A balanced review

[MattZ]

Speak the truth, Jesusetc84. Speak it!!

[JerseyMike]

I think writing this album off for not being expiremental enough is sort of distorting what Wilco has always really been; They're not Trout Mask Replica era Beefheart. They're a pop band. Even at their weirdest, they've been a pop band. There's probably 10 minutes of noise to 40 minutes of pure pop on YHF.

 

It's funny to me, because when I hear say, Being There, I hear all of the things you all are complaining about for W(TA). To me there's no song on W(TA) that's as cheesy as "What's The World Got in Store?". Everything you all have complained about with this album, that it's not inventive enough, that it's canon-worshipping, can all be hurled at at least 3 or 4 other Wilco albums that you would never say a bad thing about; how is anything on W(TA) more dad rock than "Hummingbird" or "I'm The Man Who Loves You"?

 

The truth is, Wilco has always been a band that loved pop classics as much as they loved underground music. I don't hear this as being out of synch with their old albums; they've always knowingly pointed to their influences, whether it was Johnny Cash on "Forget The Flowers", Summer of 67 Beatles on "She's a Jar", or Neil Young on "At Least That's What You Said". This is a band that has always valued songcraft over expirementation. The fact that the two elements coexisted for a few albums doesn't suddenly make them Black Dice.

 

Amen to that! Great bands and great albums come down to two things: great songs and great singing. Thats what Wilco has always been about to me, and the new record is no different in that respect. I could care less about feedback, or electronic blips or experimentation. None of the Wilco records would be worth a damn without the songs and Tweedy's voice.

[moxiebean]

It's a good article, Wilco isn't under investigation here, no need to bash the poor writer.

Well, since we've ground W(TA) to dust under the weight of our collective judgments and biases, it's all we have left - ya know?

[Good Old Neon]

I always sort of got the impression that the reviewers who continually described YHF as

[nodep5]

I think writing this album off for not being expiremental enough is sort of distorting what Wilco has always really been; They're not Trout Mask Replica era Beefheart. They're a pop band. Even at their weirdest, they've been a pop band. There's probably 10 minutes of noise to 40 minutes of pure pop on YHF.

 

It's funny to me, because when I hear say, Being There, I hear all of the things you all are complaining about for W(TA). To me there's no song on W(TA) that's as cheesy as "What's The World Got in Store?". Everything you all have complained about with this album, that it's not inventive enough, that it's canon-worshipping, can all be hurled at at least 3 or 4 other Wilco albums that you would never say a bad thing about; how is anything on W(TA) more dad rock than "Hummingbird" or "I'm The Man Who Loves You"?

 

The truth is, Wilco has always been a band that loved pop classics as much as they loved underground music. I don't hear this as being out of synch with their old albums; they've always knowingly pointed to their influences, whether it was Johnny Cash on "Forget The Flowers", Summer of 67 Beatles on "She's a Jar", or Neil Young on "At Least That's What You Said". This is a band that has always valued songcraft over expirementation. The fact that the two elements coexisted for a few albums doesn't suddenly make them Black Dice.

 

I don't know what some of you were expecting, but this record is exactly what I was hoping for. I'm just glad this is more Beatlesesque pop instead of Sky Blue Sky's brand of mid-70s california soft rock.

 

Jesusetc84.......this is more true than almost anything I've read on this board in the last 10 days. You hit the nail on the head. And I also never got the "experimental" tag. Friends would come to me around the YHF time and say crap like "what is with all those noises". I would think what about the 90% of the album that is just songs. It has always been a song oriented band with the exception of maybe half dozen songs.

[Rusty Shackleford]

It's funny to me, because when I hear say, Being There, I hear all of the things you all are complaining about for W(TA). To me there's no song on W(TA) that's as cheesy as "What's The World Got in Store?". Everything you all have complained about with this album, that it's not inventive enough, that it's canon-worshipping, can all be hurled at at least 3 or 4 other Wilco albums that you would never say a bad thing about; how is anything on W(TA) more dad rock than "Hummingbird" or "I'm The Man Who Loves You"?

 

[Bula Matari]

http://www.skyarts.co.uk/music/

 

 

 

...the alternative rock cognoscenti

 

Uh...would that be US?

 

Are you the Wendy in Born To Run, Wendy?

 

 

LOL...score

[Bula Matari]

Here we go again, God forbid we be open to the idea that many like this album.

What is that, "too positive, must be a fan".

What is going to make people satisfied? If you are waiting for Pitchfork to call it the greatest dad rock album of all time I'm sure you only have to wait a few more weeks. Geez!

 

 

I am getting the feeling that it is a mark of uber fandom around here to be disappointed with EVERY Wilco release that isn't YHF. Are you guys too cool to just enjoy music? Sorry. That isn't fair. But I am new enough here to not know the pecking order and understand a lot of the dynamics around here that read like extremem snarkiness.

 

But I have been turining on people that I work with (including former touring musicians and 60ish fans) to the new CD. And is anecdotal evidence means anything, I have yet to hear any negative opinions. Except for here.

 

Just saying...

[Guest Jules]

I am getting the feeling that it is a mark of uber fandom around here to be disappointed with EVERY Wilco release that isn't YHF. Are you guys too cool to just enjoy music?

Your feeling is wrong.

[Bula Matari]

Your feeling is wrong.

 

 

Just the impression I'm getting.

[Guest Jules]

Your impression is inaccurate.

[Analogman]

I am getting the feeling that it is a mark of uber fandom around here to be disappointed with EVERY Wilco release that isn't YHF. Are you guys too cool to just enjoy music? Sorry. That isn't fair. But I am new enough here to not know the pecking order and understand a lot of the dynamics around here that read like extremem snarkiness.

 

But I have been turining on people that I work with (including former touring musicians and 60ish fans) to the new CD. And is anecdotal evidence means anything, I have yet to hear any negative opinions. Except for here.

 

Just saying...

 

I think for a lot of people that may be true. I don't know if I have noticed it mentioned so much lately, but usually it's that album, or Summerteeth people seem to refer to, or mention quite a bit.

 

I still believe that Wilco has never made the same album twice, and I doubt they will in the future. There are certain sounds, lyrical themes, and/or movements that may be exist throughout their catalog, but still, all of their albums are different.

 

I still prefer the first two releases and AGIB to the rest of their catalog.

[mpolak21]

So far the reaction to WTA hasn't been that different from Sky Blue Sky, Kicking Television or even the stuff I have read in the archives around the release of A Ghost is Born, and I'm sure with Yankee and Summerteeth people had similar reactions, but those pre-date my time at VC. Some people love it, some people hate it, some people think it's okay, welcome to the internet.

 

--Mike

[Jesusetc84]

So far the reaction to WTA hasn't been that different from Sky Blue Sky, Kicking Television or even the stuff I have read in the archives around the release of A Ghost is Born, and I'm sure with Yankee and Summerteeth people had similar reactions, but those pre-date my time at VC. Some people love it, some people hate it, some people think it's okay, welcome to the internet.

 

--Mike

 

 

Wilco maybe the only band that rock critics are nicer too than their own fans.

[Jesusetc84]

Jesusetc84.......this is more true than almost anything I've read on this board in the last 10 days. You hit the nail on the head. And I also never got the "experimental" tag. Friends would come to me around the YHF time and say crap like "what is with all those noises". I would think what about the 90% of the album that is just songs. It has always been a song oriented band with the exception of maybe half dozen songs.

 

It's not that I want to downplay Wilco as a band who's expirements are frequently rewarding. But they're more experimental in the sense that The Beatles experimented; their experiments are all in the service of the melody and the lyric.

 

What's interesting to me is people talking about the highs and lows on this album. No song on this album makes my top 10 Wilco songs, but I love every single one. I truly believe this is the most consistent Wilco record, even if it's not the most overtly brilliant, profoundly artistic or sonically daring. I'm not saying the bottom songs on other Wilco albums are BAD but to me there's a somewhat gulf between my favorite song and least favorite song on most Wilco albums. On W(TA), I can't even choose a worst song. The song everyone is calling the worst, "My Country Has Disappeared", actually might be my favorite on the record.

[Dude]

The song everyone is calling the worst, "My Country Has Disappeared", actually might be my favorite on the record.

When the cool light shakes you

Like a chandelier

When the snowflakes break through

The atmosphere

And melt on the blue breath

Of the auctioneers

And disappear

 

[RainDogToo]

When the cool light shakes you

Like a chandelier

When the snowflakes break through

The atmosphere

And melt on the blue breath

Of the auctioneers

And disappear

 

Yep, might be my favorite too... listening to it right now!