Wilco - Wilco (The Album) Review

Wilco - Wilco (The Album)

It's really no big secret how much I love Wilco, so when Wilco (The Album) leaked and the band made it available by streaming it on the band's website it was probably the second best day of the year so far. The best day you ask? January 31st when Jeff Tweedy played Foellinger Auditorium and I was dead center, second row and Jeff even pointed right to my camera during his encore!

I have had (The Album) on repeat for about a week now. For those who criticized the band's 2007 effort Sky Blue Sky for straying too far from the patented Wilco style and claimed their sound was more reminiscent of '70s jam bands and too experiemental for their own good, it will be good to know (The Album) brings back more of the old Wilco sound. The first track, "Wilco (The Song)," is a bit misleading in that it conveys an almost satirical atmosphere, especially after seeing the album artwork, but Tweedy has said the song is meant as a thank you to all of the loyal supporters of the band. The second track, "Deeper Down," delivers some serious sonic craftsmanship. In sticking with a recurring aviation-related theme to much of their work (another reason I absolutely love Wilco) track three delves into the theoretical "one wing will never fly" discussion, even though that is not always entirely true. "Deeper Down" has already been one of the highlights of past Wilco shows like Lollapalooza 2008.

Onto "Bull Black Nova." Many have likened this track to "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" off A Ghost Is Born, but I think it sounds very Spoon-ish. The guitars layered over Glenn Kotche's magnificent drum work and a key-heavy verse is a refreshingly nice change of pace sandwiched between two mellower tracks. The lyrics revolve around an apparent murder of which the viewpoint of the murderer is told while feeling trapped in his "bull black Chevy Nova... silhouetted by the setting sun."

Next is the duet of Tweedy and Leslie Feist on "You and I," a fight between two lovers. The vocals sound like they were recorded in one try, with neither knowing exactly what the other is going to stress or improvise upon. And it works well and serves to reinforce the feeling that the lyrics promote. "You Never Know," another rocker follows "You and I," bringing another heavily key-based track onto (The Album). "You Never Know" sounds as if it could be a Lennon or Harrison song, equally at home in a Beatles collection as well as being performed by Wilco. "Come on children / you're acting like children. / Every generation thinks / its the end of the world" start the song. "I don't care anymore" is repeated throughout the chorus, again being just a fun sing-along, upbeat Wilco song that I can see being a goto for a lousy day. Could the song perhaps be a reply to the band's critics and a statement of how the band feels about their work? Maybe.

For the sake of not boring all you readers to death, I will save from writing about Country "Disappeared," "Solitaire," and "I'll Fight," but check out "Sonny Feeling." (The Album) concludes with "Everlasting," a song that the band has been performing at shows for a while now. Its a beautifully arranged song and a great way to end the record. Of course, the actual release date on Nonesuch is June 30th. If you happened to have downloaded the leaked album, the band asks you to make a donation to one of their favorite charities in Chicago. Speaking volumes of the Wilco fan base, the charity says they have seen a dramatic spike in donations and increased volume on their website. That is awesome. Go out and get (The Album) when it hits stores as it is receiving 4 and a half stars.

Wilco (The Album) track list:

1. "Wilco (The Song)"
   
2. "Deeper Down"
   
3. "One Wing"
   
4. "Bull Black Nova"
   
5. "You and I" (with Feist)
   
6. "You Never Know"
   
7. "Country Disappeared"
   
8. "Solitaire"
   
9. "I'll Fight"
   
10. "Sonny Feeling"
    
11. "Everlasting Everything"
    

Wilco - Bull Black Nova

Wilco - You and I (with Feist)