New Wilco album: Sky Blue Sky *

"What Light" is officially available as a free download:

EW: A Piece of 'Sky'

 

I can't tell if this album is a grower or a snoozer. I can't name a song that I am crazy about besides "Impossible Germany". The whole thing seems too breezy and devoid of the amazing song writing that Tweed has shown since Uncle Tupelo. Nels also seems to be of little use on the record. There's only a few bits where he adds guitar work that Tweedy couldn't have done himself. I'll be giving it a few more plays...I REALLY want to like this record.

 

Thanks for posting that.

 

It's definitely a mellow back to basics record. I love it because the songwriting is so strong. Without falling back on the soundscaping nonsense.
It's hard to tell from a computer stream but, I was hoping for a different production this time. It sounds the same to me. I wish they could get back to being a band instead of a Tweedy vehicle, but that is very hard to do. They at least need more backing vocals. It's still light years ahead of most.

 

Does it sound more like Being There then?

 

Just heard one of the new songs today. Looking forward to it. I love these guys!!

 

i find it very comparable to "the plastic ono band".

and that is a good thing.

renny

 

Nothing like Being There.

 

Not really. It sounds much more like A Ghost Is Born.

 

From Wilco HQ...

 

I've listened to it a few times now and I must say that it doesn't sound
like any album of theirs in particular, but has different elements of all of them. One song reminds me of Being There, another of Summerteeth,
and some songs even go in a direction that I think was evident on their
live CD Kicking Television, i.e. the more soulful stuff and awesome guitar
solos.

 

Speaking of "Kicking Television", I've been listening to that live album a lot lately (been on a major Wilco kick for the last few months). This is one of my favorite live albums by any band, ever. I only wish more care had gone into the mastering. The highs are a bit goosed for my taste but it's still great.

 

I borderline hated A Ghost Is Born but have been pleasantly surprised by this. I've been enjoying the "jam" tracks especially.

 

While I don't share your dislike for "Ghost" (I think it's an amazing album and I appreciate it so much more now than I did in 2004), I agree that some of the melodic "jam-like" qualities of "Sky Blue Sky" are beautiful. The twin guitars playing the buildup of "Impossible Germany" in harmony reminds me of Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter on the intro to "Sweet Jane" from Lou Reed's "Rock And Roll Animal."

 

I think it's beautiful, and it definitely gets better with repeated listening. It is very subtle in what it's trying to do -- instead of adding sonic textures to the music, what Tweedy and is doing this time out is writing music with unexpected melodies and chord progressions and making them sound not so "weird". I also think Tweedy is singing better than ever. When he hits that high note on "Either Way" ("Maybe the sun will shine today"), I get chills every time.

BTW -- If you pre-order the vinyl, you get a free copy of the CD with it. Pretty cool.

 

There's a feature on the Billboard site:

Wilco: In The Comfort Zone

The album will be released in many different configurations:

- regular CD
- Deluxe CD (with bonus DVD documentary of full rehearsal performances of songs from the album)
- with bonus CD in indie coalition stores (studio track "One True Vine" and "Kicking Television" outtake "Theologians")
- 180g double vinyl (with included CD)
- iTunes download (with additional song "Let's Not Get Carried Away")

Choice, schmoice...

 

Nice piece.

Way cool.

 

*sigh*
I wish they released just a regular CD, a deluxe version and a vinyl version. How often am I supposed to buy this album?

 

Right on... Besides, their two previous studio albums had been re-released with extra tracks (YHF in Australia and AGIB in Europe) but they had the good taste to allow people to download the bonus tracks freely.

 

I pre-ordered 2 vinyls with the free cd's right away when it was mentioned on a previous thread on here

With the pre-orders, they've been sending me links to the songs that I can download.

As always for 2007 being my concert year!! I'm looking forward to seeing Wilco in concert! I see that the tour page has been updated, I don't see Wisconsin or Illinois, bummer. I'm sure it will keep being updated

 

Interesting quote from Tweedy in the Billboard article:

I hope they don't wait three nears before the next album, even though the current isn't even officially out yet. Thanks to whoever linked that article - it sound as though Tweedy and the band have come through some difficult times and emerged stronger than ever. Along with Radiohead, they are the most important rock band in the world today, hands down. If you've never seen them in concert, do what you have to do to see them tour behind this new album.

 

I've been a Wilco fan since Summerteeth in '99. I was kind of late to the Wilco party though I did see Uncle Tupelo circa '91. I will finally see my first Wilco show this summer when they play the Green at Shelburne Museum in Vermont. I am really looking forward to it!

 

Finally heard the whole album. On first listen, this is a very similar sort of record as Dylan's Nashville Skyline and New Morning, the Beach Boys' Friends, and Paul McCartney's solo debut and Wild Life. The song about Tweedy mowing the lawn and doing the laundry is even sort of a distant cousin of Brian Wilson's "Busy Doin' Nothin'." Like the albums I mentioned, this is a consciously low-key album from someone who has been through the whole experimental trip, as well as some personal ups and downs, and reached a place of calm and happiness, and made some very personal and low-key music that reflects that calm and happiness. Like the albums I mentioned, this record will probably get mixed reviews and not sell a zillion copies. It's interesting to me how, despite the awesome musical power of the Nels Cline-era line-up, they reined in that power and made such a low-key record. When I saw them perform "Impossible Germany" live a few months back, they stretched out the closing jam much longer than they do on the record. Even though this record seems underwhelming at first, it seems like every note has its place. The last two songs pull off the difficult trick of being uplifting without being sappy. I think this will be a real grower, and, eventually a cult favorite along the lines of Friends or New Morning.

 

Excellent review. I've only heard half of it but it does have a New Morning vibe. On a different note some of the organ playing reminds me of Garth Hudson. I was disappointed in the studio version of Impossible Germany after hearing one of the live versions floating around. The live version has a Marquee Moon like intensity that is sort of missing from the studio version..