Streaming "The Whole Love"

[LaughingDog]

 

Those songs sound nothing alike, why would anyone compare them?

Also I don't think anyone has really made the comparison between Open Mind and Country Disappeared yet. Both 6/8 tunes with really good lyrics but suffer from a really interesting arrangement like Black Moon or Rising Red Lung.

 

Standing O, for me anyways, sort feels a lot like Sonny Feeling in a lot of ways as well, just a lot better.

 

I made that comparison, Kalle (;

 

Why would anyone compare that? Because structurally and conceptually they are extremely similar songs. They give off the same vibe for me, too. Very strict verse chorus verse structure, very chord based, the guitars and keyboards are very blankety and work as accents for the vocal melody rather than as structurally integral riffs or chords... comparisons between songs don't rely solely on how they "sound".

[ih8music]

Was listening to the stream over my phone at various points today while doing some work around the house... but the stream kept dropping off so I never got the whole album experience. (Of course, I got to hear Art of Almost a bunch of times and it got better with each repeated play. )

 

But listening to the whole thing now with headphones on - and wow, just wow. This is the Wilco I love.

[I Loathe the Sun...]

All I can say is that this is the first time that I've heard a brand new Wilco album and been immediately sucked in. I wasn't a Wilco fanatic until A Ghost Is Born was already a year or so old, so Sky Blue Sky was my first new album stream (and that one had to seriously grow on me). Wilco (The Album) has felt pretty inessential to me since the day it came out, but this one is different. I think TWL is everything WTA should have been.

 

While the majority of these songs haven't blown my mind, both the opening and closing songs are absolutely killer. One Sunday Morning in particular I think is one of their very best songs. I don't understand the apathy toward Open Mind though. I think it's much more digestible than Country Disappeared, particularly because both the lyrics and production on Open Mind are much better. It's a lovely song.

 

My main gripe: It seems to me like Nels is overusing the slide guitar on this album, because sometimes it doesn't seem to fit the songs at all. I kinda wish that his more Avant-Garde playing on Art of Almost (and Sky Blue Sky) was more present both on TWL and WTA.

[boywiththorninside]

Welcome to VC! Nice first post--and I'm totally with you regarding "Born Alone." I think it's one of best power pop songs in the Wilco catalog. Love it.

 

Yes! This song is great and is the one that, to this point, has inspired the most head shaking air guitar.

[kamera]

 

 

I feel a lot of Jay Bennett's spirit here too. Pat and Mike came up with some positively inspired keyboard layers, and some of Jeff's melodies have a Tweedy/Bennett-ish vibe to them. I don't want to deride the guys in the band now, there all super talented, they deserve all the credit for making the best record of this lineup's. But it'll always, always be a plus for me when I start thinking of Jay Bennett on a Wilco record.

 

--Mike

 

Could not agree more. I, too, thought of Jay while listening to the album...

[Lynch]

 

It seems that Wilco has always been able to make the record I needed to hear at the time.

 

YES!! Another reason I love this band

[Ghost of Electricity]

It's morning here so I'm on day two of this record- and still really liking it. I had a lump-in-throat moment on first listen with "dawned on me" and those impressions are hard to overturn, so i think this has already earned its place in wherever it is that good records earn their place.

 

Art of Almost- the wilco everyone seems to want. perhaps a bit incongrous with the rest as the electronica goes away after this song and doesn't really come back. but a great track nevertheless. Yes, of course there's Nels' freak out, but let's not forget Glenn's drumming- that rhythm is sick.

 

I might- love the fuzzy bass punk-pop and well placed after AoA

 

Sunloathe- doesn't jump out at me, perhaps a grower.

 

Dawned on Me- sonically reminiscent of "I'm always in love," this song gave me the first goosebumps that Wilco has given me in a long time.

 

Black moon- another one that doesn't immediately jump out at me.

 

Born Alone- haters be damned, the inifinitely decsending outro is worth the price of admission alone.

 

Open MInd- beautiful slow waltz. Not quite convinced by the clicheed refrain.

 

Capitol City- this is the one certain blogholes (thanks crow) called jazzy or ragtime, right? seriously, do those idiots even know who Scott Joplin is? They throw these terms out nearly at random because a track doesn't fit neatly into a category they're familiar with. Utter twee shite? at least you're not betraying an utter ignorance of music history. You're just wrong (um...in my opinion) this is the best chord progression since the Bennet days. lots of stuff happening sonically as well, and I don't even mind the bells this time (they were horrid on w(ta))

 

Standing O- right now this seems like the filler track. i'm hoping it will grow on me

 

Rising red lung- add this to the category of Black Moon- doesn't really jump out at me but has growth potential

 

Whole Love- the guitar intro reminds me of Mansour Seck for some reason, but that ends when the band kicks in. love it- a great feel good song.

 

One Sunday Morning- not going to ruin this by talking about it. wow.

[skybluescott]

It's morning here so I'm on day two of this record- and still really liking it. I had a lump-in-throat moment on first listen with "dawned on me" and those impressions are hard to overturn, so i think this has already earned its place in wherever it is that good records earn their place.

 

Art of Almost- the wilco everyone seems to want. perhaps a bit incongrous with the rest as the electronica goes away after this song and doesn't really come back. but a great track nevertheless. Yes, of course there's Nels' freak out, but let's not forget Glenn's drumming- that rhythm is sick.

 

I might- love the fuzzy bass punk-pop and well placed after AoA

 

Sunloathe- doesn't jump out at me, perhaps a grower.

 

Dawned on Me- sonically reminiscent of "I'm always in love," this song gave me the first goosebumps that Wilco has given me in a long time.

 

Black moon- another one that doesn't immediately jump out at me.

 

Born Alone- haters be damned, the inifinitely decsending outro is worth the price of admission alone.

 

Open MInd- beautiful slow waltz. Not quite convinced by the clicheed refrain.

 

Capitol City- this is the one certain blogholes (thanks crow) called jazzy or ragtime, right? seriously, do those idiots even know who Scott Joplin is? They throw these terms out nearly at random because a track doesn't fit neatly into a category they're familiar with. Utter twee shite? at least you're not betraying an utter ignorance of music history. You're just wrong (um...in my opinion) this is the best chord progression since the Bennet days. lots of stuff happening sonically as well, and I don't even mind the bells this time (they were horrid on w(ta))

 

Standing O- right now this seems like the filler track. i'm hoping it will grow on me

 

Rising red lung- add this to the category of Black Moon- doesn't really jump out at me but has growth potential

 

Whole Love- the guitar intro reminds me of Mansour Seck for some reason, but that ends when the band kicks in. love it- a great feel good song.

 

One Sunday Morning- not going to ruin this by talking about it. wow.

 

I agree with almost all of what he just said.

 

Open Mind reminds me a bit of ITMWLY in that the lyrics and sentiment of the chorus are so simple that it seems like anyone could have tossed them off but the build up to the chorus is pure Tweedy genius.

 

Not really sure how I feel about Capitol City yet, I've enjoyed listening to it so far but don't know how often I'll want to hear it. It does feel kinda like it doesn't fit in with the other songs.

 

I'd describe Standing O not as filler but as an "easy rocker" (I miss Jay, too). And I'm loving the handclaps. Can't wait to help out with those in a few weeks.

 

The title track actually sounded to me like Jeff trying his hand at writing a Belle & Sebastian type song.

 

Overall, the production is amazing . Even the songs that didn't immediately grab me had bits of production I found really fascinating.

Big ups to all! But extra big ups to Pat's ears!

[bobbob1313]

My favorite things about this album:

 

Total freakout on "Art of Almost."

Total Randy Newman feel on "Capitol City."

Total power pop rocking on "Standing O."

 

It's real good.

[Moss]

I believe in one of the recent Jeff interviews he said that One Sunday Morning is an actual true story where he went for supper with the author Jane Smiley and her boyfriend and he told Jeff the story and then Jeff ended up writing a song about it.

 

I just think it is seriously incredible, maybe top 5 Wilco songs for me and I'll probably even go out on a limb and say best one of the best Jeff has written since Jesus Etc., I am just floored by it.

 

Also I hope to god they play it live I don't care if they have to cut two songs from the set for it, it'll be totally worth it.

 

Edit:

Here's Jeff's response in the St. Louis magazine article.

 

There’s a song on the new album called “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend). Smiley’s from Webster Groves—do you know her?

I don’t know her very well, but I have met her and her boyfriend, and I’m a little nervous about that song now because I’m hoping that it will be taken in good spirits. Having met her only once, though, I will say that I know her better than I know her work even. It’s really more about the meeting of her boyfriend, and I had a really poignant moment over dinner with him one time, so I thought it was cool to reflect that in the song. Even though now I’m really sad that I’m going to have to skirt around this for the next year.

 

He also mentions it in MOJO when asked what the connection between One Sunday Morning and Jane Smiley was: "I did my best to capture what I felt was poignant about a conversation I did indeed have with Jane's engaging, friendly and wise boyfriend. Other than that there is no connection."

 

There is so much musically going on in that song. Volume swells on guitar, little perfect piano fills, Jeff's amazing, intimate sounding vocals, and the bass is just so perfect in it. Like someone mentioned, it's really a song only Wilco could have made and is everything I love about the band.

 

Interesting, didn't catch that I Might samples The Stooges TV Eye.

 

Apparently this album was pared down from 60 songs.

 

What a great sounding album. Can't wait to get the CD and really dig in with the headphones.

[i'm only sleeping]

Thanks Wilco, you've made my year

[bobbob1313]

John's bass playing over the last three albums has been nothing short of incredible. He doesn't he his due.

[kidsmoke]

Help me, I can't turn this off. I can't!

[lost highway]

 

There is so much musically going on in that song. Volume swells on guitar, little perfect piano fills, Jeff's amazing, intimate sounding vocals, and the bass is just so perfect in it. Like someone mentioned, it's really a song only Wilco could have made and is everything I love about the band.

 

I wanna throw this out there again to see if anyone else agrees: the piano on One Sunday Morning reminds me of Leroy.

[LaughingDog]

Help me, I can't turn this off. I can't!

 

Me neither... me neither.

 

 

I wanna throw this out there again to see if anyone else agrees: the piano on One Sunday Morning reminds me of Leroy.

 

Got any specific Leroy moments? Because I think this is purely, 100% Mikael's flavour, especially from the Wilco B sides. ie Diamond Claw, One True Vine, Panthers, Rottnest... so distinctively Mikael and so pretty.

 

The guitar in One Sunday also reminds me of the guitar from Diamond Claw.

[Rock Pools]

Help me, I can't turn this off. I can't!

 

Snap!

[daysleeperchuk]

These songs will all sound great live! Once again WILCO outdistance themselves from the usual by making a record no one but rock critics and fans will listen to. It's essentially devoid of any possible radio "hit", and I DIG that about these guys. They make great music, and we never have to worry about corporations or the generally dumb ass radio ready public ruining a perfectly good thing. Face it; these guys COULD do anything, any type of song or style they wanted to do, but they do what they feel and that's cool.- So yes, in that way the Radiohead comparisons are valid, but My Morning Jacket and The Flaming Lips and a host of other American bands are in full bloom right now creatively as well. Wilco are at the helm of a musical happening right now, because no one really expects airplay from typical radio so the game is wide open and wonderful. This album adds to that tapestry in it's own unique way. Bravo Wilco, Excelsior!

[wilconut]

Getting into my third listen. Headphones, folks, headphones make all the difference. I can't believe how many layers, textures, and flourishes I missed on the first two listens. It's so lush. Damn, I think the record as a whole just jumped up a notch or two.

[rockinrob]

good speakers, good speakers make all the difference.

 

 

Even with an mp3, hearing this through my 50 watt marantz into klipsch chorus II's (horn loaded 3 ways with 15" woofers) was an experience!

 

 

Cant wait to plop the LP down on my turntable

[-seven]

Help me, I can't turn this off. I can't!

 

Haha. So true. I had a hard time stopping last night so that I could get some sleep....and here I am back again. I guess that's a good thing.

[pillowy star]

Thanks Wilco, you've made my year

 

Enough said.

 

I L-O-V-E it. I couldn't love it more than I do. I am floored. Didn't happen to me in a very very long time with any album by any band. Probably the last time with AGIB.

[wilconut]

 

Haha. So true. I had a hard time stopping last night so that I could get some sleep....and here I am back again. I guess that's a good thing.

 

Right? Good things happening here.

[wilconut]

Oh, and I made some declaration last night that Born Alone didn't stand a chance of getting in my good graces, but what have I been whistling around the house this morning? What, you ask? Born Alone.

[Guest Speed Racer]

I'm reminded of what Jay said in IATTBYH about how if you're not careful, every song turns into a simple folk ditty. That's kind of where the last two albums suffered - think about how much Poor Places would have sucked if all those extra lyrics had been in there, and if the guitar had been in the front of the mix

 

I like this pretty good so far. I think Dawned on Me still has pretty sissy lyrics, but they dressed it up enough that I don't mind quite as much. Love the production (hey people, Pat did something I didn't shit all over!).

[pkstak]

i love it so far.

 

definitely has a little summerteeth feel (which is fine by me)