Jeff Tweedy should win the award for “most restless guy in rock”. Nobody in recent memory, except perhaps an early 80’s Neil Young has changed so much release-to-release. Wilco’s albums range from the indie country rock foundation of A.M., to the tortured atmospherics of “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”, all the way to the de-constructed jam rock of “Sky Blue Sky”. Aside from bassist John Stirratt, there are no other original members of the band, whose lineup changes slightly record to record. “Wilco- The Record” may signal a change. Not only is it the same band that recorded the predecessor “Sky Blue Sky”, but the music represents a sort of full circle for the band.
As far as Wilco goes, this is the most straightforward collection since “A.M.” Take out the guitar noise workout of “Bull Black Nova”, and it sounds like a deeper, richer, more mature version of the band that recorded the debut record. “Wilco- The Song” rocks to an old Velvet Underground riff, while “You Never Know” has a barroom boogie feel to it. “I’ll Fight” would be a radio-friendly song if there were actually a radio station that would play it. This is their most song-based record they’ve made since “Being There”. Guitarist Nels Cline, while he does have some great guitar interplay with Tweedy and Pat Sansone, is more or less reined in, in favor of tighter song arrangements.
It’s truly a band record. The rhythm section of Stirratt and drummer Glen Kotche sounds comfortable and self-assured. Cline, whose guitar playing was the centerpiece of “Sky Blue Sky”, adds more atmospheric touches to the songs. The band’s playing is very self-assured, one of the advantages of actually staying intact over the course of two records. “Sky Blue Sky” also had a band vibe, but that record was more of a deconstruction of the singer/songwriter motif, than the more barroom approach of “Wilco”.
Tweedy is still far from a happy-go-lucky songwriter, but now he often turns his pain into the humorous Lou Reed-styles toss-offs on “Wilco- The Song” or to rockers like “Sonny Feeling”. Laying off the painkillers and alcohol will do that, along with less inter-band drama. The question posed here is whether a happier and more content Tweedy leading a stable band is a good thing for the music, too.
One can’t begrudge happiness, and this happiness shows through musically, if not lyrically on the record. Tweedy doesn’t seem as restless or driven as he did on “Foxtrot” and “A Ghost is Born”, and seems happy being in a band. The result is a record that has some of the best melodies he’s ever written, but lacks the cracked genius of “Ghost” and “Foxtrot”. You can’t deny the chops of “I’ll Fight” or “You Never Know” or the quiet beauty of “You and I” but you can’t help a slight feeling of longing for the baroque pop guitar workout of “Impossible Germany “or the demented Beatlisms of “Kamera”.
Is it a retreat? Perhaps not. A re-affirmation of their classic sound? Perhaps. One hopes that that this record, strong as it is, doesn’t signify the band entering a middle-aged comfort zone. Instead, the hope is for a new blueprint for a stable, yet still creatively restless Tweedy and Wilco to venture into some new realms.
As far as Wilco goes, this is the most straightforward collection since “A.M.” Take out the guitar noise workout of “Bull Black Nova”, and it sounds like a deeper, richer, more mature version of the band that recorded the debut record. “Wilco- The Song” rocks to an old Velvet Underground riff, while “You Never Know” has a barroom boogie feel to it. “I’ll Fight” would be a radio-friendly song if there were actually a radio station that would play it. This is their most song-based record they’ve made since “Being There”. Guitarist Nels Cline, while he does have some great guitar interplay with Tweedy and Pat Sansone, is more or less reined in, in favor of tighter song arrangements.
It’s truly a band record. The rhythm section of Stirratt and drummer Glen Kotche sounds comfortable and self-assured. Cline, whose guitar playing was the centerpiece of “Sky Blue Sky”, adds more atmospheric touches to the songs. The band’s playing is very self-assured, one of the advantages of actually staying intact over the course of two records. “Sky Blue Sky” also had a band vibe, but that record was more of a deconstruction of the singer/songwriter motif, than the more barroom approach of “Wilco”.
Tweedy is still far from a happy-go-lucky songwriter, but now he often turns his pain into the humorous Lou Reed-styles toss-offs on “Wilco- The Song” or to rockers like “Sonny Feeling”. Laying off the painkillers and alcohol will do that, along with less inter-band drama. The question posed here is whether a happier and more content Tweedy leading a stable band is a good thing for the music, too.
One can’t begrudge happiness, and this happiness shows through musically, if not lyrically on the record. Tweedy doesn’t seem as restless or driven as he did on “Foxtrot” and “A Ghost is Born”, and seems happy being in a band. The result is a record that has some of the best melodies he’s ever written, but lacks the cracked genius of “Ghost” and “Foxtrot”. You can’t deny the chops of “I’ll Fight” or “You Never Know” or the quiet beauty of “You and I” but you can’t help a slight feeling of longing for the baroque pop guitar workout of “Impossible Germany “or the demented Beatlisms of “Kamera”.
Is it a retreat? Perhaps not. A re-affirmation of their classic sound? Perhaps. One hopes that that this record, strong as it is, doesn’t signify the band entering a middle-aged comfort zone. Instead, the hope is for a new blueprint for a stable, yet still creatively restless Tweedy and Wilco to venture into some new realms.
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