What's the deal with Wilco (The Album)?

[WilcoTheologian]

I've occasionally seen and heard negative opinions on the Wilco Album. I'm just curious as to why you feel that way? It's certainly not their worst album, in my opinion. First of course, this album was my very first Wilco album. My father was always trying to get me into Wilco, but I wasn't really interested. So one day at the library, I saw Wilco (The Album) under new releases. I grabbed it for my dad, hoping to surprise him. He had no idea a new album was even out. While waiting for him to come home, I decided to listen to the album. I fell in love instantly! And the rest of the night was spent going through my fathers CD's and pulling out every wilco disc. That's the day I discovered Wilco. That being said, I've always been so surprised when I hear fans speaking their dislike of the album I do fondly enjoyed. So here I am, just wondering why you do or do not like Wilco the Album? For the record my favorite album is probably A Ghst Is Born. But I still thoroughly enjoy WTA.

[Atticus]

It's certainly not their worst album, in my opinion.

 

It may be easier to answer your central question if you would name a Wilco album that is inferior to Wilco (the Album).

[dagwave]

No one forgets their first love.

[jff]

There are several possible answers here, but I think it ultimately comes down to the fact that Tweedy had put together a lineup with some of the most skilled and adventurous musicians of all time, and a lot of fans were expecting to hear some of that skill and adventurousness on the records the new lineup would make. But the opposite happened, particularly on Wilco (The Album).  

[Albert Tatlock]

I love what many consider the throwaway Wilco The Song for it's self deprecating humour, and a couple of others. What I remember from my initial listenings was what I perceived as a preponderance of moon/June type rhyming that did not seem to flow and grated with me a bit. "Deeper still than we can go, Further out than triremes row" comes to mind, though I do like triremes in general. Now and then something causes a reconsideration - like the great version of Country Disappeared on the Take Away Show below, but since then there always seem to be things I want to listen to more, and less and less time to do any music listening in general. It's all relative - not bad, just not as great as some.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IkK4fjUlmVs

[LouieB]

Personally I can't think of one that I like less than W(TA).  Too bad you didn't hear something else first.  But if you like this album (which isn't bad, it just isn't up to the high level of some of the others), you must love the rest. I guess those of us who have been around longer find it wanting compared to Summerteeth, Being There, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, etc. 

 

LouieB

[lost highway]

There's plenty to like on there, but you asked what's not to like. So:

 

- The 18th time they sing "I don't care anymore" (YNK)

- Rhyming sad with glad and die, sky and lie (Everlasting)

- It's less intimate than Sky Blue Sky

- It's less ambitious than Yhf, summerteeth and Agib

- It's less masterfully executed than The Whole Love

- It's less visceral than Being There or Star Wars

- All of this without the unpretentious charm of AM

- It wastes a great set of Tweedy and Feist vocals on a song that's just ok

 

I could list just as many reasons why it's good.

[LouieB]

You Never Know may be one of the worst songs ever and can firmly be labeled dad rock for it's sentiment (sorry Jeff).  And W(TS) reminds me too much of Kojak, which is never a good thing.

 

Having said that I actually like You and I, although I totally understand why others are less enthusiastic. I think it is one of the best songs on the album. Black Bull Nova reminds me of my old tank green Nova, so I'm okay with that.  Sky Blue Sky has a fantastic cover, but I hate the camel on the cover of W(TA), not sure why.  Whereas the lovely images of the flock of birds is so evocative of the songs on SBS, the camel (plodding and dull) sort of represents the feel of W(TA). 

 

LouieB

[thejokeexplained]

Mob mentality is in music too. I really like the release, and i usually shed a tear when listening to Wilco (TS) when they play it live.  BBN stands up to any song in the bands catalog.  I even dig the Birthday camel! 

[The Inside of Outside]

Why less love for WTA? It does not sound cohesive to my ears, which may be a product of a recording process that did not include the full band working through the songs together.

 

I am a big, big fan of Country Disappeared, and I am a W(TS) fan. I loved it as an opening song on that tour. Bull Black Nova, One Wing, You and I, and I'll Fight are solid as well. I still like it a lot, but I do not love it. I love all the rest of their releases to varying degrees.

[theashtraysays]

 Black Bull Nova reminds me of my old tank green Nova, so I'm okay with that. 

 

LouieB

So, you had a dead body in the trunk too?  I learn something new about you every day Lou....

I'm pretty partial to that song as well.  Big surprise there, huh?

Vince

[LouieB]

Well it's a strange song.  I had a lot of fun times with my Tank Green Nova for sure, including working the tomato strike one summer in northwest Ohio.  The head gasket leaked and I had to add oil all the time and the carbonator would come loose and I would have to take it off and tighten the connections and redo the vacuum hoses.  Yea, that was an interesting summer in my youth.

 

I do like One Wing. 

 

LouieB

[Mr. Heartbreak]

There's plenty to like on there, but you asked what's not to like. So:

 

- The 18th time they sing "I don't care anymore" (YNK)

- Rhyming sad with glad and die, sky and lie (Everlasting)

- It's less intimate than Sky Blue Sky

- It's less ambitious than Yhf, summerteeth and Agib

- It's less masterfully executed than The Whole Love

- It's less visceral than Being There or Star Wars

- All of this without the unpretentious charm of AM

- It wastes a great set of Tweedy and Feist vocals on a song that's just ok

 

I could list just as many reasons why it's good.

Masterfully executed.

[Vacant Horizon]

You Never Know may be one of the worst songs ever and can firmly be labeled dad rock for it's sentiment (sorry Jeff).  And W(TS) reminds me too much of Kojak, which is never a good thing.

 

Having said that I actually like You and I, although I totally understand why others are less enthusiastic. I think it is one of the best songs on the album. Black Bull Nova reminds me of my old tank green Nova, so I'm okay with that.  Sky Blue Sky has a fantastic cover, but I hate the camel on the cover of W(TA), not sure why.  Whereas the lovely images of the flock of birds is so evocative of the songs on SBS, the camel (plodding and dull) sort of represents the feel of W(TA). 

 

LouieB

 

I didn't like the cover either and caught lots of flack stating such things on this board.  SBS album cover is just classic.

 

WTA would've made a good ep with The Wilco song being a non album single like The Thanks I Get.  You Never Know is awful as is I'll Fight. There's no words for Sonny Feeling. However, I adore Deeper Down, One Wing, Bull Black Nova and Solitaire. Country Disappeared is pretty good too.

[lost highway]

Oh yeah, Sonny Feeling is not so good.

[Vacant Horizon]

Oh yeah, Sonny Feeling is not so good.

 

It had potential but seemed to have developed into a novelty song.

 

BTW, when there are only a few good songs on an album I'm always torn as to whether I should rip the entire CD on iPod, just buy the downloads, sell CD after ripping.  The perils of the digital age.

[saluqi]

I think I recall Tweedy saying in some interview a year or so after WTA was released that he wished he had paid more attention to the song order because he believed that would totally changed the way the album was received.  He obviously took that to heart with the Whole Love.

[jbray]

I've always W(tA) suffering from going in no real new direction. Many of the sounds of this record had been heard by better counterparts on earlier albums. It does have some of the best songs in the catalogue ("One Wing", "Bull Black Nova") but it also has some of the worst ("I'll Fight", "Sonny Feeling"). I am also in agreement that it is the weakest offering as a whole. That being said, I still get excited to hear these songs live especially because they got cut from the setlists for a few years. Still holding out for "Country Disappeared" though, what a gem that song is.

[knotgreen]

I'd be stoked if Wilco opened every one of their shows with Wilco (the song).

[The Inside of Outside]

I'd be stoked if Wilco opened every one of their shows with Wilco (the song).

Me too!

[worldrecordplayer]

I guess I should be embarrassed to admit I've always really liked You Never Know. Go ahead, heap boatloads of scorn and ridicule on my head, I'll have to take it.

[rwrkb]

I guess I didn't even realize there was so much dislike of W(TA). It's not my favorite of theirs, but I do enjoy it and I have unabashed love for "W(TS)." Plus "I'll Fight" is on there!

Then again my least favorite Wilco album is AM, and I know plenty who find that unfathomable.

[Ghost of Electricity]

When Wilco was a young man he slept with lots of different women, and it was exciting. 

 

But then Wilco grew up, and decided he should only sleep with one woman. The first time he did that, it was exciting too. And after he'd been sleeping with her a while, he grew to appreciate the pleasures of monogamy. There was, however, a brief period before he'd developed that appreciation, but after he'd given up his wanton youthful promiscuity, where monogamy was just routine and boring. That brief period is known as Wilco (the Album).

[Vacant Horizon]

I guess I should be embarrassed to admit I've always really liked You Never Know. Go ahead, heap boatloads of scorn and ridicule on my head, I'll have to take it. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's got a great solo! Now, if Sonny was your fav then embarrassment would be in order

[Vacant Horizon]

I think I recall Tweedy saying in some interview a year or so after WTA was released that he wished he had paid more attention to the song order because he believed that would totally changed the way the album was received.  He obviously took that to heart with the Whole Love.

I wonder what the order could've been.

 

Bull Black

Wilco

Deeper Down

One Wing

Dark Neon

You And I

Country

Solitaire

Everlasting