilco (the album). Unless it's revised in a day or two. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Fans of parallel structure Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 ? And yes, that really is me on my avatar. I said, daaamn girl! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mpolak21 Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Hello readers of this old thread, what I posted here was a premature and incorrect speculation about how I felt like I wasn't going to like the new record. Now two weeks later it has leaked and in 24 hours I have listened to it about eight times and Solitare might be the best thing Tweedy has ever written, so in short I had to come up with a new plan much like Albert Brooks in Lost in America-- "I thought we should drive to New York as fast as we could" "And I eat shit?" ""Uh huh""My plan too." So I decided to go back Nixon this post, what you read no longer exists, actually the full thing is quoted on page eight if you really want to see it... of all the times people decided to not ignore me. But anyway, I'd like to apologize to Wilco, God, Rod, and the press. And Wilco will indeed love you baby. --Mike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 dude -- I was joking -- that's Marilyn Monroe!!!! The pirate stands for tongue in cheek. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Central Scrutinizer Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I meant Pat as an example - should have been more clear. Nels is the obvious example, of course, and there's no way I would need to be in the studio to understand what some measure of his influence is on the sound of Sky Blue Sky. If one has a knowledge of the style of Nels's (or Pat's or whoever's) playing, one can get an idea of what that member will bring to the next record, regardless of the style of the underlying song. I appreciate your response and I ramble on a few thoughts, using your comments as an outline. Feel free to ignore if I'm beating a dead horse. I assumed you meant Pat, but wanted to make sure. Frankly, I don't see a huge influence from Pat at all, and I agree, there is a void in emotion from the keyboards that's been missing since Egan. Not necessarily better or worse, but different. Performance-wise, Pat strikes me as more form over substance live. I have not listened to a lot of Pat's stuff outside of the band so I can't see a common thread of his performance, but I don't see him as a rudder of the band. I think absent a more profound keyboard sound, it tends to thrust Nels Cline more into the forefront. I think Tweedy, as the leader, and this band (current and former lineups) have -- post AM -- taken a conscious approach to the sound and process of creating the album, include thematically. The structure follows the form, it limits or expanded opportunities for each member to grow (or not) within his role in the band. As far as Nels, saying one has "knowledge of his style" is like trusting a blind man's description of an elephant. Have you seen this guy's discography? It's richly deep, but also expansive ... he's not just showing up and simply inputting a "Nels Cline thrash." Some of his solo stuff is quite emotional and diffuse, some straight-ahead and rythmic, others like acid jazz on acid. I agree you can anticipate what he's going to do, but his experience and range is such that you *can't* pigeon hole him. Well, I don't think anyone really expects them to make the same album as last time - although, this is, after all, the first Wilco lineup that's the same across two albums - but again, if one does not like the contributions of one member on the last album, it's perfectly reasonable for them to assume they will not like his contributions to the next one. That's a very good point, so I can understand how this same lineup having another go might cause some trepidation. But then, there are those who believe (rightly or wrongly) that ST was a two-man effort, that YHF was created by a band oligarchy with an interloper storming the castle in the engineering process. We're probably all guilty of simultaneously overemphasizing and undermphasizing each artist's role in the creation of each album. I would offer a few observations about the current lineup, in the wake of comments on this thread and others: That Nels is an emotionless, solo-hogging force that is contrastingly thrash-happy and jazz-focused (and by some's estimation, "emotionless"); and the influence of the current lineup (in which I pot kettle black). I would say the conflicting views of him point out how hard he is to pin down, and how that actually makes him more a benefit to the band. In his solo stuff, his various projects and with the band, I see him coloring pre-existing songs with some added depth. Frankly, there's only a few major "Cline thrashing solos" in any concert, and perhaps that many in the recorded SBS. For a rock band, I would consider that a pretty decent and acceptable ratio. I think his lap steel work is brilliant and certainly not one-dimensional. In the recent webcast, he took one of the more contrified songs in a new direction, with Tweedy remarking something to the effect that Nels would get the band kicked out of the Grand Ol' Opry. At other times, his sound is by the book country, others it moans and wails like a tortured voice, in other places it calms and soothes better than Preparation H. His performing is adaptable and far from predictable. In most regards I find him a great counterpart of Glenn Kotche, because these guys are providing emotion and texture to Tweedy's music. And Tweedy is digging it, so they are apparently represnting what he wants the songs to impart. They're not creating new sounds, or mimicking the styles of those artists that preceded them within the band. But I find these two, along with John and his solid bass and perfect vocal counterpoint to Tweedy, are crafting songs. They're enjoying what they're doing live and in the studio and I'm along for the ride. I'm sorry others aren't as satisfied with the results, and I certainly wouldn't criticize anyone for feeling that way. Rather I'd like to understand more what you're listening for, because I might feel like I'm missing out too! One other thing. I've gone back and listened to a lot of earlier concerts, particularly with Jay Bennett. It may be personal preference, but I'm not as enamored with him. I like some of the sounds and directions he took on solos. But at times I think I like them because they harken to a particular sound -- not breaking ground but providing familiar pasture. At other times, I find him a bit ponderous and self-conscious, a running of scales, a breather of stretched notes, then another jaunt up and down the neck. I consider his input on ST and YHF -- and again, from my perspective -- and I hear that same approach, plugging in of sounds, a mosaic of bits from other songs. In a sense, I think Bennett and Cline get to the same neighborhood, just from different directions. But there are people who didn't like Being There because it wasn't A.M. 2, and that's perfectly natural and OK.I realize that people felt that way after the fact and it is perfectly natural. But anyone losing sleep worrying that Wilco's 2nd album would head in some mystifying direction beyond AM could be enviable because they don't have worse things to worry about! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
explodo Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 This is the first Wilco record that I'm not really hanging on it's release........This is how I felt before I heard it. And while I'm not hanging on its release (I don't think I do this anymore), I am more excited about it. Maybe just to see if it sounds good without Jeff Tweedy in the room with me... But anyway, take that for what you will. I think it could surprise a lot of people. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 It hasn't, actually, since the first report of song titles - but now it seems to be.Maybe someone saw "sunny" on a setlist or something - but it's been "sonny" ever since I've seen it mentioned officially - either on the band's site or in RS reports.EDIT: March 27th: http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/inde...rly-track-list/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OOO Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Is the song about feeling like you are about to be shot at a toll booth? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Is the song about feeling like you are about to be shot at a toll booth? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jmacomber68w Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Is the song about feeling like you are about to be shot at a toll booth? greatest reply ever Quote Link to post Share on other sites
caliber66 Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I appreciate your response and I ramble on a few thoughts, using your comments as an outline. Feel free to ignore if I'm beating a dead horse. I assumed you meant Pat, but wanted to make sure. Frankly, I don't see a huge influence from Pat at all, and I agree, there is a void in emotion from the keyboards that's been missing since Egan. Not necessarily better or worse, but different. Performance-wise, Pat strikes me as more form over substance live. I have not listened to a lot of Pat's stuff outside of the band so I can't see a common thread of his performance, but I don't see him as a rudder of the band. I think absent a more profound keyboard sound, it tends to thrust Nels Cline more into the forefront. Honestly, I can't tell you how Pat's presence changed the band, but I do like his work with Ryan Adams (if that's his piano solo in "Oh My Sweet Carolina," he gets a pass from me). Using him as an example probably just confused the issue, since Nels is clearly the most polarizing addition to the band since pretty much ever. Hadn't considered that the lessened focus on keys might have increased the reliance on Nels, but that's an interesting point. As far as Nels, saying one has "knowledge of his style" is like trusting a blind man's description of an elephant. Have you seen this guy's discography? It's richly deep, but also expansive ... he's not just showing up and simply inputting a "Nels Cline thrash." Some of his solo stuff is quite emotional and diffuse, some straight-ahead and rythmic, others like acid jazz on acid. I agree you can anticipate what he's going to do, but his experience and range is such that you *can't* pigeon hole him. I don't need to pigeonhole him; I just need to know what he did on the last Wilco album. There's no reason for one to assume he's going to do something different on the new album until one hears it. I would say the conflicting views of him point out how hard he is to pin down, and how that actually makes him more a benefit to the band. But he's only a benefit to the band if the listener likes what he brings to the band. Potential doesn't mean anything until it's realized. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Central Scrutinizer Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 But he's only a benefit to the band if the listener likes what he brings to the band. Potential doesn't mean anything until it's realized.Well put. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J_Lefty Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I don't need to pigeonhole him; I just need to know what he did on the last Wilco album. There's no reason for one to assume he's going to do something different on the new album until one hears it. I think their live stuff gives us a good idea of his contributions to SBS. That album was supposedly recorded mostly "live" so I'd imagine it's going to be pretty accurate. I think the gray areas are where you see pat picking up a guitar to fill in on areas where there may have been some overdubbing by Nels. I think Nels has added all sorts of flavors to the band. Since the new incarnation of Wilco, I have started to love certain tracks live that I skipped on the old studio recordings. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 . Hadn't considered that the lessened focus on keys might have increased the reliance on Nels, but that's an interesting point. I think this might be an illusion. Having two people playing keys in the band means that neither of them are going to be playing as much as a single keyboard player. At my most recent show I had seats in front of Pat, and with a good view of Mikael. Those guys stayed pretty busy. Not as busy as a single keyboard player, but the combined sound was very full and very important to the band sound. I might be misinterpreting your use of the word focus. If you mean there's less keyboard solos, I'd probasbly agree. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Central Scrutinizer Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I think this might be an illusion. Having two people playing keys in the band means that neither of them are going to be playing as much as a single keyboard player. At my most recent show I had seats in front of Pat, and with a good view of Mikael. Those guys stayed pretty busy. Not as busy as a single keyboard player, but the combined sound was very full and very important to the band sound. I might be misinterpreting your use of the word focus. If you mean there's less keyboard solos, I'd probasbly agree.I've watched them too, and they're there, providing layers, but I think it still fills the background with only snippets and small colorings coming to the surface. A lot of replaying what's "there" in previous songs. On another note, In listening to past recordings (particularly live) I am impressed by the impact Leroy Bach had, and how he added an "emotional" element to the music. I wouldn't pooh-pooh Mikael and Pat's playing, but there is a noticable difference in style and range in what Bach did bach then. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 No doubt Leroy's an amazing musician. I wish I had seen Wilco more times when he was in the group. hell, i wish I'd see 5ive Style more times. He was great with them, too. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebensmittelschimmel Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Wilco is a profoundly important for me in my development as a music listener, writer, and even as a human. They'll always hold a very high place in my heart. Foxtrot, Ghost and Summerteeth are among my favorite records, and Being There and their half of the Mermaids are great too. And one of the things I've always admired about them is their constant evolution and change, every record is a different direction, every live era a different sound. Because of that change I always knew in the back of my mind even getting into the band that eventually there would be a point where they'd start writing songs and making records that weren't up my alley or really interesting to me, and painful as it is to admit, I'm at that point. But I am kind of okay with that, and I love that people are still into them, I'm thrilled people connected with Sky Blue Sky the way I connected to YHF, I'll be thrilled when people get that with Wilco The Album, and I'll always have their records that I really love. Thankfully the release of WTA doesn't mean Summerteeth no longer exists, it just means there's another record under it in the chronological thread. --Mike. dude... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Download Woody Guthrie's "The Jolly Banker!!!" http://beta.wilcoworld.net/guthrie/Nice! Thanks! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RainDogToo Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Nice! Thanks! I put it in its own thread so more people would see it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Three dollars and 63 cents Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 I think this thread needs to be renamed Wilco (The Speculative Bickering). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SarahC Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 awesome! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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