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

[faxman75]

This album may be my least favorite yet. Which is slightly disappointing. On the first few listens I liked this album much more than Sky Blue Sky. Honestly Solitaire and Country Disapeared have been my favorites from the beginning and I have grown to like them more. Songs I can do without are One Wing, I'll Fight and Wilco the song. I'm mostly into their live performance at this point anyway. Even when I listen to them it's almost always the audio from the Ashes download, the Residency Night 1 bootleg or Kickin' TV.

[Guest Ordinary Beehive]

I love Steak & Shake.

[froggie]

And Tweedy has written a terrible song. He's written a couple. They are called What Light and You and I.

 

he'd say 'I thought i held you'

[a-me-with-a-you]

he'd say 'I thought i held you'

 

I heard a bootleg recently where an audience member request a song, and Tweedy replied "Nah we're not gonna be doing that one", to which the audience member said "but it's brilliant". Jeff's rebutal: "No it's not....".

 

I'll try to find which one the song in question is, but I'm sure he's had second thoughts about his own songwriting, especially some of the early lyrics, but hey, I think he's the kind of guy to be more critical of himself than the average fan.

 

About this argument, not to throw gasoline on the flame again, I never thought a statement like " x song is the probably the most popular on WTA on this board" could fuel a fire, goes to show you.

 

To throw another weightless opinion into the air: One Wing, Country Disappeared and Bull Black Nova are definitely three of the songs that are of the same quality as some of the SBS songs, while You and I or Everlasting Everything don't quite hit that high mark in my book.

 

I do agree with the poster who said earlier that there are few people who deny liking a few songs and few people who admit liking all of them a great deal. My take is that WTA is not a fragile, artistic outing but a breezy record that doesn't manage to move the listener in every song but in enough of them to make the album a mixed success. WTA is a pretty logical extension of the AGIB-SBS records, SBS lyrics were of lesser quality (and that trend continues in the wrong direction) and SBS was less dark, the vocals derive from a less tortured man and the occasional platitute snuck in when you were looking for song meanings. I'll take some of the ambiguity on AGIB over platitudes any time.

[froggie]

i was being sarcastic about 'I thought i held you'. during the residency shows he called it a pile of dig shit (or something like that) - but they were under contract to play it

[bttrbuffalo]

It broke my heart. Here is why. My best friend and talk music more than anything else. It is part of the glue that binds us (such as the case in many friendships). For the most part we had always agreed on most things this side of say a TV on the Radio (he hated, I loved). When Sky Blue Sky came out I gave him call to give my opinion and here his. For me, Sky Blue was a bit of a disappointment given what had come prior to it. What I mean to say is it was a disappointment in the way that some feel Goat's Head Soup is a disappointment only because it followed Exile On Main St. The level of excellence and "the bar" had been set so fucking high that there was nowhere to go but down, even if down meant 4 stars instead of 5. My buddy on the other hand hated it and said that it was over, the window had closed. By window he meant that every band has a certain window for original greatness. Eventually, everyone makes their Presence or In Through The Outdoor. I tried to tell him, no it was a feeling out record. It was casual and sweet and that once the band really truly gelled they would find their teeth again. Then Wilco (The Album) comes out. I fucking cried. I cried because the album was at best a 3 star album (and that rating is me being a fucking homer) and more importantly because my friend might be right. Wilco may have run their course as far as brilliant original song works go. Don't get me wrong, just like the occassional flash found on Wilco (The Album) we may see more flashes in the future, but I am no longer going to hold my breath expecting it. This isn't to say I think any less of them as a live band, which they are only getting better in that regard and probably will as long as this lineup stays togther. I just feel like we all might have to come to terms with the fact that for us closing in on 30 or already past it, Wilco may be in for the long tidy stretch of adulthood now. Fewer risks, less chances, you all know what I mean, and if you don't, just listen to Wilco (The Album)...

[The Inside of Outside]

Eventually, everyone makes their Presence or In Through The Outdoor.

 

Provocative post, and I mean that in a good way.

 

Presence is my favorite Zeppelin album. Love it because I did not hear every song from it thousands of times on Classic Rock stations in the 80s.

 

And you hit it - Goat's Head Soup is no Exile. And I agree, WTA is no YHF. And I still listen to Goat's Head Soup and WTA because they are better than much of what is out there.

 

I think Wilco still has a good dose of studio mojo left in them.

[bttrbuffalo]

Provocative post, and I mean that in a good way.

 

Presence is my favorite Zeppelin album. Love it because I did not hear every song from it thousands of times on Classic Rock stations in the 80s.

 

And you hit it - Goat's Head Soup is no Exile. And I agree, WTA is no YHF. And I still listen to Goat's Head Soup and WTA because they are better than much of what is out there.

 

I think Wilco still has a good dose of studio mojo left in them.

 

 

Thanks alot man. I'm glad someone (probably the only one lol) took the time to read it.

[D-Dogg]

There are a few good songs on this album, I have put that album on the shelf a long time ago, I don't even know what songs I liked, all I know is that I liked only a few.

 

The rest of the songs are terribly disappointing.

 

I skipped their last tour because of this album. I should not have considering they are excellent live and the sets were fantastic,

but again, I was terribly disappointed.

[Beautiful & Stoned]

Hot: Deeper Down, One Wing, BBN, Country Disappeared

Warm: Wilco (The Song), Sonny Feeling, Everlasting

Cold: You and I (though minus Feist, live I like), You Never Know, I'll Fight, Solitaire

 

I think Deeper Down is the most interesting song on the album. Granted it's no rip-roaring rocker, I enjoy seeing it live. Cool percussion and timing by Glenn.

 

And for some reason Sonny Feeling still makes me smile. I like the "ahs" by John and Pat leading up to "remember to show gratitude."

[MCHowdy]

Thanks alot man. I'm glad someone (probably the only one lol) took the time to read it.

 

I read it, and I hear what you're saying. But I also like that late Zeppelin, for the same reason as the other poster here: it wasn't ruined for me by fm radio. Zeppelin II is an album I can no longer stand.

 

My music discussion buddy and I have been having the same back and forth as you and your friend. I have a couple of thoughts on the subject. First, this is the longest continuous line-up Wilco has ever had. Hasn't it been like 7 years now? As a live act, that has made them incredible. I can't emphasize that enough. I've seen every Wilco line-up, and this one seems able to do anything it wants. The Evening With shows would be impossible without all that awesome experience.

 

But as much as they are a band, this has obviously always been Jeff's band, and I it's impossible not to wonder if, while getting older, the band dynamics have settled into a particular pattern that is unhelpful in the studio. I mean, not to be a jerk, but I really wish someone had said SOMETHING to Jeff regarding You and I. It's just horrible on so many levels, adult rock blandness. The lyrics are really bad too. I wonder if Jay would have at least tweaked it into something interesting.

 

At some point (unless they decide to stay in the comfort zone that you describe) I would not be surprised to see Jeff shake the whole line-up again, maybe retaining John,who really is the glue to me, and probably Glenn, who would be hard to let go simply because he is one of the 4 or 5 best rock drummers out there, imo, and can play virtually any style on command, and in an original way.

 

Btw, I heartily disagree on SBS. I find new things to love about that album every time I hear it, and regard it as a 4.5 outta 5. A couple clunkers, but great arrangements and gorgeous dark lyrics throughout. W(TA) is their only real bomb to me, and even then I find myself liking a couple of songs here and there.

[bttrbuffalo]

I read it, and I hear what you're saying. But I also like that late Zeppelin, for the same reason as the other poster here: it wasn't ruined for me by fm radio. Zeppelin II is an album I can no longer stand.

 

My music discussion buddy and I have been having the same back and forth as you and your friend. I have a couple of thoughts on the subject. First, this is the longest continuous line-up Wilco has ever had. Hasn't it been like 7 years now? As a live act, that has made them incredible. I can't emphasize that enough. I've seen every Wilco line-up, and this one seems able to do anything it wants. The Evening With shows would be impossible without all that awesome experience.

 

But as much as they are a band, this has obviously always been Jeff's band, and I it's impossible not to wonder if, while getting older, the band dynamics have settled into a particular pattern that is unhelpful in the studio. I mean, not to be a jerk, but I really wish someone had said SOMETHING to Jeff regarding You and I. It's just horrible on so many levels, adult rock blandness. The lyrics are really bad too. I wonder if Jay would have at least tweaked it into something interesting.

 

At some point (unless they decide to stay in the comfort zone that you describe) I would not be surprised to see Jeff shake the whole line-up again, maybe retaining John,who really is the glue to me, and probably Glenn, who would be hard to let go simply because he is one of the 4 or 5 best rock drummers out there, imo, and can play virtually any style on command, and in an original way.

 

Btw, I heartily disagree on SBS. I find new things to love about that album every time I hear it, and regard it as a 4.5 outta 5. A couple clunkers, but great arrangements and gorgeous dark lyrics throughout. W(TA) is their only real bomb to me, and even then I find myself liking a couple of songs here and there.

 

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to read it and I truly dug your feedback.

[Excitable Boy]

 

And for some reason Sonny Feeling still makes me smile. I like the "ahs" by John and Pat leading up to "remember to show gratitude."

 

I really love that part of the song too. It reminds me of The Beach Boys.

[tugmoose]

xxxxx

[a-me-with-a-you]

When I think about the less brilliant WTA it makes me look forward to the next album even more, after all wasn't AM followed by Being There? Uncle Tupelo's work was superior to AM but they got over that bump to make BT. I know this is flawed logic but to what degree can logic even be applied to the creative process?

[smells like flowers]

Since hearing WTA songs live at the Solid Sound Festival, I've been listening to the album with new ears. Although it doesn't resonate for me the way that prior albums have (any before SBS, really), I have a new appreciation for the songs. "Country Disappeared" is so painfully beautiful (with they had played that one!!). And the spirited romps of "Wilco (the song)" and "You Never Know" were so much fun live.

 

Definitely anxious for the new record, but I'm trying not to have specific expectations so when it arrives it will just wash over me and become one with all the other Wilco cells in me.