Last week Conan O'Brien broadcasted from a 3000+ seat theatre (forget which one) in Chicago. Friday, Wilco performed after the guest interview with Barack Obama. I'm curious what others might have thought about it, for a few reasons.

For one, they played a new song. Maybe they played it on their last tour in some places, but not when I saw them, so it's a song few have heard. I didn't like it. It was kind of a wistful mid-tempo love song, really kind of simplistic and stale. Some lines I remember: "That's what you get for falling in love"; "We can make it better" (back and forth with the audience). Yuck.

Secondly, Jeff Tweedy was almost "singing" in parts. I don't mean to spark a "What is singing?" discussion, but many would agree that while he pulls it off and has a great voice worth listening to, Tweedy is not a technically adept singer. He either belts it out so hard his voice cracks, or kind of whispers melodically. Anyway, on Conan it sounded like he'd been taking voice lessons. His voice moved fluidly through the melodies, covering a fairly wide range.

Thirdly, the band seemed to be almost acting. Other times I've seen them perform, they get into the music and everything, but they don't seem to be trying especially hard to connect. They seem to trust that will happen on its own if they play well, and they don't seem like they're trying to convince anyone of anything. Some might call it pretentious, but to me it's just confidence. On Conan, though, they were visibly having a good time, but I couldn't trust it. It seemed like, "OK, this is a big audience, and we're on TV. We better act happy lest we make a bad impression."

These three things combined in a way that made me sad. It was kind of like, "This is not the Wilco I love! What's happening to them?"

Any other thoughts?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Commontone,

Here's a comment at another thread.

Thanks Mark for directing me here.

I thought it was a great performance and a great song. Tweedy looked like he was having a good time and was comfortable on stage for the first time in a while, and the rest of the band looked like they were having a good time too. I hope that the song makes it to record in roughly the same form, and I wouldn't mind hearing a whole album of Wilco doing this kind of blue eyed soul stuff. As much as I like every wilco record, I've been ready for something a little lighter from them for a while now.

Strangely enough, Wilco ENDED their live set with this brand new song when they made a stop in my town on a recent southeastern tour they did. Tweedy even mock-criticized the band for playing a song that "no one knows" to end the show. Apparently they're really behind this song as a single.

Needless to say, Wilco's live show should be seen by anyone who calls themself a fan of rock music.

To each their own...but that song is a new direction for Wilco, and one I'm not prepared to dig into. That kind of "blue eyed soul" is not the reason I listen to Wilco..I like their unexpected arrangements, their studio experimentation, yes, their darkness, their existential angst. Somehow they've managed to evolve their sound with every album but still keep those core qualities intact. This new song felt like an abandonment of many of those qualities.

Also, all those talented musicians had precious little to do, musically, compared to a typical Wilco song.

And honestly..."We can make it better" back and forth with the audience...? A more common Wilco/audience interaction is screaming "Nothing" at the top of their lungs 30+ times in a row, as in "Misunderstood"...in the context of that comparison the new song just seems cheesy and out of left field to me.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Commontone,

Yeah, who were those guys anyway? My first reaction to the song was, "that was weird. That wasn't my wilco." This new direction sounds like they're coming full circle in their sound harkening back to A.M. and half of Being There.

Yeah, from interviews I've read and comments in Wilco film, they have kind of a deconstructionist philosophy about their songs...they find the straight-ahead, safe, definitive way to play a song, then tinker with it and do things backwards and toss it in a blender, till they've destroyed that safe version and created something much more interesting.

That was totally evident on Summerteeth and YHF, and most of A Ghost Is Born...but this new song WAS the "safe" version. I guess that, more than its style or content, is what bothers me about it.

quote:

Originally posted by Commontone:
Yeah, from interviews I've read and comments in Wilco film, they have kind of a deconstructionist philosophy about their songs...they find the straight-ahead, safe, definitive way to play a song, then tinker with it and do things backwards and toss it in a blender, till they've destroyed that safe version and created something much more interesting.

That was totally evident on Summerteeth and YHF, and most of A Ghost Is Born...but this new song WAS the "safe" version. I guess that, more than its style or content, is what bothers me about it.

I think if you really trusted the band and the band's vision, you'd have nothing to worry about. Wilco has proven themselves time and time again on record, and I don't think this new one will be any different. They're an insightful, provocative band; and I don't think they'd make a crappy record unless they really tried to.

I don't mean to imply that they're on their way to making a crappy record. I'm sure their next album will be worth listening to, at the very least; however, if it's full of songs like the one on Conan, I might not take to it right away like the other albums, and possibly might not care for it at all.

I've trusted their vision so far...but that doesn't mean it can't change into something I'm not that fond of. But anyway, my main point was not about what I want or like, but that they're changing directions and seem to be abandoning some core values. I realize that's a big assumption to make after hearing one song...but for what it's worth, that's how it appears, from my end.

It's ironic really. My understanding is that the reason behind Tweedy's frustration (and hence, the song "Misunderstood") was the fact that the fans didn't want to go along with the band's changing sound (thus, thanking them for "nothing!"). Now that the band closes with something a little different from their last two albums, some fans are yelling "give me Misunderstood!"

I'm feeling a little, uh, misunderstood I'm not longing for the band to keep cranking out stuff that sounds like what they've already done. They can and will do what they want, and I will buy their next album and listen to it.

I've been following Wilco since "Being There" came out, and each subsequent album held a lot of surprises. But for all the experimentation it still sounded like Wilco. My gripe, which is really more of an observation, is that for the first time I find myself thinking, "OK, this is different, and it doesn't really sound like Wilco as I know them." And I'm a little apprehensive about it.

It's ironic because I'm usually the one who loves a given band's new direction when others are clamouring for the old days. Gosh, there are a lot of "I"'s in my posts. Don't mean to project such an ego..

That was the first time I saw Wilco perform and I'm really upset that the song isn't out yet, I totally loved it. I am kinda soft for the blue eyed soul genre and I actually thought that Wilco was in character there but Limewire tells me it ain't so. :-) I hope to hear it again soon and will buy the cd it comes out on for sure.

Kiira

I caught the rerun the other night...while they still seemed a little too happy and pandering, I didn't mind the song this time around. It reminded me of some of the more cutesy stuff on the Mermaid Avenue albums, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (I love "Secret of the Sea").

Not my favorite side of Wilco though. Hopefully their new album will balance that side out with some fractured angst type stuff ("Radio Cure"), which is still my favorite thing they do.