Wilco

[dogandponyshow]

Can someone explain to me why Wilco is so loved.  I have listened to both Hotel Foxtrot and A Gost is Born and don't see why those albums are both so critically acclaimed.  What am I missing.  I do have Summerteeth and like a couple of the tunes but just can't seem to get into them.

D.

[SmoothOprtr]

I somewhat agree with this... I have Summer Teeth and think it's pretty good, though nothing orgamic.  I also have Hotel Yankee Foxtrot and simply could not get into it.  Whenever Wilco is mentioned, people who listen to them colectively unzip and go to town.  Music mags and critics love them even more.  I think they have some nice songs, but am not sure they do anything all that brilliant...

[Coltrane]

those are fair statements....i know a lot of people that squirm when i profess my love for Wilco...

but then again they do the same when i profess my love for contemporary artists they've never heard of...Wilco has become a mixture of music and performance art.......their influences of late have changed them from the pop of Summerteeth to the on the border of John Cage/John Zorn experiments. It's all a feeling really. Like most art, it either hits you in the gut, or it doesn't. Neither is bad and both are good.

"A Ghost Is Born" is the best record of the year.

[The Boar]

Yeah, I agree with Coltrane. I'm a big Wilco fan but I can understand why others aren't. For me it is similar to MMJ -- I really dig their vibe, their perspective, and the beauty of their musicality. More than any other band I know, their music is pure pop candy. Listen to the breakdown on "Pieholden Suite" or the piano riff on "When You Wake Up Feeling Old" from Summerteeth or the guitar solos on "ALTWYS" or "Hell is Chrome" from AGIB to see what I mean. Jeff Tweedy is one of the most acutely personal and self-aware songwriters writing today, and in my opinion they are pushing musical boundaries in ways that no one since Radiohead has done.

[corey]

The only album that I have heard is the Foxtrot one. A buddy of mine made a mix of most of it and the Shins album from that year. I listened to it a couple of times when he gave it to me and liked it, but wasn't terribly thrilled with it. I popped the CD in on a recent roadtrip and loved the hell out of it. I guess I was in a different frame of mind or something.
I saw part of "I am trying to break your heart" on TV the other night but I fell asleep before it was over because it was so late. It should be coming to me from Netflix next week and I can't wait to see it. I figure I'll want to run out and buy "A Ghost is Born" when I'm done watching it...

[Chills]

Allright, they are my favorite band of the moment (together with MMJ of course), but I can't make you get like them!
But I can try to tell you what makes them great to me. The first time I heard their music only some songs stuck with me. But slowly I started to love just about everything they do.

I recall Jim James calling 'Being There' an american classic somewhere, but he also deemed YHF too 'modern'. I can understand that. They are so versatile you can love only a part of what they do and still have plenty of great stuff left.

If you're into the more rootsy thing check out songs like far far away, someday soon, why would you wanna live, the lonely one and dreamer in my dreams of 'being there', she's a jar, via chicago, how to fight loneliness, pieholden suite of 'summerteeth'. Jesus etc, of YHF or hummingbird of A ghost is born.

Sometimes a great melody is consciously distorted. Which doesn't always work, but when it does it's magical to me. Songs like misunderstood, sunken treasure, i am trying to break your heart, ashes of american flags... Genius musically and lyrically.

If you think they are too serious, recent covers include don't fear the reaper by BOC and living after mindnight by Judas Priest!

Hey, it's hard to write about why you like something! I tossed up some songs,that's the best i can do.

And yeah Jeff Tweedy used to be in a great band called Uncle Tupelo. Their Anthology is a nice place to start.

Cheers. and a late happy new year to you all!

[Chills]

The song that best reflects my sentiments towards some of the bands i love, like wilco, Neil Young or MMJ is Wilco's The Lonely One. The end goes something like this...

When you perform
It's so intense
When the critics pan
I write in your defence

I understand that i'm just a fan

When i get home
I turn of the alarm
check the phone
no messenges on

I play the ones from yesterday
I play your songs just to hear you say that
you are the lonely one


I couldn't say it any better.
Now I'm going to kick off listening to AC/DC's Let There be Rock  ;D  No more indierock for me  ;)


AAh, there will always be AC/DC. That's reassuring in today's ever changing world!

[wordawg]

Confused.
Whenever I've noted something about Wilco on here, I have always assumed that it was Wilco Johnson, and the penny has finally dropped.  It ain't him.

Wilco was the guitarist (the single word doesn't do him justice) in Dr Feelgood.  he left at the height of their popularity, and amongst other things had his own R & B band, The Solid Senders. Last saw him playing with the late, great Ian Dury.

I thought he was enjoying a new massive following in the US.

Not even close......... :-[

[EC]

oooooohhhhhhh greggy!  That's just terrific.  ha ha ha.  Ah HA!  

I'm going to stand for Wilco, as well.  Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is one of the most beautiful records I've ever heard.  I've said this before (maybe not here), but "All my lies are always wishes/I know I would die if I could come back new" makes me shiver in its perfectness.  When I put that record on (hm, I think it was in the car with my brother - why does that ALWAYS happen with me?) I listened to the whole thing, stunned, jowls to the floor.

The funny thing is, I've never bought another one of their records.  I keep meaning to get A Ghost is Born, but, well firstly I've been poor, and I'm also kind of enjoying the fact that their one record is, in my eyes, so amazing.  I don't want anything to wreck my thoughts on them, if that makes sense.  (I know a lot of their earlier stuff, and Son Volt and Uncle Tupelo stuff.  Also love.)

[marktwain]

I really dig Wilco.  Years ago, I thought they paled in comparison to Son Volt, but my opinion has changed as I've gotten more into the band.  

Now, I don't like what I've heard of Ghost is Born, but I haven't been able to buy it and give it a proper listen.

But check out "Kingpin" or "Sunken Treasure" from Being There.  Check out the Mermaid Ave albums.  "Shot in the Arm" from summerteeth.  and ALL of YHF.  I just love it.

That said, they haven't put out an album (IMHO) that would be a "desert island must-have"  But maybe if I made a mix of their best songs...

[Zmog1974]

Nice one Greggy...i did have a chuckle...my Dad used to take me to see Wilco Johnson all the time when i was in my teens..Dr Feelgood are from my neck of the woods and i met Lee a few times as my Dad had a pub band in the Essex area. Used to meet all sorts..i met Stevie Marriot when i was about 13 and i dont know if you have heard of the Hamsters (jimi hendrix-zz top covers band) Andy the Bass player was the lead guitarist in my Dad's band..Also knew Max and Andy Price who were in the Pinkies (you may off heard of them)

I love Wilco (the U.S Band)My fiance is from Barking..the land of Billy Bragg and i got into them after seeing on cable The Man In The Sand documentary..have since bought alot of the albums...Summerteeth is topnotch. I heard that they are playing the u.k again soon.

[Rabid_Washcloth]

Any evaluations of Wilco should begin with A.M. (their first) which is nothing more than classic.  Being There is just as good.

But to me, Wilco has gotten exponentially worse with every album since Summerteeth.  That album was decent, but I think they loved the "new sound" buzz it generated in the industry so much, that they've gotten a little out of hand with their quest to top it.  Which leads us to A Ghost is Born – still sitting on my shelf collecting dust after two listens.

[The Boar]

Oh man, give it a chance! I love early Wilco and UT as much as the next guy, but Wilco is doing some amazing stuff in music experimentation. YHF and AGIB are difficult perhaps, but that only increases the pleasure yield when it comes. Give it long enough -- it will come.  8)

[corey]

I looked at their tourdates yesterday while at work and noticed that they are playing at the Alabama Theater in February. I got home and mentioned it to my wife like this:
"So there's a show at the Alabama Theater in February and I kind of want to go."

"Who are you going with?"

"Well, I'd kind of like my wife to go with me."

"Ok. Who is playing?"

She and I don't always agree on music, but just the fact fact that it was at the AT made her want to go before she even knew who was playing. When I told her that it was Wilco, she was totally up for it. She's heard them before and enjoyed them, but said that she didn't really remember any of it. She just remembers that she enjoys it.  

:)

[Chills]

Hey olwiggum, you may have to warn her though, they tend to bring the noise lately  :o. Not much summerteeth, am, or being there stuff left, very heavy on a ghost is born and YHF.
Which is no problem for me, but you have to know what to expect.

I'm even considering travelling to Paris to go see them...
so i advize you to go of course.

And help you hope for don't fear the reaper!

[marktwain]

Wilco's on Austin City Limits this week (or next week, depending on your local PBS station)

[EC]

Awww 'wiggum.  Your wife.  heh.  heh heheh.
 :)

[corey]

Yes. My wife!  :)

I have ACL set to Tivo this weekend.

[Rabid_Washcloth]

Sorry to revisit an old thread, but I offer this link as retribution: //www.kcrw.com/smil/mb041117Wilco.ram
 
The ACL show may have convinced me to hop back on the Wilco bandwagon - strictly due to the presence of Nels Cline on guitar.  If they keep him on board, I'll definitely be inclined to purchase their next album.   He's also playing with them in the above link, and I think he captures the eccentric sound they're always looking for.  Hopefully they'll stick with it for an album...or at least half an album.  

[otter]

Being There is thorough..Red Eyed and Blue is probably my favorite Wilco song and it comes from that.

I'm going to catch them in Kalamazoo in late February. I'm interested to see the band as a unit. It isn't the Jeff Tweedy Band...they should be fun to see.

Who would have guessed thatI would see the Jacket 8 times before ever seeing Wilco. I guess MMJ's time off free's up money for me to see some other bands.

Hiatuses suck.