Schmilco Impressions.

[!goose!]

I downloaded it.

However, I am not going to listen until Tuesday, because that's when the listening party is.

I justified downloading it because the nearest store hosting a party is 2 hours away. I can't drive that far for the party, but I still want to hear it at the same time as folks at the party. Plus, I've purchased 3 copies of the record already, so....

Are you an insufferable nerd?

[rhino4evr]

Hey I totally understand being "true" to the band or something, but then why did you download it early in the first place? And how can you possibly resist listening to it after you've downloaded it?

If you live in south Florida I can point you to a store that already has it for sale on the shelf.

 

The album has been legally obtained now by several people. Should they not listen to it because wilco is having a promotional event at a record store?

 

Scratching my head here.

[rhino4evr]

So I'll go out on a limb and say the album isn't doing it for me at the moment. It's has some good tracks, but overall it feels a bit joyless. I'm hoping I come around to it.

[TCP]

Just got a vinyl copy thanks to a certain Seattle record store selling it early. Download code doesn't work yet and I didn't bring a turntable with me BUT the artwork is, as always, top notch!

[SarahC]

Are you an insufferable nerd?

Depends who you ask.

[SarahC]

Hey I totally understand being "true" to the band or something, but then why did you download it early in the first place? And how can you possibly resist listening to it after you've downloaded it?

If you live in south Florida I can point you to a store that already has it for sale on the shelf.

 

The album has been legally obtained now by several people. Should they not listen to it because wilco is having a promotional event at a record store?

 

Scratching my head here.

For me it's about the community. That's why this place used to be so awesome. Everybody chilling together talking about the new record. I'm waiting to listen until around the same time as the listening parties are going on to be able to talk about it with all my friends that are lucky enough to go to the parties.

[lost highway]

I'm dying over here... it's a small number of days. I LOVE that people are wrestling with it. I'm really into the idea that a band can be around for so many years and still challenge their listeners.

[chisoxjtrain]

For me it's about the community. That's why this place used to be so awesome. Everybody chilling together talking about the new record. I'm waiting to listen until around the same time as the listening parties are going on to be able to talk about it with all my friends that are lucky enough to go to the parties.

Well, this thread is about your impressions of Schmilco, which you haven't heard yet.

 

Speaking of, I really enjoyed Schmilco. Best way to listen to it is on a really good speaker system or studio headphones. While it is described as a quiet album, there is a lot going on in just about every song.

[SarahC]

Excuse me for inconveniencing your eyes with my posts then...

[dagwave]

Excuse me for inconveniencing your eyes with my posts then...

BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

[rhino4evr]

I think a lot of the "community" will have already heard the album during said listening parties and will be in/out of the store in a couple minutes.

 

But to each his/her own.

[rhino4evr]

I'm dying over here... it's a small number of days. I LOVE that people are wrestling with it. I'm really into the idea that a band can be around for so many years and still challenge their listeners.

Yeah I totally agree with this. If it was just another wilco album i would probably be more disappointed. I do think more than a few of these tracks feel like "solo" or Tweedy material. So there are some comparisons there. I need more time on this one. It feels just a tad Too slight. It may come off better live.

[Al.Ducts]

I've been hoping for another negative space-heavy Wilco album for quite some time and it looks like I got my wish with this one. There have been great songs on the last couple of records but I think what's been lacking a bit for me is that cohesive atmosphere for the songs to sit in. I like my Wilco weird, melancholy, and biting. Power pop mode is always a fun face for them to put on, and they're damn good at it, but I'm less likely to chew on those songs the way I would some of their more left of center stuff. A couple of listens in and I can echo others who've said its a really strong set of lyrics. 

Favorite Tracks (so far): Common Sense, Locator, Quarters, We Aren't The World (Safety Girl), Just Say Goodbye

[junkiesmile]

I've been hoping for another negative space-heavy Wilco album for quite some time and it looks like I got my wish with this one. There have been great songs on the last couple of records but I think what's been lacking a bit for me is that cohesive atmosphere for the songs to sit in. I like my Wilco weird, melancholy, and biting. Power pop mode is always a fun face for them to put on, and they're damn good at it, but I'm less likely to chew on those songs the way I would some of their more left of center stuff. A couple of listens in and I can echo others who've said its a really strong set of lyrics.

 

Favorite Tracks (so far): Common Sense, Locator, Quarters, We Aren't The World (Safety Girl), Just Say Goodbye

Wood grain, Radio Cure, Red Eyed Blue. I like my Wilco weird also. I love love love this album

[davidtobin100]

Got a MP3 copy through Frocksteady. Even the MP3s running through my AKG headphones sounded pretty great. Looking forward to getting the CD and vinyl and getting a clearer picture of it.

 

That said, initial listens are positive. It definitely feels part of the Sukierae/Star Wars sessions. Although I've enjoyed them all I'll be looking forward to a different recording process for the next album. I like that Schmilco is more of a deeper/grower sort of an album and a nice counterpoint to the immediacy of Star Wars.

[TCP]

I like that Schmilco is more of a deeper/grower sort of an album and a nice counterpoint to the immediacy of Star Wars.

 

You nailed it.

I just spun my LP for the first time. It's definitely going to take a few listens to properly digest, which is a nice balance from Star Wars. If history has taught me anything, Wilco is at their best when you don't fully understand on first listen. 

[Blackberry Rust]

Love this album - absolutely love it. The hooks are coming out with each listen, this is one of their best. As other folks have said, I like my Wilco weird and opaque.

 

1. YHF

2. Summerteeth

3. AGIB

4. SBS

5. Schmilco

6. Being There

7. SW

8. MMA 1 & MMA 2

9. Wilco Book

10. WTA

11. AM

12. TWL

[junkiesmile]

Am I the only one who thinks the chorus of Someone to Lose has a major Big Star vibe? When the guitar kicks in it reminds me of In the Street. The whole first side of this album is perfect. Not to say the second side isn't great as well. It just hasn't been as immediate as the first side.

[craigwinn]

Am I the only one who thinks the chorus of Someone to Lose has a major Big Star vibe? When the guitar kicks in it reminds me of In the Street. The whole first side of this album is perfect. Not to say the second side isn't great as well. It just hasn't been as immediate as the first side.

 

Yeah I definitely get a Big Star vibe off of that song.

Also the bass line on that and on Locator both remind me of Can't Stand It.

[junkiesmile]

Yeah I definitely get a Big Star vibe off of that song.

Also the bass line on that and on Locator both remind me of Can't Stand It.

The bass line reminds me of Stuck in the Middle With You. A rubber band sort of groove. It's my favorite song on the album right now.

[Alone in the Zone]

Love this album - absolutely love it. The hooks are coming out with each listen, this is one of their best. As other folks have said, I like my Wilco weird and opaque.

 

1. YHF

2. Summerteeth

3. AGIB

4. SBS

5. Schmilco

6. Being There

7. SW

8. MMA 1 & MMA 2

9. Wilco Book

10. WTA

11. AM

12. TWL

[davidtobin100]

I'm looking forward to the 9th arriving as I feel I don't want to spoil anything for other forumites by breaking down the songs. I'm going to try and keep any comments reasonably generalised until then but I have to admit 3 listens in I have a lot I'd like to talk about!

[Alone in the Zone]

Love this album - absolutely love it. The hooks are coming out with each listen, this is one of their best. As other folks have said, I like my Wilco weird and opaque.

 

1. YHF

2. Summerteeth

3. AGIB

4. SBS

5. Schmilco

6. Being There

7. SW

8. MMA 1 & MMA 2

9. Wilco Book

10. WTA

11. AM

12. TWL

Sorry for the double post - I have had a media copy for a few weeks. It is definitely an album that takes a while to get your head around. I think I'm ready to rank it in the catalogue (keeping in mind that I love all of these albums):

 

AGIB

YHF

BT

ST

MA

SBS

SW

TWL

Schmilco

WTA

AM

[u2roolz]

The ending to We Aren't The World is eerily similar to the ending of U2's Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own.

 

I love the whole album. I was a bit worried that Happiness would be this record's Leave Me Like You Found Me, but it just clicked. Common is my favorite song closely followed by Quarters. It's funny that they haven't played those 2 yet. I also wondered where Mikael went and he sounds prominent on Shrug & Destroy, unless if that's Pat playing. Cry All Day is also another early favorite.

 

I was lucky enough to download the Seattle show and I'll save my thoughts for that thread.

[Theremin]

Digging the vibe on Schmilco a lot more than on SW, which was a fun album but ultimately a bit of an empty and too straightforward rock show (with a couple of slower ones that weren't that good, Tweedy seems to have kept the better slower tracks for Schmilco) that didn't keep me coming back except for a couple of stand outs. Never understood why that one got so much love on this board. 

I like that Schmilco goes for the good old album as a cohesive statement vibe which is the first time since SBS I think (though I'd still rank it below TWL which was a bit better than Shmilco on a song by song basis)?