I Might Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 As a relatively new poster I've noticed many on here consistantly rank Wilco (The Album) at or near the bottom of the catalogue. I generally agree that it was a disppointment and was curious why others feel this way. Personally, my problem with it is that it never felt like a coherent album, rather a collection of songs. I wouldn't personally call any of Wilco's previous releases a "concept" album, to me thats reserved for things like Sgt. Pepper's or The Who's "Tommy." Rather, their other records always felt loosely held together by similar styles or themes. WTA felt like a collection of outtakes from previous points in their career. Tweedy even alluded to this in an interview I saw, in which he admitted that WTA felt like a summation of their work to that point, with each song having the feel of a different era of Wilco. You can dissect it song by song and say "this feels like it would belong on Summerteeth," etc. So, while I think it has some great individual songs, particularly on the first half, the old school record nerd in me that wants complete albums and not singles feels it falls short as a whole. I also realize how spoiled I've been by this band that I can admit the record has some great tracks, yet complain that they don't flow together thematically. Regardless I was interested in others thoughts on this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 http://viachicago.org/topic/41368-whats-the-consensus-on-wilco-the-album/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 As a relatively new poster I've noticed many on here consistantly rank Wilco (The Album) at or near the bottom of the catalogue. I generally agree that it was a disppointment and was curious why others feel this way. Personally, my problem with it is that it never felt like a coherent album, rather a collection of songs. I wouldn't personally call any of Wilco's previous releases a "concept" album, to me thats reserved for things like Sgt. Pepper's or The Who's "Tommy." Rather, their other records always felt loosely held together by similar styles or themes. WTA felt like a collection of outtakes from previous points in their career. Tweedy even alluded to this in an interview I saw, in which he admitted that WTA felt like a summation of their work to that point, with each song having the feel of a different era of Wilco. You can dissect it song by song and say "this feels like it would belong on Summerteeth," etc. So, while I think it has some great individual songs, particularly on the first half, the old school record nerd in me that wants complete albums and not singles feels it falls short as a whole. I also realize how spoiled I've been by this band that I can admit the record has some great tracks, yet complain that they don't flow together thematically. Regardless I was interested in others thoughts on this. Well the funny thing, is there is a "theme" to the record. It's called Wilco (the Album)..and it's really, like you said, a collection of different tracks that kind of summarizes their career. That's really the theme. To me it felt like leftover tracks, something that wasn't given a lot of thought. It's a very lazy record for Wilco standards and it shows. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fortuleo Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 It's very true. To me (the album) is not as much a summation of their work up to date as it is a little "generic". Allow me to make a comparison here : an album like "Shootenany" by Eels is a "generic" Eels record, each song being "in the vein" of something they did before, but less good. While "Blinking Lights" is a true summation, the masterpiece that encompasses all that is great about them (him). W(TA) falls short to achieve that because there is not enough gravitas or depth in the lyrics, harmonic structures or band performances, in spite of some great songs (for me : Deeper Down, Country Disappeared & I'll fight). That's why on this board, everybody has been disappointed by this album in the long run. What is funny, though, is that everybody here has completely different 'favorites' and 'least favorites' songs on the album, "I'll Fight" being a good case in point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 exactly, you could basically take every track on Wilco (TA) and compare it to a similar song from Wilco's past, and each time the older song will prevail as the better song. There is nothing on WIlco (TA) that is better then their previous work, nothing stands out. If they would have said "This is going to be an album filled with old song ideas, b-sides, and outakes" I think the album would have been better received. It wasn't a BAD record. It just wasnt up to snuff with their past records, which have been pretty much amazing. So the disappointment seems more drastic. this happens to all bands though...very few bands can it it out of the park multiple times. Most artists have 1 album wonders and then fade away. I just hope they break up, or Tweedy goes solo before they turn into R.E.M., that's a band that should call it quits (sorry Stipe fans) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 http://viachicago.or...ilco-the-album/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 http://viachicago.or...ilco-the-album/ http://viachicago.org/topic/45996-general-consensus-on-wilco-the-album/page__pid__1473745#entry1473745 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Atticus Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 You can dissect it song by song and say "this feels like it would belong on Summerteeth," etc. what song would fit that bill? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sweet Papa Crimbo Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 exactly, you could basically take every track on Wilco (TA) and compare it to a similar song from Wilco's past, and each time the older song will prevail as the better song. There is nothing on WIlco (TA) that is better then their previous work, nothing stands out. If they would have said "This is going to be an album filled with old song ideas, b-sides, and outakes" I think the album would have been better received. It wasn't a BAD record. It just wasnt up to snuff with their past records, which have been pretty much amazing. So the disappointment seems more drastic. this happens to all bands though...very few bands can it it out of the park multiple times. Most artists have 1 album wonders and then fade away. I just hope they break up, or Tweedy goes solo before they turn into R.E.M., that's a band that should call it quits (sorry Stipe fans) I am so with you here. You probably won't love a band your entire life. One can only hope that the pleasure derived from the music that one loves does not diminish. You can't predict the future. Live for the moment and relish the past. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 "Wilco (The Song)" should've been a b-side, "Deeper Down" is forgettable, "One Wing" is a potentially good song buried by thudding dullness, "Bull Black Nova" is boring, "You and I" is pretty and slight, "You Never Know" is fun after one listen and useless after two, "Country Disappeared" and "Solitaire" are the only two good songs, "I'll Fight" is a song on this album, "Sonny Feeling" is sorta cool, almost good, ultimately just there, and "Everlasting Everything" doesn't really exist. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sweet Papa Crimbo Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 "Wilco (The Song)" should've been a b-side, "Deeper Down" is forgettable, "One Wing" is a potentially good song buried by thudding dullness, "Bull Black Nova" is boring, "You and I" is pretty and slight, "You Never Know" is fun after one listen and useless after two, "Country Disappeared" and "Solitaire" are the only two good songs, "I'll Fight" is a song on this album, "Sonny Feeling" is sorta cool, almost good, ultimately just there, and "Everlasting Everything" doesn't really exist. All that being said...I enjoyed it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ghost of Electricity Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I still think it's too early to form a dispassionate judgment of this record and will be until September 27 or the leak. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lamradio Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 "Wilco (The Song)" should've been a b-side, "Deeper Down" is forgettable, "One Wing" is a potentially good song buried by thudding dullness, "Bull Black Nova" is boring, "You and I" is pretty and slight, "You Never Know" is fun after one listen and useless after two, "Country Disappeared" and "Solitaire" are the only two good songs, "I'll Fight" is a song on this album, "Sonny Feeling" is sorta cool, almost good, ultimately just there, and "Everlasting Everything" doesn't really exist. This. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I am so with you here. You probably won't love a band your entire life. One can only hope that the pleasure derived from the music that one loves does not diminish. You can't predict the future. Live for the moment and relish the past. yeah, after reading the new album was a "return to form" I was kinda excited, but man is that their worst album yet. Stipe is lyrically bankrupt, and the music is trying too hard to sound like Monster..which wasn't a great album to begin with. Accelerate was fun, but forgetable. This one is just forgettable. They should have broken up after Automatic. Or instead of breaking up..just stop releasing new stuff, and do greatest hits shows filed with nothing but their 80s output. The REAL R.E.M. fans don't want to hear Everybody Hurts, and Man on the Moon. They want you to play Recoking and Murmur back to back. The new Decemberists record is a better R.E.M. record then the actual band has produced in 15 years... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 Because so many artists are interested in just catering to hits-hungry audiences and not creating new music. Believe me -- I went to a Jackson Browne concert a few years back and his setlist was essentially his new record played straight in order, track-for-track. I'll admit I was among those wishing for some familiar hits, but at the same time, I tried to put myself in his shoes and understand the desire to create and perform new music rather than singing "Doctor My Eyes" for the 3,769th time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 yeah, but in the context of REM, there "hits" are the songs they usually play live anyway. When I saw them on the Accelrate tour they played Man on the Moon, Everybody Hurts, and Losing My Religion..I don't ever have to hear any of these songs for the rest of my life. My point is, most of the fans that go to an REM show, just want them to play stuff from 82-94, they rarely play that stuff live besides the well known songs from that era. There are SO many great songs in their catalog..but they tend to play the radio hits instead. Few of the fans from my experience even like those songs anymore. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 And from which era of Wilco do you want to hear songs played at those concerts? Just curious. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 WIlco is different because they havent had any huge radio hits that were and still are played to death on rock radio. I guess the song I think they play at every show that Im kinda sick of is Heavy Metal Drummer. They play Jesus Etc alot too, but I still love that song, mainly because of the great audience participation song it's become. I am not tired of any of their songs, although I'd rather them play something off Being There then Wilco (TA)...they usually do a good job of picking their set list, they always seem to pop in a rare song, or a cover I hadn't heard before. Still pissed they didn't play Via Chicago when I saw them on the "evening" tour. the four times ive seen them, they have never played...every song from the new album, and then a few old ones. There is usually a healthy mix. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 They play Jesus Etc alot too, but I still love that song, mainly because of the great audience participation song it's become.This is exactly what I don't like about it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rhino4evr Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 This is exactly what I don't like about it. yeah, I could see how people could get pissed about that, but Jeff is the one that encourages it. I think he is tired of singing that song, and just likes the audience to do it for him. ha ha. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fickerson Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 "I'll Fight" is a song on this album, Come on! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
choo-choo-charlie Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 This is exactly what I don't like about it. Me neither. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fickerson Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 What the hell happened to my avatar? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Magnetized Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 This is exactly what I don't like about it.I'm of two minds about this. On the few occasions when I've actually gotten to hear Jeff sing the song (solo shows only, come to think of it) I love hearing him actually sing it. I think it's one of the most beautiful songs in their catalog. But on the other hand, that sense of community that you get when the audience is singing every word of those (sometimes complex) lyrics--well, that does feel kind of magical. I would really love it, though, if Jeff would just call a moratorium on singalongs on this particular song. I think he could do it--just ask the audience to let the band earn its keep by singing it all the way through without assistance. Most of the audience could sing along to another song just as well, and that sense of community would feel just as good--and fresher. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xTonyWonder Posted August 29, 2011 Share Posted August 29, 2011 I really don't care for sing alongs. I go to watch shows, not participate. But of course, I'm highly introverted... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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