Okay. It's true. I just mean that it feels really natural and pleasant, even if there are a lot of electronic sounds on the album.

Yeah, it's definitely organic sounding. Easy on the ears too/

Definitely need to bump this now, especially since I'm warming up to ALL the guitar solos on Sky Blue Sky.

I'm diggin' the new album. I think more recent fans of Wilco who are into YHF and AGIB will probably be disappointed. But there is much goodness to be found in Sky Blue Sky.

They still do experimental stuff, but it's more focused on experimenting with different genres now. Sky Blue Sky focuses heavily on blues and r&b. And, yes, tons of guitar solos.

quote:

Originally posted by beeswax49:

They still do experimental stuff, but it's more focused on experimenting with different genres now. Sky Blue Sky focuses heavily on blues and r&b. And, yes, tons of guitar solos.

HAAAA! scary....

Well I am seeing wilco in April so I had better do my research, I've only got YHF. I like those Radiohead comparisons they help alot. I want to be able to sing to all the songs at the top of my voice.

"Radiohead are the modern second coming" ha ha you guys crack me up (I'm not disagreeing), I'll mention that to my sister and she will say "oh well obviously that person has no taste" rofl.

I'm thinking at the moment it must be freezing in the poorer places tonight.

Wow. I woke up this morning and Wilco is a jam band. I never saw that one coming and I LOVED A Ghost is Born. Maybe that's a bit of a simplistic take on Sky Blue Sky, but I can't say it's doing much for me so far. I also think Tweedy's ambition has now offically exceeded his voice in a lot of the songs. Maybe I'll like it more tomorrow or the next day.

I like it a lot. It's a really consistent album. It's not very "jam" band-ish either. Most of the songs are fairly compact. I think only 2 go over 5 minutes long.

After listening to it again, I guess my thought would be to maybe rein in Nels Cline a little more. I actually prefer Tweedy's guitar solos on A Ghost is Born. The "jam band" comment was more an impression of Cline's guitar sound and solos...not really the length of the songs. Live, I think he works well, but on the record, he sounds a little "Phishy" to me.

I do agree to some extent with what you're saying. I mean, when EVERY song has a guitar solo it wears out its welcome.

Maybe they can integrate him better in the future.

Just now listening to Sky Blue Sky and I must say that I like it a lot. I love the shimmering guitars, the playful pianos, the wonderful singing, the great songwriting, the quiet parts, the loud parts. It's another terrific album by one of the best bands currently making music. I am really digging it. It sounds like getting all the members that tour, together in the studio really payed off.

I know that AOL sucks but I could only find this gem streaming here along with Boxer (which also sounds good.) Enjoy!

quote:

Originally posted by beeswax49:
I like it a lot. It's a really consistent album. It's not very "jam" band-ish either. Most of the songs are fairly compact. I think only 2 go over 5 minutes long.

Just wait till you see those new songs live

Sky Blue Sky is another worth addition to Wilco's catalogue, and it is the mark of a great band to continuously evolve in sound and approach to music...But I'm pretty sure that many Wilco fans are waiting for another masterpiece. If not another YHF, at least another Summerteeth.

I re-watched I Am Trying to Break Your Heart again on my cable on demand service the other day and realized, Jay Bennett was hugely responsible for both of Wilco's "masterpieces" (Summerteeth and YHF). I believe he played on Being There but wasn't a significant contributor. And of course he was gone for A Ghost is Born. I'm not saying he was as important as Jeff Tweedy by any stretch, but his keyboards and sound is all over Summerteeth. Watching the movie, its obvious he contributes greatly on YHF.

He obviously didn't get along with Tweedy, and the band is healthier with him gone, but you can't help wonder if his contributions weren't what pushed them over the top to recording their two most essential releases.

quote:

Originally posted by Hophead:
Jay Bennett was hugely responsible for both of Wilco's "masterpieces" (Summerteeth and YHF). I believe he played on Being There but wasn't a significant contributor. And of course he was gone for A Ghost is Born. I'm not saying he was as important as Jeff Tweedy by any stretch, but his keyboards and sound is all over Summerteeth. Watching the movie, its obvious he contributes greatly on YHF.

I agree 100% about Bennett. Tweedy gets a lot of the credit for Wilco, but after their last two albums, I'm thinking Jay Bennett was a big part of what I initially loved about the band. I don't know how big his contributions to Summerteeth were, but according to Bennett himself, he wrote a large portion of the music and some of the lyrics on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

I am also in the "Jay Bennet" appreciation club. It's weird how friction in a relationship can produce good results. Just think of the relationships in your life-- in particular the extra-curricular activities (if you know what I mean)

quote:

Originally posted by Maximum Jack:
It's weird how friction in a relationship can produce good results.

This is also a good point. A band in turmoil can occasionally produce some great stuff.

Look at mid-70s Fleetwood Mac. One of their biggest hits, "Go Your Own Way", was Lindsay Buckingham's kiss-off to fellow bandmate Stevie Nicks.

Keith Richards also wrote one of my favorite Stones songs, "Gimme Shelter", in 10 minutes after finding out that Mick Jagger was sleeping with his wife.

quote:

Keith Richards also wrote one of my favorite Stones songs, "Gimme Shelter", in 10 minutes after finding out that Mick Jagger was sleeping with his wife.

Interesting. I did not know that.

While all of these are great points, I would still have to give Tweedy and the band a lot of credit. I don't know if all the albums that Bennett contibuted to are mostly terrific because of him but because of everyone's own input.

This new one is a really, really, really great album. It grabs you from the beginning and never lets go. It has soul, drive, the songwriting is at the top of their craft and the guitar solos are ridiculously good. They mixed in some harsh dissonant chords in some songs that work really well and the cute piano at the beginning of "Either Way" just fits so nicely. I think more people need to hear this album--plenty of times--because it is great. It's a notable sign of a band returning to form, their roots and showing that they are one of the bands currently making music--no doubt.

"returning to form"???