What's the consensus on Wilco (The Album)?

[Chinese Apple]

It's radio friendly.

[radiatortunes]

Keelor and Cuddy live can both shred pretty damn well on guitar! Check out a show if you haven't seen them. But of course you're correct, its the songs...

 

I knew Jim was a fan, and last time at Massey I think a few famous ppl were spotted close to the front-- Ron Maclean, Ron Sexsmith, can't remember who else. Maclean is a huge fan. Actually the Jim Cuddy Band (who I've also seen live) has an entry on wikipedia that mentions Jeff Tweedy as a past guest contributor, does anyone know the details?

 

Have to disagree with you re: the shredding but don't get me wrong, I still love the band. We've seen them live 9X over the years and they've never disappointed. Have only seen Jim's band twice, they don't get to Vancouver that often. His Massey Hall show this past Feb with the Skydiggers opening was as good as any BR show I've seen. Jeff sings with Jim on "I'll Make Believe It's You" on Jim's first solo record, "All in Time." Shd have mentioned that Jay Bennett also sings and plays banjo and piano on this track!

Edited September 13, 2009 by indigo

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I'm going to say it once and for all:

 

In my opinion, this is a perfect addition to the Wilco Canon.

 

Wilco's music consistently holds up through the years. I was listening to A Ghost is Born yesterday and it hit me that this STILL sounds fresh and innovative. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot still awes me with its mix of tunefulness and innovation. Summerteeth is still the most tuneful and beautiful sounding document of two talented musicians leading a band on and over the edge. Egos melting down in the key of E.

 

Sky Blue Sky may be perceived as a sorbet of sorts: cleasing the musical palate after three challenging and difficult records. But it is so much more complicated than that.

 

We seem to want to minimize the worth of the band is presenting. Every album can't be the greatest ground breaking aural experience ever created. Wilco has released at least three albums that are in that class. Wilco (TA) is a record that most bands working would love to have recorded.

 

I love the record. I dig the jarring segue from Bull Black Nova to You and I. I love the sly tribute to George Harrison. I love the lyrical acoustic guitar intro to I'll Fight. And they have the best song featuring self reference that is not ironic ever.

 

Can't we just enjoy this ride? Sooner or later, Jeff will tire of the road. Sooner or later, making records won't be important to Jeff any more.

[junkiesmile]

I'm going to say it once and for all:

 

In my opinion, this is a perfect addition to the Wilco Canon.

 

Wilco's music consistently holds up through the years. I was listening to A Ghost is Born yesterday and it hit me that this STILL sounds fresh and innovative. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot still awes me with its mix of tunefulness and innovation. Summerteeth is still the most tuneful and beautiful sounding document of two talented musicians leading a bed on and over the edge. Egos melting down in the key of E.

 

Sky Blue Sky may be perceived as a sorbet of sorts: cleasing the musical palate after three challenging and difficult records. But it is so much more complicated than that.

 

We seem to want to minimize the worth of the band is presenting. Every album can't be the greatest ground breaking aural experience ever created. Wilco has released at least three albums that are in that class. Wilco (TA) is a record that most bands working would love to have recorded.

 

I love the record. I the jarring segue from Bull Black Nova to You and I. I love the sly tribute to George Harrison. I love the lyrical acoustic guitar intro to I'll Fight. And they have the best song featuring self reference that is not ironic ever.

 

Can't we just enjoy this ride? Sooner or later, Jeff will tire of the road. Sooner or later, making records won't be important to Jeff any more.

I agree 99.99 percent. I only want to change one sentence slightly."Sooner or later, Jeff will tire of the road. Sooner or later, making records will be more important to Jeff.".

[sonicshoulder]

Y'all keep some weird stuff in your toolboxes.

How can Nels not be the hammer?

[jakobnicholas]

Wilco's music consistently holds up through the years. I was listening to A Ghost is Born yesterday and it hit me that this STILL sounds fresh and innovative. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot still awes me with its mix of tunefulness and innovation. Summerteeth is still the most tuneful and beautiful sounding document of two talented musicians leading a bed on and over the edge. Egos melting down in the key of E.

 

Sky Blue Sky may be perceived as a sorbet of sorts: cleasing the musical palate after three challenging and difficult records. But it is so much more complicated than that.

 

We seem to want to minimize the worth of the band is presenting. Every album can't be the greatest ground breaking aural experience ever created. Wilco has released at least three albums that are in that class. Wilco (TA) is a record that most bands working would love to have recorded.

 

I love the jarring segue from Bull Black Nova to You and I. I love the sly tribute to George Harrison. I love the lyrical acoustic guitar intro to I'll Fight. And they have the best song featuring self reference that is not ironic ever.

 

Can't we just enjoy this ride? Sooner or later, Jeff will tire of the road. Sooner or later, making records won't be important to Jeff any more.

 

 

I agree with everything above (I took out the part about it being the "perfect addition" and "I love this record".)

 

In a nutshell for me, W(TA) is a worthy effort, but the attention to detail or the added care to most songs are missing. I don't how else to explain it. You Never Know, You and I, Sonny Feeling, I'll Fight and Everlasting Everything sound unfinished and/or interesting.

 

But yeah, we can't expect every album to be solid gold.

[you ever seen a ghost?]

i think this is Wilco's In Rainbows. they've taken everything they've learned over the past few albums and made an album that is unquestionably Wilco-esque and at the same time, fantastic. yeah, it's not revolutionary like Kid A or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but it isn't trying to be. they're on the other side of that, making consistently great albums.

 

-justin

[W(TF)]

i think this is Wilco's In Rainbows. they've taken everything they've learned over the past few albums and made an album that is unquestionably Wilco-esque and at the same time, fantastic. yeah, it's not revolutionary like Kid A or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but it isn't trying to be. they're on the other side of that, making consistently great albums.

 

-justin

 

Very well said...I agree. If you really listen to In Rainbows (and WTA), the songs have a ton of depth and many textures and layers to them. IR has more of an album/theme feeling to it, WTA feels more like a collection of good songs (and some great ones).

[Jesusetc84]

My first impression of Wilco (The Album) was reactionary to Sky Blue Sky, I think; the fact that I found SBS to be something of a one song album (Impossible Germany still blows my mind in a relaxing way) made Wilco (The Album) shine a little too brightly at first, and it consumed my musical life for a good 2 months. I mean, what wasn't to like? it was Wilco making highly engaging melodic music, like they'd made on Summerteeth.

 

Then I started to realize that it wasn't quite the return to form that I thought it was. The album is great, but it definitely has a bit of a "on the shoulders of giants feel". The songs are great, but every single onej is indebted to a past Wilco tune in some way; "Wilco (The Album)" plays the "Can't Stand It" card of vibrant pop opener, "Bull Black Nova" fits in the "Via Chicago"/ "She's a Jar" of marital disfunction (though it goes all the way), and "Country Disappeared" plays the role of "Ashes of American Flags", albiet with an entirely less interesting arrangement.

 

It almost feels like they compiled a best of Wilco's first 6 albums and then rewrote each of those songs. It's not the worst Wilco album (it far exceeds SBS and A.M. in my humble opinion.) it can't go toe to toe with any Jay Bennett era Wilco album.

[Guest Speed Racer]

Then I started to realize that it wasn't quite the return to form that I thought it was. The album is great, but it definitely has a bit of a "on the shoulders of giants feel". The songs are great, but every single onej is indebted to a past Wilco tune in some way; "Wilco (The Album)" plays the "Can't Stand It" card of vibrant pop opener, "Bull Black Nova" fits in the "Via Chicago"/ "She's a Jar" of marital disfunction (though it goes all the way), and "Country Disappeared" plays the role of "Ashes of American Flags", albiet with an entirely less interesting arrangement.

 

I think it's funny that you mention the songs that you do, because you name some of the most self-absorbed, isolated songs in the Wilco canon and compare them to some of the most outward-facing because of one or two similar themes.

 

Country Disappeared actually does discuss the deterioration of our present lifestyles as a nation-community. I think a lot of people assume Ashes is a political song purely on account of the title, but jesus, are those lyrics self-absorbed. Ashes, to me, is more about the deterioration (and perhaps rebirth) of self - not because of culture, but because of self, and the speaker doesn't mention anyone else really at all, except in one or two references to his own personal suffering. Country Disappeared very literally examines the deterioration (and perhaps rebirth) of the American landscape, full of we's, cities, and us's. The speaker in Country Disappeared directly says he's not going to do this alone.

 

Via Chicago and She's a Jar, similarly, aren't at all about the act of murder but about the disconnect the speaker feels. In She's a Jar, the violence is an afterthought, and in Via Chicago, the act is mentioned at the beginning and brushed off. For the rest of both of the songs, all of the lyrics are all about the speaker's own suffering. BBN examines the actual murder, and in this case the song is all about the connection - trying to reconnect with the person to undo the act.

 

EDITED TO ADD: One could also argue that the acts of violence in SAJ and VC are used not to relate literal acts of violence but as word-tools to shock to the audience (not the person listening to the record, but the person the speaker is speaking to in the songs (which, in the case of SAJ, is the audience I guess...)) A pretty juvenile, emotional tool contrasting to the literal act of murder which, in this case, is more outward-oriented than an emotional tool.

 

Can't Stand It refrain: "your prayers will never be answered again"

W(TS) refrain: "Wilco will love you, baby"

 

The differences in the so-called similar songs aren't at all about arrangements or perceived quality (not least of all because you cannot definitively judge that); the primary difference in W(TA) songs you mention are that they all look outward, finally. This is the least self-absorbed Wilco album to date.

[Guest Alan]

I think it's funny that you mention the songs that you do, because you name some of the most self-absorbed, isolated songs in the Wilco canon and compare them to some of the most outward-facing because of one or two similar themes.

 

Country Disappeared actually does discuss the deterioration of our present lifestyles as a nation-community. I think a lot of people assume Ashes is a political song purely on account of the title, but jesus, are those lyrics self-absorbed. Ashes, to me, is more about the deterioration (and perhaps rebirth) of self - not because of culture, but because of self, and the speaker doesn't mention anyone else really at all, except in one or two references to his own personal suffering. Country Disappeared very literally examines the deterioration (and perhaps rebirth) of the American landscape, full of we's, cities, and us's. The speaker in Country Disappeared directly says he's not going to do this alone.

 

Via Chicago and She's a Jar, similarly, aren't at all about the act of murder but about the disconnect the speaker feels. In She's a Jar, the violence is an afterthought, and in Via Chicago, the act is mentioned at the beginning and brushed off. For the rest of both of the songs, all of the lyrics are all about the speaker's own suffering. BBN examines the actual murder, and in this case the song is all about the connection - trying to reconnect with the person to undo the act.

 

Can't Stand It refrain: "your prayers will never be answered again"

W(TS) refrain: "Wilco will love you, baby"

 

The differences in the so-called similar songs aren't at all about arrangements or perceived quality (not least of all because you cannot definitively judge that); the primary difference in W(TA) songs you mention are that they all look outward, finally. This is the least self-absorbed Wilco album to date.

I think it's fair to compare songs without getting into the meanings of the lyrics.

[Ghost of Electricity]

I think it's fair to compare songs without getting into the meanings of the lyrics.

and equally fair to contrast them by getting into the meanings of the lyrics.

[twigboyjoe]

It almost feels like they compiled a best of Wilco's first 6 albums and then rewrote each of those songs. It's not the worst Wilco album (it far exceeds SBS and A.M. in my humble opinion.) it can't go toe to toe with any Jay Bennett era Wilco album.

 

That's actually close to my initial assessment - I thought it had a bit of everything but wasn't sure of the flow.

 

As time has passed (albeit a short period of time as far as albums go), it has worked more & more for me and I think this stands up with their best work, though it will never be my favourite.

[lamradio]

I haven't listened to this album in several weeks. I tried to a few days ago and it was just ...meh... I think it's the weakest Wilco album to date. It's the only Wilco record that I haven't worn out.. (And yes that includes SBS and A.M.) Really there's only one GREAT song on that album, and it's One Wing. IMO of course..

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

I haven't listened to this album in several weeks. I tried to a few days ago and it was just ...meh... I think it's the weakest Wilco album to date. It's the only Wilco record that I haven't worn out.. (And yes that includes SBS and A.M.) Really there's only one GREAT song on that album, and it's One Wing. IMO of course..

 

I broke it out last night and enjoyed it very much.

[tongue-tied]

i think this is Wilco's In Rainbows. they've taken everything they've learned over the past few albums and made an album that is unquestionably Wilco-esque and at the same time, fantastic. yeah, it's not revolutionary like Kid A or Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but it isn't trying to be. they're on the other side of that, making consistently great albums.

 

-justin

 

To me, I have a Flaming Lips comparison I can't get rid of. It's Wilco's At War with the Mystics to me: very catchy, very Wilco-esque (to the FLips-esque At War...), but maybe a little too polished or too forced or too something that makes me want to listen to a different album by the same band. Also, both have embarrassing pop culture references!

 

So I'm hoping Jeff pays attention to Embryonic and goes out on a limb that only his band can pull off.

[Guest Alan]

To me, I have a Flaming Lips comparison I can't get rid of. It's Wilco's At War with the Mystics to me: very catchy, very Wilco-esque (to the FLips-esque At War...), but maybe a little too polished or too forced or too something that makes me want to listen to a different album by the same band. Also, both have embarrassing pop culture references!

 

So I'm hoping Jeff pays attention to Embryonic and goes out on a limb that only his band can pull off.

 

 

I agree with this comparison much more than the Radiohead one. Although I don't know about the last part since I haven't heard Embryonic yet.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

I can see comparing WTA to In Rainbows much more than to AWWTM.

 

However, In Rainbows is by far the superior record. I mean no offense to Wilco, but In Rainbows still blows me away every time.

[Guest Alan]

I can see comparing WTA to In Rainbows much more than to AWWTM.

 

However, In Rainbows is by far the superior record. I mean no offense to Wilco, but In Rainbows still blows me away every time.

Yeah, that's why I'd rather compare it to At War. An album I rarely ever listen to anymore but enjoy a few songs off of, just like WTA will be for me in a year or two. In Rainbows is a stellar album and I think it's unfair to even mention it in the same sentence as Wilco's latest effort.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Yeah, that's why I'd rather compare it to At War. An album I rarely ever listen to anymore but enjoy a few songs off of, just like WTA will be for me in a year or two. In Rainbows is a stellar album and I think it's unfair to even mention it in the same sentence as Wilco's latest effort.

Hmm, this makes a lot of sense.

 

IR and WTA are both minor albums in their band's catalogue. But I think it's a shame to call IR a minor album, since I'd put it right up there with OKC as a damn classic album front to back.

 

WTA, while certainly not bad, does not at all stack up to Wilco's past classics. So I guess AWWTM is a better comparison.

 

I guess my comparison is that, on WTA and IR, both bands just sound comfortable not breaking new ground, you know? AWWTM doesn't have that element.

 

But, again, IR is a significantly better "minor album," and one that I sometimes think may just be their best release yet. I don't think anyone will make that argument for WTA.

[Guest Alan]

 

But, again, IR is a significantly better "minor album," and one that I sometimes think may just be their best release yet. I don't think anyone will make that argument for WTA.

Haha, This is a Wilco message board, I'm sure someone will/would.

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Haha, This is a Wilco message board, I'm sure someone will/would.

Yes, it is. But I don't think anyone who's heard the full Wilco catalogue will argue that WTA is the pinnacle. That doesn't mean people don't like it. I think it's a great record, but I couldn't argue that it's better than YHF, or AGIB, or whatever prior Wilco album you like best. I think the majority of people would agree. It seems people either enjoy the record for what it is, or dislike it for what it is. People proclaiming it as Wilco's best are the smallest group. Because, honestly, it isn't.

 

Personally, if I were to compare WTA to any other album, and I know this has beens aid before, but it'd be Dylan's New Morning. Neither one tries to blow people away, but they're both good to great collections of songs, that do explore a bit of fresh ground. Does New Morning measure up to Blonde on Blonde? Absolutely not. But, taken on it's own, it's certainly a worthy addition to the catalogue.

[Ghost of Electricity]

 

 

Personally, if I were to compare WTA to any other album, and I know this has beens aid before, but it'd be Dylan's New Morning. Neither one tries to blow people away, but they're both good to great collections of songs, that do explore a bit of fresh ground. Does New Morning measure up to Blonde on Blonde? Absolutely not. But, taken on it's own, it's certainly a worthy addition to the catalogue.

Maybe, leaving aside issues of flawlessness.

 

Next, I'd like to see them team up with Daniel Lanois and rent a house in New Orleans, Tweedy walking in after a Wilco break with a bunch of songs the others have never heard, spend a tense but intense weeks putting the stuff down, the others sticking around tomess with the arrangements after Tweedy has has gone back home to bed.

 

Or something like that.

[rwilson580]

I have to agree with some of these latter comments. I was driving back from a show Friday night, my other concert goers were asleep in the car, and I could listen to whatever I wanted. Time to play W(TA) again, right? I hadn't listened to it in weeks, probably a couple months. So it was going to be an event. Like YHF, AGiB, SBS and BT always are when I haven't heard them in a while. But...although I enjoyed every single song...it wasn't an event at all. Just a good album, not the band I haven't been able to stop listening to for the last few years. I put "Rust Never Sleeps" on after that -- and THAT was a big deal.

 

So I'm afraid (TA) will never reach the panthenon of my personal set of favorites. I don't think this says anything about the quality of the songs, or Wilco's creative arc. It just doesn't speak to me in the same way as several of their other albums, and that's ok. One of the great things about the band is they keep giving us albums that sound completely different. So, inevitably, we're going to enjoy some more than others. I wouldn't have it any other way.

 

On a completely different note...that concert I was returning from? $22 for They Might Be Giants. I got to stand immediately beneath accordion John for the entirely set. I do believe that Wilco is the best concert bargain in rock in general, but this was a tough show to beat...

[Shakespeare In The Alley]

Maybe, leaving aside issues of flawlessness.

 

Next, I'd like to see them team up with Daniel Lanois and rent a house in New Orleans, Tweedy walking in after a Wilco break with a bunch of songs the others have never heard, spend a tense but intense weeks putting the stuff down, the others sticking around tomess with the arrangements after Tweedy has has gone back home to bed.

 

Or something like that.

Again with the "Blonde on Blonde is flawed!" argument, I see?

 

That aside, the point is that very few Dylan fans would rank New Morning above the classic 60's albums, of which I view BonB as the absolute pinnacle. However, it's easily one of the better albums in Dylan's oeuvre.