Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

Suggested by Brianne, John, John's Dad, and a few others

So, it seemed like a lot of people were asking about this Wilco album. Why? I don't know. I actually first heard it back when it was accidentally leaked and Wilbro said "hey, let's just stream it for free like when did all of our other albums since 1435". Greg Kot subsequently had a heart attack and I started writing his column in the Tribune and took over his spot on Sound Opinions. As long as I said "Wilco - yay" and shouted gibberish out of a megaphone while lighting fireworks out of Jim DeRogatis' nostrils while standing behind a curtain that read "TRASH IT", nobody would know.

I remember listening to it once and having one thought "easy listening Wilco". You see, I haven't heard "Sky Blue Eyes" and I've only listened to "A (sound opinions) Host is (peter)Bjorn (& john)" once or twice. But, all of the "young folks" seemed to like them somewhat. Also, Brianne, didn't you see them in Germany when they were touring in support of "a ghost is born"? Which brings me to the real reason I'm reviewing it: other than John asking me to do it as I was streaming it, Brianne requesting it about a month ago, and Mr. Gargiulo saying "hey, i'm going to the wilco concert, can you review it?", i thought that i should really listen to this album and have an educated opinion. so, here it is:



Make sense? Good.

But, let's talk about music here!
Well, that first one "wilco (the song)" is a nice one, with some sort of guitar going "kerooiign!" every now and then and jeff tweedy saying "wilco will love you baby" which brings back memories of the film This is Spinal Tap when they are playing "(listen to) the flower people" and derek smalls mouths the words "we love you" while nigel takes a solo. "Deeper Down" sounds like a Andrew Bird song with less cool violin and Tweedster's voice. "One Wing" also sounds like Andrew Bird in the beginning, but stops once we see that there's no whistling. I guess those Riv Residence shows are starting to rub off too much. The rest of the album is just re-interpretations of "Dash 7".
Except, they don't sound like that song. "Bull Black Nova" is one that Mr. Gargiulo asked me if it was an answer to "Psycho Killer" by the Talking Heads. At first glance, you could say yes. Except this song just gets kind of boring after a while, there's no french spoken here, and there's some cool noisy guitar stuff, notably absent on anything Tina Weymouth has done in her 12 years of being a professional seashell. "You and I" is a duet with that Feist woman who sang a song in an iPod commerical and is Canadian. It's ok.

"You Never Know" is the Wilco summer jam here!!! WhooO!!!!! This is the one that will get the hips shaking tonite after Tortoise puts all of the Wilco fans to sleep. And they play it on XRT. Ohh, and listen to Glenn's playing! Isn't it spicy! Listen to the bell of that ride cymbal buried under 5764587623948659 tracks of the words "i don't care anymore". "Country Disappeared" seems like a crappy version of "Wendell Gee" by R.E.M. that can be used as a special kick back and dig the vibes while driving off away from the exploded sun on some horizon or some crap. I don't know, sounds romantic don't it? "Solitaire" starts off sounding like Rogue Wave, but then they add the lapsteel and some other crap and it just kinda goes off..."I'll Fight" is the most pathetic ode to love or something since Wilco wrote "Via Chicago"...no wait...hold on here...anyways, its sounds cliched and too country-fied to be enjoyed by people not inside a Texas Roadhouse restaurant. But, I still kinda enjoy it. Maybe its that drum beat. OHHH!! Listen to that closed hi-hat! "Sonny Feeling" sounds like it was on the album earlier once or twice, and "Everlasting Everything" sounds like how "the Angel and the One" did on Weezer's Red Album. Like everything else, but slowed down and given a push during the chorus.

So, what's the deal here? Years ago, Wilco was making nice noisy music with interesting lyrical matter while throwing in some pop which was nice. Now, its just, meh. Easy listening. This is a Wilco album that you can listen to in the car and not crash it because it makes you depressed or wanting to kill the person in the car with you. If anything, this is the typical "spousal" album that any band can put out.

Let me explain:

say you have a husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/pet who is always wondering why you like Wilco so much. You play clips from YHF and Summerteeth, usually the stuff like "Via Chicago", "Poor Places", "Jesus Etc", you know, the good stuff. In return, you get a blank stare and they call Wilco crap forever. But then you put on this album and they like it because its "safe". There's no noise freakouts. No 15 minute songs. No songs about killing your wife and taking valium. Just concise songs. And hey, if they don't like "Bull Black Nova"'s ending, they can just skip it while you both drive to IKEA. However, you the WILCO fan are torn. Yes, you are listening to WILCO, but its kinda boring, not as excited. But aren't you so excited that your significant other also realize's the genius of Jeff Tweedy, even though that person doesn't know who Jay Bennet or Jay Farrar is?

Other albums like this:
Weezer - the red album
AC/DC - back in black
Andrew Bird - Armchair Apocrypha
B-52s - Cosmic Thing
Yo La Tengo - I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
Rush - Moving Pictures
U2 - Joshua Tree
Against Me! - New Wave
JUNO Soundtrack

Not to diss on any of these albums. They are all fine in their own right. But, wouldn't you rather listen to:

Weezer - Pinkerton
AC/DC - Powerage
Andrew Bird - Weather Systems
B-52s - B-52s
Yo La Tengo - Painful
Rush - anything else other than the first album
U2 - October
Against Me! - Disco and the Breakdown 7"
Sounds of a trampoline destroying a pet store?

If you are the second category, you'll probably be let down somewhat, but if you know someone in the first category, you're gonna blow their mind right out of their pinky toe.

OVERALL RATING - fine for any bbq, christian holiday or baseball field.
KEY TRACKS - one wing, wilco (the song), you never know, everlasting everything