rhino4evr Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 You know, sometimes I wish my morning commute was longer. The new Wilco album leaked just as I was going to bed last ngiht, but that didn't stop me from taking a quick preview. On first impression, I was a bit underwhelmed, but that may have had more to do with listening to the album on tiny speakers. On my drive to work, I was much more pleased with what I heard. Since my drive is only 20 minutes, I've roughly heard half the album. I'm currently in the middle of track 6's 70s vocal like harmonies. I was much happier with what I heard this morning. Let's get the obvious out of the way. For people expecting another YHF or even AGIB, you WILL be disappointed. The album so far..is pretty straight forward, and the songs are precise. I think people unfairly try to re-live certain albums with bands, mainly because most groups show little growth/change on each record. Wilco (The Album) is just like all the other Wilco albums, as in nothing like the other Wilco albums. It's not Sky Blue Sky or Summerteeth. It feels different then those records. I would say so far out of the first 6 tracks, I am kind of disappointed with the brevity of One Wing. The song just calls for an lengthy guitar jam out..but then it just ends. The duet with Feist is sure to be an album highlight for a few people. The track Black Bull Nova is probably the most experimental track on the record, but it's no Spiders (Kidsmoke). While the idea of Wilco (The Song) bugged me at first, the actual album execution works pretty well. It's a great dedication song to the fans, and really that's what this album really feels geared too. The fans. They don't seem to interested in reaching out to new followers. They seem comfortable with what they are producing, and who is listening. I will post the rest of my impressions once I've heard tracks 7-11 Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I am pretty blown away. I might have a couple critical gripes about the record, but I need to listen a few times before I whine. Right off the bat, a couple things I read on here have proven to be incredibly false: 1. The songs sound and feel pretty much the same as what you heard in the live version. To that I would reply not at all, the production and the intensive layering completely changes the effect of all the previously heard songs almost all for better and maybe a peppering of for worse. 2. If you liked SBS you'll like W(TA), if you didn't, you won't. I think this record might be the anti-SBS. So much less hushed sounding, less solemn production. In other news Wilco has (gasp) put in elements of production I thought they never would again, i.e. drums with reverb (!), vocals with reverb (!), Jeff doubled some vocals. I think John Stiratt was speaking truth when he said the album was more like Summerteeth than any other- it just doesn't have that icky Pro Tools sparkle. I would say W(TA) weakest tracks are not as good as Summerteeth, but all of the tracks are better than Summerteeth's worst songs, and overall it plays better front to back. Bound to ignite a debate, sorry. The other thing I was thinking about was how freaking prog the album is. Some of this stuff is very dense and mathematical. It almost feels like Jeff and Glenn took their experience of doing Born Again in the U.S.A. and decided to see what would happen if you let the other four run with that kind of modernism. These might be the most technically difficult tunes to perform as a whole band. Last note (sorry I've listened once and I could talk all day), there is an awful lot of Pet Sounds vibe to the back up vocals (as Jeff puts Pat and John to use much more than ever before), a lot of it has a wall of sound, Beatles, and post-Beatles (Harrison, Lennon) feel. There is a lot of escapist, psychedelia, in these pop tour de force arrangements. Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I've never understood the notion that "if you like 'A', you'll like 'B'" and its inverse. Link to post Share on other sites
Dude Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I would say so far out of the first 6 tracks, I am kind of disappointed with the brevity of One Wing. The song just calls for an lengthy guitar jam out..but then it just ends. The duet with Feist is sure to be an album highlight for a few people. The track Black Bull Nova is probably the most experimental track on the record, but it's no Kid Smoke. What the hell is Kid (space) Smoke??? Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I've never understood the notion that "if you like 'A', you'll like 'B'" and its inverse. There are a LOT of artists that put out very similar albums every year. I think the two biggest exceptions are Radiohead and Wilco. Each of their records feels different from the past, Wilco (The Album) is no different. What the hell is Kid (space) Smoke??? oh leave me alone. If it bothers you that much, I will edit it. Geeze. Link to post Share on other sites
Elixir Sue Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Followup question: if he is, is he air-bassing? Link to post Share on other sites
nodep5 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 To start, I haven't heard a note and will not until it is streamed or I just wait till 6/30. But I've read every page of this thread and if the complaints (which are few) are all from those wanting more exploration and YHF part 2 then I'm sure I'll enjoy it just fine. I played SBS far more than AGIB and probably for longer than I played YHF. So I will wait patiently and as the fanboy I am, I'm sure I will have a joyous summer. It will be like xmas morning for me on 6/30. Link to post Share on other sites
Dude Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 oh leave me alone. If it bothers you that much, I will edit it. Geeze. I've just never seen it called that. Spiders (Kidsmoke) is strange and poetic. Kid Smoke is: Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Is John on this album?Followup question: if he is, is he air-bassing? i was going to ask that too actually. i just think the production is shockingly bad. the drums sound shit, can't hear any bass, and tweedy clearly played acoustic guitar through those bastard pick-ups he uses on stage (on stage i can understand why, although not totally, however doing so on album is a terrible choice), and the piano sounds like a keyboard (probably because it is - as recording real piano is a real skill, and clearly whoever produced this didn't want the hassle of making things sound good). Link to post Share on other sites
jarenas Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 i was going to ask that too actually. i just think the production is shockingly bad. the drums sound shit, can't hear any bass, and tweedy clearly played acoustic guitar through those bastard pick-ups he uses on stage (on stage i can understand why, although not totally, however doing so on album is a terrible choice), and the piano sounds like a keyboard (probably because it is - as recording real piano is a real skill, and clearly whoever produced this didn't want the hassle of making things sound good). I think the album is self-produced.. isn't it? Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 the production seems pretty average. It doesn't sound as warm as SBS. Nothing too terrible though. Link to post Share on other sites
Synthesizer Patel Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I think the album is self-produced.. isn't it? they need Jim O'Rourke to if they're gonna continue doing this. Link to post Share on other sites
jarenas Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 they need Jim O'Rourke to if they're gonna continue doing this. I'm on my iPhone headphones, so I can't really judge by now. But yes, it seems it doesn't have that warm imperfect and beautiful sound SBS had. It's strange as Wilco is one of those bands that really worry (or worried) about those details.. Link to post Share on other sites
hifispin Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 may be a stupid question but how can i get a copy of the new album? Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 search Google Blogs... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 i was going to ask that too actually. i just think the production is shockingly bad. the drums sound shit, can't hear any bass, and tweedy clearly played acoustic guitar through those bastard pick-ups he uses on stage (on stage i can understand why, although not totally, however doing so on album is a terrible choice), and the piano sounds like a keyboard (probably because it is - as recording real piano is a real skill, and clearly whoever produced this didn't want the hassle of making things sound good). Goodness! I listened on my Sennheisers and felt like I was in the room with them. Oddly enough, I thought the bass was very pronounced and just at the perfect levels! Nels does a lot of spacey-oogie-googie stuff that really bounces around with a good pair of headphones. LOVED IT. Link to post Share on other sites
cryptique Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 OK, a minor thing, but is anyone else hearing the melody of "On and On and On" in "I'll Fight"? Link to post Share on other sites
hifispin Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 search Google Blogs... Still looking... Damn it. Link to post Share on other sites
Dude Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 I'll wait to judge the sound of this album when i'm hearing the uncompressed CD, versus lossy compressed MP3s of unknown quality / origin. I don't think I've ever heard a single pre-release leak that sounded as good as the final product. Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Still looking... Damn it. Check the other thread..there are plenty of people that are emailing the link. Also you can try searcing Twitter. The AtEase message boards are also well known for posting leaks... Link to post Share on other sites
bobbob1313 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Yeah, If I had to make on complaint, it's that john isnot nearly as in the front with the basslines. The bass playing in sbs was my favorite thing about it, I think. Link to post Share on other sites
Killer Whales Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 OK, a minor thing, but is anyone else hearing the melody of "On and On and On" in "I'll Fight"? Yeah I heard that on the Bridge School recording. Thankfully the rest of the song sounds nothing like On and On and On Link to post Share on other sites
hifispin Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 Check the other thread..there are plenty of people that are emailing the link. Also you can try searcing Twitter. The AtEase message boards are also well known for posting leaks... ahh, think i got it. Oh, love Neko on the Camel, brilliant Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
mikeyk52 Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 This is good stuff. First impressions after a few spins: Bull Black Nova reminds me of 'Marquee Moon', and I really dig the lyrics. Maybe its because I've been watching Dexter recently, but I love Tweedy playing a part of a paranoid murderer on the run. The little guitar licks on 'I'll Fight' brings More Adventurous-era Rilo Kiley to mind, which is always good. I feel like Feist could be turned up a little bit on You and I, but seeing as this is a leak, I really can't make any judgements on audio quality. The only song I'm not big on is 'Everlasting Everything.' The "everlasting....everything" parts seem a little too over-dramatic. I love the last minute, but it ends too quickly. Maybe Wilco's just set the bar too high with their album closers. LOVE Solitaire. Before this leaked today I was listening to Pink Moon. This song definitely has a Nick Drake vibe. Listening to it again now. The band does a good job adding texture, but I like that they kept the focus on the acoustic-guitar and Tweedy for the track. But yeah, I think I'll be listening to this a lot this summer. Link to post Share on other sites
isadorah Posted May 13, 2009 Share Posted May 13, 2009 All I gotta say is BULL BLACK NOVA: WOW!!!!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts