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Time for Wilco to put out a country album


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I spent entirely too much time last night watching the CMA awards and decrying the pathetic state of contemporary country music (although admittedly seeing these folks perform was sort of a hoot and Hootie as well..!!!), and I really think it is time for Wilco to stick to all those critics who continue to refer to them as an alt.country act. Fuck it Jeff, roll out some spiffy country/southern soul licks and go for some radio play. It couldn't be any worse and has to be better than the crap being churned out at the moment. And the good thing is that country radio actually plays "country music" so unlike the rock stations who don't bother to play Wilco except on rare occasions might just dig it.

 

Yea, yea, it is late and this is admittedly stupid, but Jeff and the guys can't do worse and Nels does play lap steel after all.

 

LouieB

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I'd be behind this idea. I'd probably dig it more than the last 2 LPs, to be honest.

 

Plus - let's not forget, they already got the bitchin' suits! :D

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i'm down for it

 

I have thought for years the music that artists like Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban (et al)were playing was basically rock with put on hick affectations. (And I say hick in a loving way...I am from rural Texas. The REAL rural Texas). These guys aren't really Country...Country Radio doesn't play REAL country music.

 

Wilco could probably whip out a kick ass COUNTRY ALBUM and have it ignored by the Clear Channel assholes just like they are ignored with their 'Rock' records.

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I have thought for years the music that artists like Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban (et al)were playing was basically rock with put on hick affectations. (And I say hick in a loving way...I am from rural Texas. The REAL rural Texas). These guys aren't really Country...Country Radio doesn't play REAL country music.

 

Wilco could probably whip out a kick ass COUNTRY ALBUM and have it ignored by the Clear Channel assholes just like they are ignored with their 'Rock' records.

 

Yeah but Brad Paisley can play the HELL out of the guitar.

 

I think if Wilco released a country album, it was be excellent. To me they already have several country songs. "Someone Else's Song", "Forget The Flowers" just to name a couple.. Think about an album full of songs like that? Awesome..

 

But first Jeff needs to release a solo album..

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I'd be behind this idea. I'd probably dig it more than the last 2 LPs, to be honest.

 

Plus - let's not forget, they already got the bitchin' suits! :D

Oh yea....of course they do. That would be great on the Grand Old Opry.

 

I listen to country radio occasionally when I am either on the road or get bored with whatever other shit is playing on the radio here in Chicago (and having been reminded we do have a country station here...) It is correct that alot of what is currently passing for country music is rebranded 70s and 80s pop. Clearly the old man of country is George Strait, probably one of the last artists to still be somewhat country in country music. The only real link with country is steel guitar and fiddle and songs that are actually about sort of real people. There continue to be aspects of country music which could be built on, particularly the fact that country radio is a big factor in radio play and country artists are still interested in writing songs.

 

I thought the most incredible thing the other night was that bunch of young guys playing the old Charlie Daniels hit. What a recycle job....

 

Meanwhile Wilco's country album could be a semi-solo thing as well if Jeff hooked up with old collegues like the Handsome Family (something I have been lobbying for, for a long time) and some of the other Chicago folks that would make good collaborators (Robbie Fulks-Jeff can talk to him about this at Letter for Santa) or Jon Langford or the Jayhawks, other Smogers, etc.

 

LouieB

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Meanwhile Wilco's country album could be a semi-solo thing as well if Jeff hooked up with old collegues like the Handsome Family (something I have been lobbying for, for a long time) and some of the other Chicago folks that would make good collaborators (Robbie Fulks-Jeff can talk to him about this at Letter for Santa) or Jon Langford or the Jayhawks, other Smogers, etc.

 

LouieB

This all makes good sense. A very dark, countrified version of Golden Smog.

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If Wilco wants to put out a "country" album and get nominated for the CMAs, all they have to do is put on country hats. I know Jeff wears one now and then, but he needs to get all the other guys on board. They've already got the Nudie suits, but if they put on hats, they'll be a real gol-darned country band.

 

It's the stupidest thing in the world, but it really seems like that's all there is to country music these days. Hey, Hootie? Want to be a country star? Here's your hat. Hey John Bon Jovi from goddamn New Jersey! Wanna be a country star? Here's your hat!

 

And next thing you know, Hootie and Bon Jovi are on the country stations and winning CMAs. All because of the hats.

 

Meanwhile, Jason Isbell's out there writing great songs that never get near the radio. That really chaps my hide...

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Does Pat know how to play a real banjo?

I am sure he could figure it out if he wanted to. I suspect so could Jeff and Nels for that matter.

 

 

It's the stupidest thing in the world, but it really seems like that's all there is to country music these days. Hey, Hootie? Want to be a country star? Here's your hat. Hey John Bon Jovi from goddamn New Jersey! Wanna be a country star? Here's your hat!

 

And next thing you know, Hootie and Bon Jovi are on the country stations and winning CMAs. All because of the hats.

 

 

How about Kid Rock?? Yikes.

 

LouieB

 

T

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Would like to see an AM, Being There, rough Uncle Tupelo fusion album.

 

It won't happen though, I really think Wilco is happy where it's at. Unless by some random act of God, Jeff and Stiratt breakup, I see an immensely dark album. The darkest and saddening album any one man could construct. We all know that won't happen though, because God loves Wilco

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there is no way this would get any airplay on Country or any other type of Radio. Wilco is a band that gets limited airplay as it is. It would be largely ignored by Country type folks, and embraced by fans.

 

With that being said, I would love to hear this thing.

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there is no way this would get any airplay on Country or any other type of Radio. Wilco is a band that gets limited airplay as it is. It would be largely ignored by Country type folks, and embraced by fans.

 

With that being said, I would love to hear this thing.

 

Wilco isn't even getting airplay on the new Dallas Public Radio Music station. A full fucking week and only one Wilco song.

 

Son Volt...Farrar and Gibbard...Alejandro Escovedo...Fleet Foxes...MoF...other cool stuff.

 

But only one Wilco...and it's You and I. But Tweedy's pictue is on the Home Page.

 

I just don't get why critics and music industry people claim to love Wilco but they don't get any love from any sort of media.

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Yeah but Brad Paisley can play the HELL out of the guitar.

 

I think if Wilco released a country album, it was be excellent. To me they already have several country songs. "Someone Else's Song", "Forget The Flowers" just to name a couple.. Think about an album full of songs like that? Awesome..

 

But first Jeff needs to release a solo album..

 

And Keith Urban plays pretty well too. So does Kenny Chesney. My point is the you take the Cowboy hats off and get rid of the affected 'country' vocals, replace the 'fiddles' with keyboards and you have 80's arena rock.

 

"Someone Else's Song", "Forget The Flowers", "Far, Far Away"...Country songs? Traditional songs? Good Songs that won't get played on the radio.

 

I guess I am of an age where I want good music by good bands to get played on the fucking radio. An album of Jeff Tweedy singing 'country' songs would be amazing. In MY opinion, every record Wilco has released has been amazing in its own way. But after Radio was homogenized and polluted by Corporations after deregulation, we will never see a band like Wilco have a radio hit. NEVER. They were not willing to make compromises early in their career and and not the teen idol types now.

 

I bet Jeff is perfectly fine with that.

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And the good thing is that country radio actually plays "country music" so unlike the rock stations who don't bother to play Wilco except on rare occasions might just dig it.

 

I think getting onto Nashville-controlled country radio is even harder than getting onto rock radio. Even great country records don't get played, and haven't for years.

 

It's what drove a wedge between Johnny Cash and Nashville radio, and inspired him to take this ad out:

 

cash-ad.jpg

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Isn't FM radio obsolete anyway?

 

FM Radio is obsolete...CDs are obsolete...vinyl records were obsolete, then they were cool again, now they're headed for obsolence atagi...people actually playing guitars and keyboards are obsolete...I don't think I'm digging the modern world much anymore.

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FM Radio is obsolete...CDs are obsolete...vinyl records were obsolete, then they were cool again, now they're headed for obsolence atagi...people actually playing guitars and keyboards are obsolete...I don't think I'm digging the modern world much anymore.

 

Sitting on the front porch, strumming guitars, singing along with friends... That will never be obsolete.

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