New Wilco

Not sure I like the sound of that. I had heard that it was different, but Beatles & ELO? I will approach with caution.

I'm with you Mike. Listening to Sky Blue Sky right now.

Very tasty!

I enjoyed the more experimental styles of YHF and A Ghost Is Born and by comparison this is pretty straightforward but I'm really enjoying it. Some critics have called it dull but I think that is unfair. One or two tracks lack a bit of spark but overall a good buy.

Bruce

PS Incidentally you can here the whole album online here.

I have to say that I am profoundly disappointed. When they debuted they played alt.country/rock with an edginess that betrayed where they were heading experimentally and the likes of Yankee Hotel confirmed them as major league talents. This however IS a disappointment.

It starts well enough but, let's be frank, the lyrics (even on the best 3 or 4 songs which open the album) are little more than inane whilst the music peters out into the sort of music you often hear on a PA prior to a small gig i.e. pleasant but nothing you'd want to buy.

Now, I'll grant you that it all sounds pleasant enough on a Naim system and even sounds stunning in one or two places but... so what? The songs boys, the songs. Where have they gone Jeff?

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Hughes: The songs boys, the songs. Where have they gone Jeff?
Mike

Jeff, as in me? I don't even like Wilco

If, in fact, you are asking me, I won't hijack this thread, but I feel there are many terrific songwriters out there. Usual suspects I have mentioned before.

I always enjoy your perspectives, Mike. Hope you are well.

Jeff A

ps If you weren't asking me,and were asking Tweedy, I'll defer to him, sorry to take up the space.

A friend gave me a loan of his promo copy of this and to be honest I couldn't wait to give it back to him. Just got a bit boring for me midway through the disc.

Jeff,

I was addressing myself, somewhat pretentiously to Mr. Tweedy!

I am "well" thank you although it's a bad day to ask as I've just had a colonoscopy and am typing standing up!!!

A similar procedure on Mr. Tweedy may have produced better lyrics.

Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Hughes:

A similar procedure on Mr. Tweedy may have produced better lyrics.

Mike

Better then what Mike, what's the reference point you're using ?

For me, the Wilco high points were Being There & Summer Teeth. IMHO the best work musically is probably on Being There, but the neurosis driven Via Chicago from Summer Teeth is my personal favourite track.

The aforemention Mr Tweedy is now, we are told, in recovery from his various issues & addictions, and I for one would wish him well, but there is a long history of bands/musicians seeming to lose there edge after they give up trying to destroy themselves. Perhaps post recovery output needs to be listened to with different ear settings. I'm thinking of perhaps Dylan and the gulf between Blonde on Blonde and New morning; E Claptons post Cream work, and one closer to Mr Tweedy, The Jayhawks, who have never matched the magnificence of The sound of Lies in their subsequent work. Perhaps it's not surprising, the creative process is a complicated thing, but I'd far rather have Mr Tweedy alive & kicking and putting out what is still a very good record, than see him descend into a Skip Spence / Oar type maelstrom. I reckon if Blue Sky Blue has been put out by say, The Warm Unbuttoned, from Dogdick, Idaho (as Mr Ellroy would say), we would all be raving about it.

Having owned two Wilco albums in the past decade and got rid of both of them, I find myself really liking this one. There are 3 or 4 really good songs on there. Which is more than most new albums have!

bought the tasty vinyl copy this morning. A free CD copy is included, which is cool. Listened to it once. 1st impression was that it was mellower than the others. Good songwriting and musicianship. Excellent sound quality! Wilco is the kind of band where you need to give it a few listens to "get it".

Skip Spence? If you don't own Oar, get it! Sundazed has nice reissues...

I've listened to this a good few times now and whilst it sounds good first time, it's also a real grower. Sufficiently impressed to order it on vinyl from Diverse this evening.

It's a good 'un!

Peter