Been listening all day...first Song Art Of Almost is amazing..cannot wait to hear this live.
download this album at musicconsortium.blogspot.com
The last 90 seconds of "Art of Almost" is full of the most out-of-this-world guitar playing I've ever heard. I've seriously heard nothing like it, ever. Just insane.
Best since A Ghost is Born, easily. And I dig SBS and W(TA).
I watched "Ashes of American Flags" last night and was thinking about how Nels is some kind of conduit for alien flower seeds in your brain.....he's like a sunshower.
http://www.nelscline.com/ (http://www.nelscline.com/)
After my first few listens I will agree it is their best since AGIB, a little more solid all the way through. I too really like SBS and W(ta). Nels Cline is an animal on the guitar, one of my favorites in all of music. My only complaint in the last few albums is I miss the great harmonies and killer choruses of when Jay Bennett was making albums with them. Obviously that can never be again but something has been missed dearly in their sound since the line "a circle can have only one center" was said to Jay.
After a few listens, I'm not big on the first couple of the songs, but I really like the rest of the album. The first song (Art of Almost) sounds like Radiohead, and if I wanted to listen to that, I'd listen to Radiohead. That said, Tweedy can make anything work and it will be good live. **standout tracks Black Moon and Born Alone
No matter what, it's just good to have some new Wilco. Can't wait for the Central Park shows.
Quote from: chaqueta sucia on Sep 07, 2011, 08:16 AM
My only complaint in the last few albums is I miss the great harmonies and killer choruses of when Jay Bennett was making albums with them. Obviously that can never be again but something has been missed dearly in their sound since the line "a circle can have only one center" was said to Jay.
Yep
I cannot wait to hear "Art Of Almost" live...the end of that song makes me want to break things. My favorite Wilco song in a long time.
Quote from: Penny Lane on Sep 07, 2011, 09:28 AM
After a few listens, I'm not big on the first couple of the songs, but I really like the rest of the album. The first song (Art of Almost) sounds like Radiohead, and if I wanted to listen to that, I'd listen to Radiohead.
I will say for their last two albums they were faulted for not sounding enough like Summerteeth/YHF/AGIB in sound............so maybe this is their extreme attempt at trying to recapture what has been gone for a while for them. I do not mind the song myself but it does come off as them trying too hard and yes I too hear radiohead.
I will say I really like Black Moon to Born Alone to Open Mind........the middle of the album. I also will say One Sunday Morning as a closer is one of Tweedy's best lyrical moments in some time. Overall a very solid listen.
I think it's pleasant enough. Definitely a step up from Sky Blue Sky and (the Album).
Quote from: chaqueta sucia on Sep 07, 2011, 08:16 AM
After my first few listens I will agree it is their best since AGIB, a little more solid all the way through. I too really like SBS and W(ta). Nels Cline is an animal on the guitar, one of my favorites in all of music. My only complaint in the last few albums is I miss the great harmonies and killer choruses of when Jay Bennett was making albums with them. Obviously that can never be again but something has been missed dearly in their sound since the line "a circle can have only one center" was said to Jay.
I wouldn't totally agree with this. I love John and Pat backup vocals. "You are my face" is so great with John.
Quote from: bold992006 on Sep 08, 2011, 10:46 AM
I wouldn't totally agree with this. I love John and Pat backup vocals. "You are my face" is so great with John.
They are good for sure but not Jay B and imo gone is that era of brilliance in songwriting they had together with Jeff and Jay B. Now imo their songs are much more straight forward(SBS/W(TA)/TWL) than Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. That is not a bad thing always but I for one miss the older sound......may just be me I don't know.
Quote from: chaqueta sucia on Sep 08, 2011, 11:57 AM
Quote from: bold992006 on Sep 08, 2011, 10:46 AM
I wouldn't totally agree with this. I love John and Pat backup vocals. "You are my face" is so great with John.
They are good for sure but not Jay B and imo gone is that era of brilliance in songwriting they had together with Jeff and Jay B. Now imo their songs are much more straight forward(SBS/W(TA)/TWL) than Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. That is not a bad thing always but I for one miss the older sound......may just be me I don't know.
I do love the older albums...but some of the post Bennett stuff IMO is just as good..and the trade off also is having Nels in the band which I absolutely love. I'm a big fan of Sky Blue Sky which I know a lot of people are not...but I think some of those songs, espeically live are incredible.
I do love Nels and yes live he is the shiznit! 8)
Quote from: chaqueta sucia on Sep 08, 2011, 11:57 AM
Quote from: bold992006 on Sep 08, 2011, 10:46 AM
I wouldn't totally agree with this. I love John and Pat backup vocals. "You are my face" is so great with John.
They are good for sure but not Jay B and imo gone is that era of brilliance in songwriting they had together with Jeff and Jay B. Now imo their songs are much more straight forward(SBS/W(TA)/TWL) than Summerteeth and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. That is not a bad thing always but I for one miss the older sound......may just be me I don't know.
I hesitate to call the Whole Love a return to form, but it's leagues better than Sky Blue Sky/the Album, IMO. I don't miss the older sound much at all, but everyone always leaves A Ghost is Born out of the equation...their finest hour, if you ask me.
And I think that as a live band they are so much more cohesive and powerful now than they ever were during the Bennett era.
Listened to it twice while in traffic. Didn't skip a song, had a few standouts, like it way more than the Album, not sure where to rank it in favorites. What I do know is that it's definitely more of a successor to Ghost than anything, but also sounds the furthest away from AM than anything too (as in it's a strange juxtaposition, not a quality comparison). It's like they're truly a new band, which makes sense given the time span.
Full disclosure, I was totally underwhelmed by Sky Blue Sky when I first heard it, then within a month it shot to one of my favorite Wilco albums. Ghost is one of my least favorite "albums". I view it as a collection of 12 awesome songs, many of which are my most favorite Wilco songs of all.
Quote from: el_chode on Sep 08, 2011, 09:52 PM
Full disclosure, I was totally underwhelmed by Sky Blue Sky when I first heard it, then within a month it shot to one of my favorite Wilco albums. Ghost is one of my least favorite "albums". I view it as a collection of 12 awesome songs, many of which are my most favorite Wilco songs of all.
Agreed with all of this cept loved Sky Blue Sky right out the gates and still feel its one of my favorites. I put it in the almighty grouping of being there > summerteeth > YFH just above Ghost is Born....and although Ghost may have some of my favorite tracks its not a Wilco album I can sink into often....I thought Wilco the Album had 4 strong tracks and the rest were passable
I need a few more listens to the new one to digest it fully but I'd put it on par with Ghost....Right now I'm digging 'Capitol City' 'Art of Almost' 'Standing O' 'the whole love' and think 'One Sunday Morning' is brilliant....the other trax are decent enough and I'm sure I'll grow to like them more.
It's weird how their fans find themselves with such opposite opinions of their albums sometimes.
I've had high hopes for this album since hearing I Might on the radio for a few months now. I think the songs from A Ghost Is Born sound a lot better on Kicking Television. Damn I hope to see these guys live again soon, it's been since 2006.
On my 4th listen and I'm really liking this album.
I agree that Sunday morning is brilliant.. All good out of the gate, certainly better than the album, and I expect to like it more and more as time goes on. Especially when I finally get my hands on the vinyl issue in a couple of weeks. Wilco ALWAYS does a great job with their vinyl releases.
I loved Sky Blue right out of the gate. And still do. YHF, Summerteeth and Sky Blue are probably my favorites (along with the Mermaid Ave 1 with Billy Bragg). But like Okonokos, I could happily just make do with the live Kicking Television, especially the vinyl box set which has 7 extra songs that never made it on to the 2 cd set.
Seeing them 2x later this month in NY's Central Park and psyched to see how it all plays live.
Quote from: el_chode on Sep 08, 2011, 09:52 PM
Listened to it twice while in traffic. Didn't skip a song, had a few standouts, like it way more than the Album, not sure where to rank it in favorites. What I do know is that it's definitely more of a successor to Ghost than anything, but also sounds the furthest away from AM than anything too (as in it's a strange juxtaposition, not a quality comparison). It's like they're truly a new band, which makes sense given the time span.
Full disclosure, I was totally underwhelmed by Sky Blue Sky when I first heard it, then within a month it shot to one of my favorite Wilco albums. Ghost is one of my least favorite "albums". I view it as a collection of 12 awesome songs, many of which are my most favorite Wilco songs of all.
I agree.....Sky Blue Sky took me a little while but it ranks up there with my favorite Wilco albums. I always find myself going back to it.
I like Ghost Is Born enought...I think there are some great live songs there but not my favorite album.
Really loving this new one. People are trying to pinpoint it...trying to compare it to past album which I get but I just think it is its own thing. I love Born Alone, Art of Almost, and Dawned on me...and I'm liking the other songs more and more. I think this one will rank pretty high with me.
Wow, I haven't seen this much love for SBS...well, anywhere. Interesting how opinions differ in different forums...
Quote from: ALady on Sep 09, 2011, 02:27 PM
Wow, I haven't seen this much love for SBS...well, anywhere. Interesting how opinions differ in different forums...
This Thread made me listen to it again today...Love it so much. That was also my favorite Wilco tour after that album came out...I think that is when the band really started to click with the newer guys.
Quote from: headhunter on Sep 09, 2011, 09:02 AM
I loved Sky Blue right out of the gate. And still do. ....... the live Kicking Television, especially the vinyl box set which has 7 extra songs that never made it on to the 2 cd set.
Me too! These are the only 2 albums of Wilco that I own on vinyl. It's all I need. For now. :beer:
I think sky blue sky is just bashed because the expectations were so high!
looking back on it though
You are my face
Impossible Germany
Side with Seeds
Are all fantastic songs that I couldn't imagine seeing them live without hearing them!
It's a good album, just underwhelming comparatively, but much like Evil Urges, as time passes it will find a nice niche in the bands catalog
Jeff Tweedy performs the Black Eyed Peas' "I Gotta Feeling" | Time Out Chicago (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3PRmu0tr6k#ws)
Quote from: 1eyed_jack on Sep 12, 2011, 03:49 PM
I think sky blue sky is just bashed because the expectations were so high!
looking back on it though
You are my face
Impossible Germany
Side with Seeds
Are all fantastic songs that I couldn't imagine seeing them live without hearing them!
It's a good album, just underwhelming comparatively, but much like Evil Urges, as time passes it will find a nice niche in the bands catalog
Really? I think "the album" is their EU.
Also, is that Spinto reference as your avatar or am I just looking into it too much?
just got my tix in the mail today for the wilco show next week in central park.
seeing them on both thursday and friday.
gonna be a good week.
Quote from: el_chode on Sep 12, 2011, 07:53 PM
Quote from: 1eyed_jack on Sep 12, 2011, 03:49 PM
I think sky blue sky is just bashed because the expectations were so high!
looking back on it though
You are my face
Impossible Germany
Side with Seeds
Are all fantastic songs that I couldn't imagine seeing them live without hearing them!
It's a good album, just underwhelming comparatively, but much like Evil Urges, as time passes it will find a nice niche in the bands catalog
Really? I think "the album" is their EU.
Also, is that Spinto reference as your avatar or am I just looking into it too much?
It's a vonnegut reference actually!
I suppose "the album" could be their evil urges, but I think it fits with the rest of their catalog better than SBS it just isn't as good. It all depends on which songs you're looking at I suppose. I like "the album" as well as Evil Urges and SBS haha.
They aren't as good as those bands earlier (and most recent) efforts, but they took chances and it still makes for a fun listen and a more diverse catalog of songs
See SBS to me feels warm and fluid, while the Album feels like a collection of outtakes with no real flow. It's like a reverse Circuital/EU I guess.
This new album really slides in well between Ghost and SBS for me. If it were a beer, it'd be an Oak Aged IPA. While it's definitely got some of that delicious edgy bitterness, the way and time it took to get to this point mellows it out in all the right places.
In fact, I'd equate it to this - my new favorite beer of the moment:
(http://beersuggest.com/static/images/beer/Great-Divide-Rumble_preview.jpg)
Quote from: el_chode on Sep 13, 2011, 12:41 AM
See SBS to me feels warm and fluid, while the Album feels like a collection of outtakes with no real flow. It's like a reverse Circuital/EU I guess.
This new album really slides in well between Ghost and SBS for me. If it were a beer, it'd be an Oak Aged IPA. While it's definitely got some of that delicious edgy bitterness, the way and time it took to get to this point mellows it out in all the right places.
In fact, I'd equate it to this - my new favorite beer of the moment:
(http://beersuggest.com/static/images/beer/Great-Divide-Rumble_preview.jpg)
I agree...SBS is so perfect to me. Perfect for the time it came out and just so solid. I would say it is the complete opposite of Circuital/EU...those albums are...well not really sure what the hell those albums are. Where SBS for Wilco was a little bit of going back to their roots. The Album to me is their worst album...It doesn't really work for me but that being said there are some great songs.
Just got a couple listens in today.. first thought is epic tracks like with Art of Almost at one end and One Sunday Morning at the other it's like an awesome Wilco sandwich that will take some time to digest ;D
I'm also adding that they picked an excellent song to close the album. The way the song mellows out is perfect
Opening night of the tour last night...the first 5 songs would blow my mind....great set.
On @ 9:22 p.m.
Art Of Almost
I Might
Misunderstood - 28 nothing's
At Least That's What You Said
Bull Black Nova
In A Future Age
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Handshake Drugs
War On War
Born Alone
Your Are My Face
Impossible Germany
Via Chicago
Dawned On Me
I'm Always In Love
Shot In The Arm
----
Hummingbird
The Whole Love
Jesus, Etc. - Jeff Sang
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You
off @ 11:12 p.m.
I've listened to the album twice now, and it seems it will take some time to digest ;). It's not a direct hit certainly, but I guess that hasn't been the case with any Wilco album for me. Love Art of Almost!
I will see them live in November (one day before MMJ :D), will be my third Wilco show. Just read "Jonathan Wilson" is opening for them, anyone heard of him? Read his debut album just came out and it's receiving very good reviews (8.3 on Metacritic now). November will be a great month :)
I cannot get enough of this album...loving it. Next Tuesday's Boston show cannot come soon enough.
Quote from: bold992006 on Sep 15, 2011, 09:46 AM
I cannot get enough of this album...loving it. Next Tuesday's Boston show cannot come soon enough.
Agreed on both counts! (funny I just posted that exact line on another thread)
Quote from: bold992006 on Sep 14, 2011, 09:31 AM
Opening night of the tour last night...the first 5 songs would blow my mind....great set.
On @ 9:22 p.m.
Art Of Almost
I Might
Misunderstood - 28 nothing's
At Least That's What You Said
Bull Black Nova
In A Future Age
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Handshake Drugs
War On War
Born Alone
Your Are My Face
Impossible Germany
Via Chicago
Dawned On Me
I'm Always In Love
Shot In The Arm
----
Hummingbird
The Whole Love
Jesus, Etc. - Jeff Sang
Walken
I'm The Man Who Loves You
off @ 11:12 p.m.
That is a great setlist - and I love the nothing count ;D
I love this album. Whhhyyyyyyyyy aren't they playing in or around Philly?!?!?! :'(
At Least That What You/She Said is a modern wonder of the live music world. I think everyone needs to see it performed live once just in the same way they need a Steam Engine to die satisfied.
Quote from: el_chode on Sep 15, 2011, 08:25 PM
At Least That What You/She Said is a modern wonder of the live music world. I think everyone needs to see it performed live once just in the same way they need a Steam Engine to die satisfied.
:thumbsup:
Quote from: el_chode on Sep 15, 2011, 08:25 PM
At Least That What You/She Said is a modern wonder of the live music world. I think everyone needs to see it performed live once just in the same way they need a Steam Engine to die satisfied.
I agree..this song is just incredible...Crazy Horse-esque jam...and the fact they played that and Bull Black Nova back to back is just mind blowing. I hope I get that.
Truly a great tune.
This album finally clicked for me last night after my 4th listen....I liked individual tracks before but wasnt sure how i felt about the album proper.....now I like it a lot! :thumbsup:
To me some of the poppier tracks resemble more of Summerteeth than any of their other albums....Art of Almost is most closely related to Ghost is Born and the other tracks are just Wilco sounding.
Likin the love for SBS...expectations were high for that album and for a band who progressively got tighter in production/songwriting it was a complete shift (esp. coming off their most experimental with AGIB)...the songs were freewheeling and messy at times...if you remember at the time, it was compared to a Grateful Dead sound which I can understand....to me it was exciting to learn the brilliance of Nels....but it's also a very superficial Wilco album where you do not need 5 listens to understand/digest the songs like their other albums (whole love inc.)....if you want to hear technical/deep/easter egg filled Wilco definitely go for YHF or AGIB...if you want to sling in the hammock in the summertime with a cold beer or iced tea or drink of ur choice while looking up at the sky blue sky, what better album to do it to than Sky Blue Sky? Well maybe Being there or Summerteeth but you get the point.
Headhunter and I have a couple of Wilco tickets for Thursday's Central Park show if anyone hear wants them. Wanted to post before I put them on Craigslist. Let me know. We'll both be going but some people backed out.
DAMN. If they were for Friday's show I'd grab them. :-\
Quote from: YouAre_GivenToFly on Sep 19, 2011, 04:08 PM
DAMN. If they were for Friday's show I'd grab them. :-\
D--there are a ton of tickets below face on Craigslist if you wanna come Friday :-)
Quote from: YouAre_GivenToFly on Sep 19, 2011, 04:08 PM
DAMN. If they were for Friday's show I'd grab them. :-\
one of my co-workers has 2 extra for friday-- pm me if you might want them
Boston show tonight...cannot wait!!
Quote from: headhunter on Sep 19, 2011, 08:20 PM
Quote from: YouAre_GivenToFly on Sep 19, 2011, 04:08 PM
DAMN. If they were for Friday's show I'd grab them. :-\
one of my co-workers has 2 extra for friday-- pm me if you might want them
I'm a no-go for NYC on Friday. Don't feel too bad for me... I'm going to see the Pearl Jam movie that night in Philly!
I haven't gotten in a full listen yet, but the songs I've heard I am really liking. Songs like Wilco Loves You Baby seemed too clownish. This new album seems to be a more serious effort. Some of the random noises remind me YHF, and you can't go wrong with YHF. This album will be played more in the near future.
I need to step away from a computer before I book a flight to Chicago and buy a ticket to their show on Dec 12. I just visited Chicago earlier this month and really liked it and want to go back... argh!
Quote from: YouAre_GivenToFly on Sep 20, 2011, 04:26 PM
I need to step away from a computer before I book a flight to Chicago and buy a ticket to their show on Dec 12. I just visited Chicago earlier this month and really liked it and want to go back... argh!
Haha, I saw their show in Toronto the other day, and I had to talk myself down from the ledge after nearly purchasing a flight to Chicago to go to this show. It's gonna be unreal. I wanted to make an ultimate trip -- flying from Toronto to Chicago for Wilco and a Blackhawks game, then flying from Chicago to NYC for MMJ and Book of Mormon, then fly back to Toronto. Some would say I'm a dreamer. I would probably agree with them.
Quote from: oistheone on Sep 20, 2011, 04:48 PM
Quote from: YouAre_GivenToFly on Sep 20, 2011, 04:26 PM
I need to step away from a computer before I book a flight to Chicago and buy a ticket to their show on Dec 12. I just visited Chicago earlier this month and really liked it and want to go back... argh!
Haha, I saw their show in Toronto the other day, and I had to talk myself down from the ledge after nearly purchasing a flight to Chicago to go to this show. It's gonna be unreal. I wanted to make an ultimate trip -- flying from Toronto to Chicago for Wilco and a Blackhawks game, then flying from Chicago to NYC for MMJ and Book of Mormon, then fly back to Toronto. Some would say I'm a dreamer. I would probably agree with them.
Wow that would be quite a tour...
Roundtrip on Southwest is only $250.... must.... resist.... purchasing.....
Wilco has yet to "click" with me, though I've only listened to YHF a handful of times and a live album once or twice. However, I think this album is going to do it. I love the first track and Dawned on Me after just a day of listening
Quote from: e_wind on Sep 20, 2011, 11:30 PM
Wilco has yet to "click" with me, though I've only listened to YHF a handful of times and a live album once or twice. However, I think this album is going to do it. I love the first track and Dawned on Me after just a day of listening
You should try some of their earlier stuff - Being There, and Summerteeth are excellent.
Quote from: oistheone on Sep 20, 2011, 04:48 PM
Quote from: YouAre_GivenToFly on Sep 20, 2011, 04:26 PM
I need to step away from a computer before I book a flight to Chicago and buy a ticket to their show on Dec 12. I just visited Chicago earlier this month and really liked it and want to go back... argh!
Haha, I saw their show in Toronto the other day, and I had to talk myself down from the ledge after nearly purchasing a flight to Chicago to go to this show. It's gonna be unreal. I wanted to make an ultimate trip -- flying from Toronto to Chicago for Wilco and a Blackhawks game, then flying from Chicago to NYC for MMJ and Book of Mormon, then fly back to Toronto. Some would say I'm a dreamer. I would probably agree with them.
Book of Mormon is coming to Chicago. #jussayin
I feel like they will probably add another Chicago date too.
One Sunday Morning. Damn.....
Quote from: ralph on Sep 22, 2011, 10:16 PM
One Sunday Morning. Damn.....
The shortest 12-minute song I've ever heard.
Penny Lane & I saw Wilco in Central Park last night- center on the rail.
Freakin' great show! Like MMJ, these guys really bring it live. Nick Lowe was also terrific as the opener.
Back tonight for the 2nd show. Last time I saw the same band on back to back nights was MMJ at T5 and I seem to recall that working out pretty well also.
Quote from: e_wind on Sep 20, 2011, 11:30 PM
Wilco has yet to "click" with me, though I've only listened to YHF a handful of times and a live album once or twice. However, I think this album is going to do it. I love the first track and Dawned on Me after just a day of listening
I'd go straight to their live DVD Ashes of American Flags. I think their studio recordings are just rather flat templates for the brilliance of their live performances. And I get a lot more out of the music when I'm seeing them rock out rather than just listening. Its thrilling to me to see Glenn wail away on the drums and Nels freak out on the guitar. Tweedy can rock some guitar solos too. When they are in their 3 guitar mode and get into some complicated guitar arrangements, its fucking incredible, like on Impossible Germany or Handshake Drugs. The live DVD is fucking on fire, you gotta watch it and play it REALLY LOUD!
SBS was ok for me not bad. W(TA) was awful. The new one I feel is their best in some time and better than the last two. I just got my deluxe cd package in the mail for The Whole Love. 2 disc set of the album and unreleased album tracks as well as a 50 page book. I am good now and can soak it all in! :D
Quote from: chaqueta sucia on Sep 26, 2011, 03:08 PM
SBS was ok for me not bad. W(TA) was awful. The new one I feel is their best in some time and better than the last two. I just got my deluxe cd package in the mail for The Whole Love. 2 disc set of the album and unreleased album tracks as well as a 50 page book. I am good now and can soak it all in! :D
Wilco the Album was horrible?
I mean, it's not great, but horrible? really? why?
Quote from: 1eyed_jack on Sep 26, 2011, 09:45 PM
Quote from: chaqueta sucia on Sep 26, 2011, 03:08 PM
SBS was ok for me not bad. W(TA) was awful. The new one I feel is their best in some time and better than the last two. I just got my deluxe cd package in the mail for The Whole Love. 2 disc set of the album and unreleased album tracks as well as a 50 page book. I am good now and can soak it all in! :D
Wilco the Album was horrible?
I mean, it's not great, but horrible? really? why?
Holding Wilco to higher expectations than most I listen to it was a flop in comparison to their others. The songs were imo kind of thrown together. Also some of the cheesiest lyrics Tweedy has ever written filled many of the songs on this album. Bull Black Nova and One Wing were good songs but after that imo it seems like they swept up the garbage on their studio floor and released it. Also gone was the consistent sound of SBK that that album had throughout the whole thing with tons of Nels Cline madness. Good thing their new one is great and quite a return to form. Again in comparison to what is released weekly by lesser artists it was ok but not Wilco worthy imo.
Pretty fun new video -
"A Lifetime to Find" Official Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNeQQdIlL1A