Jump to content

How about a new Wilco record?


Recommended Posts

Just to clarify, the only album I don't like of WIlco's is (TA),..and I still kinda like it.

 

I agree that SBS is great due to it's warmth and personal nature...something Sukirae has in common.

 

What I was saying is The Whole Love is the "best" the band has sounded on record, and the closest they have come to matching their live sound on a record.

 

You act as if Art of Almost is the only sonic wonder on that album...I Might, Dawned on Me, Capitol City, to name a few, are very dynamic songs.

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 152
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

i think it's pretty natural for a band's creative force to hit an asymptote 20 years on... in fact, i can't think of many who didn't.

 

This is where the comparison to Spoon comes in. Both bands formed around the same time. They have both released 8 albums in the 20 years they have been around. Both lead singers are great writers and great front-men who also happen to have great bands as side projects. Both are successful producers (although Jeff has more of a resume here).

 

But there are two main differences. 1) Jim Eno has been with the band he cofounded with Britt the whole time. 2) Spoon just released what is arguably its best album last year. And while Wilco has the slight edge with its early stuff. Spoon has released 3 incredible albums since Wilco released its last great album in 2004.

 

Is the dynamic between Eno and Daniel the reason Spoon has stayed at the top of its game? Is Spoon the outlier on the common career trajectory?

 

I'd like to think that Jeff has more in him and that Wilco won't be relegated to the pile of aging bands that release good but ordinary music for the rest of its career.

Link to post
Share on other sites

i disagree w/ you about Spoon's output. i think their highlight was _Girls Can Tell_, and it's been spotty since then. in fact, i think the _Sneaks_ and _Telephono_ are better than Ga x 5 or Transference. 

i like Eno as a drummer but i don't think he's at all responsible for the songwriting quality. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

i disagree w/ you about Spoon's output. i think their highlight was _Girls Can Tell_, and it's been spotty since then. in fact, i think the _Sneaks_ and _Telephono_ are better than Ga x 5 or Transference. 

 

i like Eno as a drummer but i don't think he's at all responsible for the songwriting quality. 

 

But Eno is also a producer. And a good one. I think that combination of having two strong voices in the room helps. They also went to an outside producer on They Want My Soul.

 

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on Spoon's output. Except for the fact that Girls Can Tell is their best.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Wilco - 2016 - The White Album

I don't think Wilco should ever make an attempt at "The White Album". I think people forget that the Beatles were easy to listen to with such quick succession because they had three (four twice and 1/2) songwriters that made cohesive yet disparate records. Here, it's just Jeff with varying band input (now that Jay has been long gone). I like Sukierae, but it could have been a stronger single album if only for the style fatigue factor. 

 

As for 2004 holding the last "masterpiece" album, that is affected by when you started listening. If you look at Wilco in phases (1:AM, BT, Mermaid(s). 2: Summerteeth, YHF, AGIB. 3: SBS, W(tA), TWL), Where you started listening tends to be where you last perceive Wilco as capable of master-craft. You may be able to look backwards and see greatness, but not forwards because the band is no longer making the type of music you fell in love with. Obviously this is generalized and everybody listens differently, but as someone else already said, the best part of Wilco is the difference between each record, not the similarities (that's why Wilco (the Album) is not as great as the rest). 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Producers aside, I think the relative coasting since around 2005 has been due to the comfort zone factor. Now I certianly don't wish mental illness, substance abuse, musical disunity and a generally screwed up existence on anyone, but - as most fine musicians do - Tweedy wrote his best stuff when he was under the hammer. It's a bit disingenious to claim that suffering for one's art is the only way you're going to make decent art, but it goes some way: Leonard Cohen, Jason Molina, Sparklehorse, Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy.

 

So, whilst I sincerely don't wish any ill fortune on Tweedy, it might be time to get out the axe and pare Wilco back to a four piece - Jeff/John/Glenn/Mikael or Pat. I've got a soft spot for Nels, and I'm sure some folks are glad he brought modal shredding back into the spotlight, but his guitar playing drives me up the wall. Technically it's impressive, but at least Jeff can play with some soul.

 

I don't mean this to sound brutal, but I honestly think it's the only way they'll make a halfway decent album again.

 

Then again, it's been over ten years since Ghost, so I should probably just get over it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Producers aside, I think the relative coasting since around 2005 has been due to the comfort zone factor. Now I certianly don't wish mental illness, substance abuse, musical disunity and a generally screwed up existence on anyone, but - as most fine musicians do - Tweedy wrote his best stuff when he was under the hammer. It's a bit disingenious to claim that suffering for one's art is the only way you're going to make decent art, but it goes some way: Leonard Cohen, Jason Molina, Sparklehorse, Neil Young's Ditch Trilogy.

 

So, whilst I sincerely don't wish any ill fortune on Tweedy, it might be time to get out the axe and pare Wilco back to a four piece - Jeff/John/Glenn/Mikael or Pat. I've got a soft spot for Nels, and I'm sure some folks are glad he brought modal shredding back into the spotlight, but his guitar playing drives me up the wall. Technically it's impressive, but at least Jeff can play with some soul.

 

I don't mean this to sound brutal, but I honestly think it's the only way they'll make a halfway decent album again.

 

Then again, it's been over ten years since Ghost, so I should probably just get over it.

 

I mostly agree, though I'm guessing that I've enjoyed some of Wilco's recent albums more than you have. I don't doubt that the current lineup is capable of making a great record, they definitely are, but I think a change could be good. (I'd also much prefer Jeff or Pat play lead instead of Nels)

Link to post
Share on other sites

I mostly agree, though I'm guessing that I've enjoyed some of Wilco's recent albums more than you have. I don't doubt that the current lineup is capable of making a great record, they definitely are, but I think a change could be good. (I'd also much prefer Jeff or Pat play lead instead of Nels)

Pat has been showing off his muscle lately with leading the production side of TWL and even on-stage (using his Billy-Bo for "Red-Eyed and Blue/I Got You at the Cap show stands out in my mind) but I would personally like to hear less of the late 60's/70's aesthetic moving forward. I would be interested in seeing what the band could with less guitar. Summerteeth stands as the only up-front synth record (Art of Almost aside) and but that lacked nuance and was buried under chugging baritone guitar or steel guitar ala Nashville (I'm Always in Love, ELT). 

 

In my mind I see giving Mikael the lead in exploring the ideas behind the SOMA Hummingbird or Unlikey Japan. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...