March 23, 2007
An email to my friend about Wilco
As my first post to this excellent blog, I’d like to shed some light on my email writing capabilities…and my love of the band Wilco. Categorized as a review of music in the Alternative genre, this post really probably deserves to be in a category called: “Gratuitous Explanation of Favorite Band’s New CD”. (that last sentence was meant to be a disclaimer).
Read below for some information about Wilco’s next album, in a slightly indirect format.
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Beansie,
Your constant “worry-wort” style of critique regarding the yet-to-be-released Wilco album, Sky Blue Sky, is beginning to wear on me…not in the least is this attitude from you confirmed to be accurate after listening to some of the songs from said album for the past 2 hours and counting (at this link). [note: since writing this email, I think the hours of listening has surpassed 48, at least...]
Beans Item of Critique #1: “Where’s the ROCK!?”
Cara Item of Counter-Critique #1: Are you shitting me?! Can you listen to a song for more than 15 seconds without pre-judging it on “rock” level? Please listen to the following songs into minute ONE at least and come back to me:
1. Side with the Seeds (Nels/Tweedy guitar combo slow-hit-rock guitar beat … “I’ll side with you, if you side with me.” I’ve not heard a more passive-aggressive type of rock since…since…Poor Places!),
2. You Are My Face (”I believe in locomotion…” ain’t that the truth…this brings the basis behind Tweedy and puts it right on the table for you…they’re like a train getting started…*chugga-chugg-a* then they go into yet another catchy guitar duo act - this one is also a good “lyrics” song which I will discuss again later),
3. Shake It Off (juicy, funk-dripping rock…of course it’s about 60 seconds in…so you may have missed it.)
Beans Contention #2: “It’s not as good as Summer Teeth”
Cara Snap-Back-Attack #2: Okay…Summer Teeth has She’s a Jar, Shot In The Arm, I’m Always In Love, Via Chicago and Candy Floss…these are definitely some winners…but this is HERE, this is NOW! Change happens, buddy. I guarantee that you will feel the same about some of the songs on Sky Blue Sky as you feel about Summer Teeth…listen to some of these:
1. Hate It Here (now, you may think I am partial to this one because of my love of doing laundry for my husband, but that’s only part of the reason I like it…the key to this song is how sincere Tweedy is when he’s talking about making the bed and changing the sheets…”keeping things clean, doesn’t change anything”. This song also takes the young abusive couple from “At Least That’s What You Said” and puts them at home, married, 2 or 3 years in…maybe after a night of “Shot In The Arm”, baby’s daddy didn’t like the full ashtry and they had a fight, so mommy left. The couple is used to eachother, but still have aggression issues and maybe some shopaholic/alcholic issues, too…but they realize they are the best things eachother has and miss eachother regardless. It’s so damn “pop”-py with the horns, too. (I think those are horns, might actually be keys.) Also, haven’t heard something like this since “The Town That Lost It’s Groove Supply”.)
2. Either Way (same love issues here…very nice listen…with some Nels? guitar in the middle-end that pulls the whole song together for you)
Beans Complaint #3: “Being There’s The Best Record EVER!”
Cara Response #3: A little refresher - Being There…good record no doubt…Misunderstood, Monday, Outtasite (Outta Mind), I Got You, Kingpin, The Lonely 1. I can’t argue with you there.
Beans Statement & Insistence #4: “So, why is it that after your favorite artist goes to rehab, he comes back and his music sucks!?”
Cara Retort #4: Okay, first of all, that’s pretty damn harsh. You want Tweedy to be addicted to painkillers and cater to your antiquated opinions? Or, do you want him to be rehabilitated and come out with new music that’s equally worthy of listening pleasure? Here’s some more you need to let roll around in your head:
1. Impossible Germany (you know this, but I’ll say it again…I can’t stop listening to this song. That guitar thing…that eery “unlikely Japan”…the way Tweedy fits so many words with so many syllables into such a short phrase of music is befitting of a genius.)
2. You Are My Face (I’m revisiting this as promised…gentle little piano intro interlude…”I remember my mother’s sister’s husband’s brother working in the gold mine full-time, fillin’ in for sunshine…” Jesus, need I say anymore?)
That’s all I have for now. Gotta go listen to Impossible Germany a couple hundred more times before I get sick of it.
Cara
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For those not in on the Wilco scene, there were many references to Wilco songs, albums and side projects in this post. For more information, please see the Wilco Wikipedia entry HERE. The new Wilco album, Sky Blue Sky, comes out May 15th.
i WILL get this album soon, but comments in this review drive me to let you know that DISINTEGRATION is the best album ever.