Wilco - Cousin - New Album

[5hake1t0ff]

I’m always fascinated about the difference between people who like a band’s music and fans who feel like it’s an actual relationship. I’ve had the experience of the latter with only a handful of bands over my approximately three decades of attentive music listening. (I’m one elder millennial who makes as much time for music these days as I ever did. Some life, but it’s mine.) Anyway, Wilco has done the best of sustaining the relationship, which started right about two decades ago for me. Bands like U2 and Pearl Jam, on the other hand, I still feel strong attachment to, still get my hopes up with each new album, but also have gotten used to feeling routinely let down by, since nothing by either band has sustained my interest this millennium. With the exception of the two what I call compilation albums (W(TA) and TWL), I personally have really enjoyed Wilco’s clear artistic intent and meticulous approach with each passing album this late in their career.

[Albert Tatlock]

2 hours ago, 5hake1t0ff said:

With the exception of the two what I call compilation albums (W(TA) and TWL

 

That's funny being so different to me as far as TWL goes isn't it. I enjoyed the mixture in the same way as Revolver is all messed up style-wise. I think the reason I continue as a 'Wilco fan' (of sorts you might say) is because of the personality of Jeff (mostly sense of humour - though it's also true to say that things were more interesting when they were more mysterious - the Tweedy Show and Starship Casual actually detracted from that I think - not that I have seen more than a handful of the former what with the time difference and I am only a freebie on the latter), the people who I have physically met via this board, some mild OCD habit, and JT/Wilco are still liable to turn up a gem that I enjoy more than most else around. 

 

[jff]

I kind of see it like eating at the same restaurant over a long period of time, but in the last few years they've been removing more and more of the things from the menu that I most enjoy.  For a while now I've still been returning to the restaurant, albeit not as frequently or as enthusiastically.  But now they've announced a revamp of the menu, so hopefully some of the things that I found so stimulating about the restaurant in the first place will return.

 

[Brian F.]

It just goes to show how subjective it all is. 5hake1tOff is not a fan of Wilco (The Album) or The Whole Love, but I'm a huge fan of the former and Tatlock is a big fan of the latter. (And I've never felt let down by a Pearl Jam or U2 album, but obviously I'm in the minority on that. There are clunker songs, for me, but not clunker albums by those artists.)

 

Ironically, Wilco, as much as I love them, might be an exception to my strongly held theory that listeners' tendency to lose interest as an artist's career progresses is more about the listeners than it is about the artists. When I look back over Wilco's career, I feel comfortable saying that the first four albums (A.M. through Yankee Hotel Foxtrot) are better than the next four albums (A Ghost Is Born through The Whole Love), which are better than the last four albums (Star Wars through Cruel Country). It's all relative, of course-- Summerteeth is my favorite, and Wilco (The Album) and Cruel Country are also standouts for me-- and there's a high standard involved-- I'd take Wilco's ninth-best album over the best album by 99 percent of other bands.

 

Then again, Wilco really hasn't been the same band across the 28 years. Jeff is the constant (along with John), but you could easily imagine a world where each phase of the band had a different name, Jack White-style, and then we'd view the arc very differently.

[5hake1t0ff]

In an effort to reinforce the topic of this thread, I wonder if Cousin might be able to thread the needle of our diverse aural preferences. Experimental sonic flourishes + pristine production + coherent idea/sound. I mean, you can’t please everyone, but I’m hopeful this new one will pump some air into the barely smoldering fire that is the Wilco fan community of recent years.

[TCP]

Because I am a huge nerd, I was trying to compile where we heard all these songs from before. Maybe this would be interesting to someone else? Probably not. Since this albums writing is both in The Tweedy Show era an the Starship Casual era, we potentially have some unique opportunity to watch songs evolve when compared with the final album versions.

 

1) Infinite Surprise 
     -Played solo by Jeff x3 in 2023
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 101. 
     -Performed The Tweedy Show 137. 
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 188. Recording lost.
2) Ten Dead 
3) Levee
4) Evicted 
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 218 (at the Largo in LA). 
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 220. 
     -First single 
     -Phone recording released on Starship Casual
5) Sunlight Ends 
     -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 161. 
     -Played solo by Jeff at Largo Feb 28 2022
6) A Bowl and A Pudding

     -Originally released as Not Saying Anything on Starship Casual April 17 2022.
7) Cousin
8) Pittsburgh

     -Early version released on Starship Casual August 28 2021 featuring Andy Shauf, Glenn, and Spencer.

    -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 183.
9) Soldier Child

     -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 175.

     -Work in progress version shared on Starship Casual March 25 2022 

     -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 217. 
10) Meant to Be

     -Performed live on The Tweedy Show episode 165. 

 

If I did this properly, the Tweedy Show links should be time stamped. Let me know if I missed anything.

Shout out to @u2roolz for his extensive note keeping on TTS.
 

[Brian F.]

This is greatly appreciated. Since I am not on Instagram, I have not seen many episodes of the Tweedy Show. (By the time they showed up on YouTube, the backlog was overwhelming.) This one-stop shop for versions of the new tracks will come in very handy. Thanks!

[u2roolz]

The full Uncut review of Cousin has been posted over in the FB group via Fiona Ev (not sure if she’s in here) in the UK. It’s an extended review of the one that Blackberry Rust posted a couple of days ago.

 

It gets tough to read near the crease. Tom Waits is on the cover. I think this issue hits the States next month. I haven’t been to a Barnes & Noble recently, so I’m not sure which issue they have out right now. If it helps, this issue is dated as October. 
 

edited: You might as well skip down to Vince’s reply with the much better & smoother pic and avoid the neck pain.👇

 

 

[u2roolz]

1 hour ago, TCP said:

8) Pittsburgh

     -Early version released on Starship Casual August 28 2021 featuring Andy Shauf, Glenn, and Spencer.
9) Soldier Child

     -Work in progress version shared on Starship Casual March 25 2022 
 

Excellent breakdown! This helps a lot! 

But I want to mention that he did do Pittsburgh (episode 183) and Soldier Child (episode 217) on The Tweedy Show. 
 

Thank you for the kind words! 

[theashtraysays]

This was in the "Wilco Italia" FB page and posted by Gianpaolo Elena (who may or may not be here on VC).

Much easier to read...

 

[u2roolz]

1 hour ago, theashtraysays said:

This was in the "Wilco Italia" FB page and posted by Gianpaolo Elena (who may or may not be here on VC).

Much easier to read...

 

Grazie! 
 

How is that group? Have there been concert reports/photos from the first couple of European shows on there?

[Brian F.]

The comparison to Star Wars and the description of "A Bowl and a Pudding" have me thinking that song might be this album's "You Satellite." I don't really want another "You Satellite," but I'll keep an open mind. (Or an "Open Mind," anyway.)

[lost highway]

The fact that the review doesn't mention "Evicted" makes me think my predictions were accurate. They wanted to front with one of the most accessible songs and keep their curve balls secret. 

[TCP]

7 hours ago, TCP said:

Because I am a huge nerd, I was trying to compile where we heard all these songs from before. Maybe this would be interesting to someone else? Probably not. Since this albums writing is both in The Tweedy Show era an the Starship Casual era, we potentially have some unique opportunity to watch songs evolve when compared with the final album versions.

 

1) Infinite Surprise 
     -Played solo by Jeff x3 in 2023
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 101. 
     -Performed The Tweedy Show 137. 
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 188. Recording lost.
2) Ten Dead 
3) Levee
4) Evicted 
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 218 (at the Largo in LA). 
     -Performed on The Tweedy Show 220. 
     -First single 
     -Phone recording released on Starship Casual
5) Sunlight Ends 
     -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 161. 
     -Played solo by Jeff at Largo Feb 28 2022
6) A Bowl and A Pudding

     -Originally released as Not Saying Anything on Starship Casual April 17 2022.
7) Cousin
8) Pittsburgh

     -Early version released on Starship Casual August 28 2021 featuring Andy Shauf, Glenn, and Spencer.

    -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 183.
9) Soldier Child

     -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 175.

     -Work in progress version shared on Starship Casual March 25 2022 

     -Played on The Tweedy Show episode 217. 
10) Meant to Be

     -Performed live on The Tweedy Show episode 165. 

 

If I did this properly, the Tweedy Show links should be time stamped. Let me know if I missed anything.

Shout out to @u2roolz for his extensive note keeping on TTS.
 

Ok this post has been updated, thanks again for u2roolz pointing out that Pittsburgh and Soldier Child has been played on TTS. I also found an earlier version of Soldier Child from episode 175. Also some people have been uploading videos of songs from episodes that didn't get uploaded, so I was able to add links for most of the missing songs. If I missed anything else let me know, I will keep updating.

[5hake1t0ff]

Well, that review was ... damn man! I don't know how to contain my hype for this album. Pray for me.

[u2roolz]

On 8/14/2023 at 9:49 PM, TCP said:

Ok this post has been updated, thanks again for u2roolz pointing out that Pittsburgh and Soldier Child has been played on TTS. I also found an earlier version of Soldier Child from episode 175. Also some people have been uploading videos of songs from episodes that didn't get uploaded, so I was able to add links for most of the missing songs. If I missed anything else let me know, I will keep updating.

Very nice catch! You know I had a hazy memory that he did do Soldier Child twice, but on Monty’s list it’s only listed once as Soldier Child for episode 217. The funny thing is it’s on his list as Child Soldier for episode 175 (like you noticed) which is how it is in my notes, but I haven’t searched for it like that because I totally forgot about that. I’m guessing Jeff called it Child Soldier the first time that he played it and/or was also considering calling it Soldier Child. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Feels like that first time he did it was 5+ years ago and not 2. 
 

I’m considering doing a deep dive into the untitled songs and others that don’t have a home. There’s got to be at least 10–12 of them that don’t have an official recording yet. There are definitely a few that have made it to his Substack. 

Lastly, one of the reasons why I’m curious is because I totally missed that he did Many Worlds on episode 168, but it didn’t have a title yet and I had it listed as “when I look at the sky”. 

[Brian F.]

Maybe "Soldier Child" and "Child Soldier" will end up like "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" and "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)."

[u2roolz]

4 minutes ago, Brian F. said:

Maybe "Soldier Child" and "Child Soldier" will end up like "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" and "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)."

It’s entirely possible, but I think it’s more of a case of Susie asking Jeff what the name of the song was and him saying something like “I haven’t decided on Child Soldier or Soldier Child yet.” 
 

The lyrics go “I fought like a child
Soldier fights to forget
What it’s like to be home.” , according to WilcoWorld. 
 

I can see from the lyrics how it could have gone either way, but I also haven’t listened to the two Tweedy Show versions in a bit either. Possible he flipped “child” and “soldier” in the lyrics. 

[theashtraysays]

On 8/14/2023 at 5:26 PM, u2roolz said:

Grazie! 
 

How is that group? Have there been concert reports/photos from the first couple of European shows on there?

I'm not actually a member, but Gianpaolo and I are FB friends and he cross posts to his account sometimes.  That group posts pretty much always in Italian, so you're at the mercy of FB translation... often amusing for sure.  But yes there are a few posts on the shows happening over there.  I don't think there's an Italian @bböp tho...

[Brian F.]

9 hours ago, u2roolz said:

It’s entirely possible, but I think it’s more of a case of Susie asking Jeff what the name of the song was and him saying something like “I haven’t decided on Child Soldier or Soldier Child yet.” 
 

The lyrics go “I fought like a child
Soldier fights to forget
What it’s like to be home.” , according to WilcoWorld. 
 

I can see from the lyrics how it could have gone either way, but I also haven’t listened to the two Tweedy Show versions in a bit either. Possible he flipped “child” and “soldier” in the lyrics. 

 

I was just having some fun trying to imagine a jaunty, Sesame Street-style version of "Soldier Child." (For some reason, the sound of "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)" always makes me think of the theme song from Sesame Street.)

[!goose!]

On 8/15/2023 at 12:08 AM, Brian F. said:

The comparison to Star Wars and the description of "A Bowl and a Pudding" have me thinking that song might be this album's "You Satellite." I don't really want another "You Satellite," but I'll keep an open mind. (Or an "Open Mind," anyway.)

You Satellite was jaw dropping the one time I saw it performed. 

[d. boony]

On 8/14/2023 at 6:08 PM, Brian F. said:

The comparison to Star Wars and the description of "A Bowl and a Pudding" have me thinking that song might be this album's "You Satellite." I don't really want another "You Satellite," but I'll keep an open mind. (Or an "Open Mind," anyway.)

File under: Wilco fans have diverse tastes. I would pay good money for an entire album of You Satellites  

[Albert Tatlock]

In other news, this article has a playlist corresponding to the songs JT discusses in his new book, which is the first I have seen of the actual list of songs it contains.

 

https://pitchfork.com/news/wilco-jeff-tweedy-announces-book-tour-for-world-within-a-song/?fbclid=IwAR11GPE3fqYkdRPLByH26rbVwRliM-4HD7BJm5OO7lsI8KeYYlNZpQvxI1g

[coornelius]

https://twitter.com/Wilco/status/1696503236490903983?s=20

[jff]

This is more like it.