Jump to content

Wilco Rankings


Recommended Posts

fair enough... but it's pretty easy for me to distinguish the cream of the crop among their catalog and the ones that aren't quite as good, regardless of which exact album(s) i'd put where.

 

EVERY band/artist has albums that, while great, might just not be quite as awesome as their best stuff. i honestly can't think of any of my favorite artists that I don't have a favorite or least favorite record of. it's not like it's some competition or anything, just my own personal preference.

 

I can dig. I think YHF, Being There, and Summerteeth are the cream of the crop for me, and I like them all equally.. The rest (SBS, AGIB, WTA, AM) are are all great albums, but just not in the same leauge as the others.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 123
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

1 & 2: Being There & Summerteeth

 

3: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

 

4. A.M.

 

5. A Ghost is Born

 

6 & 7: Sky Blue Sky & Wilco (The Album)

 

 

 

(I'd rank Mermaid Avenue 1 as good as YHF, Mermaid Avenue 2 right behind A.M., and Wilco Book right behind Ghost is Born.)

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Speed Racer

AGIB

YHF

ST

BT

WTA

AM

SBS

 

AGIB and YHF are records that I really enjoy listening to alone. In fact, I don't much enjoy listening to them with other people. ST, BT and WTA are the records that I can listen to with other people. Road-tripping alone means I'll definitely spin AGIB and YHF at least once apiece, road-tripping with others means I can sneak in ST, BT and WTA without anyone noticing I popped in a Wilco album (Wilco is "weird," let's remember).

 

I love A.M. It's a great Saturday morning record, and just plain good. I listen to it all the way through more than BT, but I do think BT is the better record. I like SBS plenty, but it definitely has become an afterthought to me for now. I'll modify a popular statement that's been going around the boards: WTA is the record I wished SBS was.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Jules

Sorry to disappoint everyone, but I will not be ranking the Wilco albums.

You don't seem to be afraid to rank the live Tweedy versions of Someone Elses Song. Coward.

Link to post
Share on other sites

SAD NEWS ALERT: I just went over the the Wilco house and apparently AM took off, leaving only a note that read.........."SUCK IT!"

 

He'll be back someday. I just know it.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Francis X. Hummel

My list is earlier in this thread, so I won't repeat it here, but essentially, the first 4 albums are my favorites (not in order) and I've liked each of the last 3 albums less than the previous. I started thinking about why. Is it that I was a huge fan of Wilco with Jay Bennett? Has Tweedy lost his touch? Do I not like Nels? What?

 

I think one my final realization is just simply that I liked Jeff's voice best in the old days. From No Depression thru YHF. I think he's lost a little something since then. Didn't he have a surgery that altered his singing voice post YHF?

 

EDITED: his voice is definitely not the only reason...

Link to post
Share on other sites

You don't seem to be afraid to rank the live Tweedy versions of Someone Elses Song. Coward.

 

Well, in my defense, that's not really a ranking of versions. It is more of an acknowledgment of one version that is simply head and shoulders above all others. A statement of fact, if you will. But your point is taken. And dismissed. No ranking of Wilco albums from me, buddy.

Link to post
Share on other sites

My list is earlier in this thread, so I won't repeat it here, but essentially, the first 4 albums are my favorites (not in order) and I've liked each of the last 3 albums less than the previous. I started thinking about why. Is it that I was a huge fan of Wilco with Jay Bennett? Has Tweedy lost his touch? Do I not like Nels? What?

 

I think one my final realization is just simply that I liked Jeff's voice best in the old days. From No Depression thru YHF. I think he's lost a little something since then. Didn't he have a surgery that altered his singing voice post YHF?

 

EDITED: his voice is definitely not the only reason...

 

For me it's Bennett. If Bennett was the McCartney to Tweedy's Lennon, A Ghost is Born would be Tweedy's Plastic Ono Band-- the one fantastic album he was able to make without his wingman (I like Imagine too, but it's disqualified for How Do You Sleep?). And since then Wilco albums have kind of felt like mid-70's Lennon solo albums to me-- not that they sound alike-- they aren't bad albums, but they aren't exactly Sgt. Pepper or Summerteeth (in Wilco's case).

 

O'Rourke was pretty important too, but I don't think it's really the production that's the issue with either Sky Blue Sky or WTA. If anything I think Sky Blue Sky sounds better than A Ghost is Born, but (we all know what the rest of my sentence is at this point).

 

--Mike

Link to post
Share on other sites

Here's mine:

 

YHF

ST

BT

AGIB

AM

W(TA)

MA 1&2

SBS

 

I really like YHF, ST and BT fairly equally. Those are all three hard to beat. AGIB has grown on me quite a bit since it's release and has moved from the "do not like" to the "I like it a lot" category. A.M. is still in the "I like it a lot" category. While SBS has a special place in hell for me. I don't know what it is about that album that I dislike so, but it's pretty terrible in my book. It does have it's redeeming moments but I be darned if it still gets on my nerves. I guess it's the lamented "dad rock" effect.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll give them ratings out of 5. Usually any two albums with the same rating flip flop.

 

Studio Albums:

 

01. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot- ***** (Probably the best album of the 21st Century. Just brilliant)

02. Summerteeth- ***** (The definition of a perfect pop album; amazing lyrics, amazing melodies, great arrangements.)

03. A Ghost is Born- **** 1/2 (Not perfect imo, but still, few Wilco albums capture a mood as well as AGIB.)

04. Being There- **** 1/2 (has a few clunkers, but rarely has an album been made that better summed up american rock n' roll.)

05. Wilco (The Album)- **** (if this was their first album, it'd be #1 or 2. Unfortunately, it feels like a rehash. Still a fantastic pop album.)

06. Sky Blue Sky- *** 1/2 (There are things on every song I both like and dislike; Impossible Germany bumps this album a 1/2 star)

07. A.M.- *** (Only Jeff Tweedy could make an album this mild and harmless, and have it not completely suck. Gets by basically on melodies and some good licks.)

 

 

Misc:

 

Mermaid Avenue- ***** (Both Wilco and Billy Bragg bring a great set of songs to this album. Fantastic.)

Mermaid Avenue- *** (Wilco's songs are great, Billy's are awful.)

Kicking Television- **** 1/2 (I'd give it a 5 if it was more representative of Wilco as a whole, and less of an AGIB tour artifact.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll give them ratings out of 5. Usually any two albums with the same rating flip flop.

 

Studio Albums:

 

01. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot- ***** (Probably the best album of the 21st Century. Just brilliant)

02. Summerteeth- ***** (The definition of a perfect pop album; amazing lyrics, amazing melodies, great arrangements.)

03. A Ghost is Born- **** 1/2 (Not perfect imo, but still, few Wilco albums capture a mood as well as AGIB.)

04. Being There- **** 1/2 (has a few clunkers, but rarely has an album been made that better summed up american rock n' roll.)

05. Wilco (The Album)- **** (if this was their first album, it'd be #1 or 2. Unfortunately, it feels like a rehash. Still a fantastic pop album.)

06. Sky Blue Sky- *** 1/2 (There are things on every song I both like and dislike; Impossible Germany bumps this album a 1/2 star)

07. A.M.- *** (Only Jeff Tweedy could make an album this mild and harmless, and have it not completely suck. Gets by basically on melodies and some good licks.)

 

 

Misc:

 

Mermaid Avenue- ***** (Both Wilco and Billy Bragg bring a great set of songs to this album. Fantastic.)

Mermaid Avenue- *** (Wilco's songs are great, Billy's are awful.)

Kicking Television- **** 1/2 (I'd give it a 5 if it was more representative of Wilco as a whole, and less of an AGIB tour artifact.

 

Whatever about numbers, I am totally on board with all the descriptions above. Well said.

Link to post
Share on other sites

1) ST

2) YHF

3) AGIB

4) BT

5) AM

6) W(TA)

...

...

...

7) SBS

 

Those top three are interchangable, really. BT is too long and SBS has about three good songs on it. Have a feeling there will be a line-up change for the next album (would be surprised if Nels and Mikael bid farewell).

Link to post
Share on other sites

SBS has a special place in hell for me. I don't know what it is about that album that I dislike so, but it's pretty terrible in my book. It does have it's redeeming moments but I be darned if it still gets on my nerves. I guess it's the lamented "dad rock" effect.

This made me laugh. If not for the brilliance of You Are My Face and Impossible Germany, I might agree with you on SBS.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...