wilco

[washing machine]

you're a good man, reid, and thorough.

I’m on my phone and instinctively replied with the thumbs up emoji on iOS and then got this message.

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Please notify the board administrator or webmaster: donotreply@theskyiscrape.com

Please accept this post in lieu of a thumbs up.

[washing machine]

Though I guess it would have taken less effort to just type out the bbcode for the RM thumbs up emoji rather than post that explanation.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[Norah]

art of almost is top notch.

so is One Sunday Morning

[verb_to_trust]

art of almost is top notch.

so is One Sunday Morning

Great 7 inch

[Norah]

art of almost is top notch.

so is One Sunday Morning

Great 7 inch

I really like the title track too.

[verb_to_trust]

art of almost is top notch.

so is One Sunday Morning

Great 7 inch

I really like the title track too.

The only other one I can kind of get behind is Born Again

[washing machine]

I’m listening to Dawned on Me right now and it should be higher in my stupid TWL rankings.

[washing machine]

Like, between Born Alone and Art of Almost. Just a really catchy song with some cool Nels lines.

[Norah]

the whole love is better than you all give it credit for

[washing machine]

[Strat]

Hey Chud

[Kevin Davis]

That being said, I think the degree to which they've put out shit records is a bit overstated.

I'd say it's a lot overstated.

It's not that I don't recognize what people mean when they say the records have gone downhill. There is a workmanlike lack of "spark" to all of the albums from "Wilco (The Album)" on that I think is undeniable -- they feel a bit flat, obligatory, like records made by a working live band whose job it is to occasionally make records. In most cases, I think the songwriting is generally stronger, the sonics more innovative, etc., than they are on the likes of "Being There," but the records lack a certain joie-de-vivre and sense of discovery that made the earlier records feel like such a trip. The Nels-era records (with the exception of "Sky Blue Sky") don't necessarily invite you into them the same way the Bennett-era albums do.

But I don't necessarily think that means they're inherently weaker records. I think YHF" and "Ghost" are their clear peaks, but the differences between all their other albums on either side are pretty academic. I can understand why someone's ears might gravitate towards "Being There" over, say, "Schmilco," but to me the latter reflects a perfectly developed, matured version of the former -- nothing at all in the songs themselves to indicate that the band has somehow lost their way, or hit some inspirational brick wall.

As an aside, I think "I'll Fight" and "Capitol City" are both among my favorite Nels-era songs. "Capitol City" reminds me of a cross between the Grateful Dead (the chorus puts me in mind of "Mississippi Half-Step Uptown Toodeloo"), Randy Newman (it has a bounce not unlike "Political Science," which Wilco covered regularly at one point), and great-American-songbook stuff -- I find it garishly irresistible.

[tragabigzanda]

[Strat]

The dead. Yea that’s probably why I don’t gravitate to the latter day records. Also maybe because tweedy went through a phase of being a super overweight Wilkie Nelson with his hair braids.

[tragabigzanda]

Top 10 maybe?
Hello Morning
Close Captioned
The Kill
Place/Position
Do You Like Me?
Latest Disgrace
Recap Modotti
Nightshop
Break
Life & Limb

I'd maybe bump Life & Limb for Epic Problem

[verb_to_trust]

The dead. Yea that’s probably why I don’t gravitate to the latter day records. Also maybe because tweedy went through a phase of being a super overweight Wilkie Nelson with his hair braids.

I love Jeff but it sort of bothers me how fat he's gotten

[bune]

I watched the trailer for the HBO version of His Dark Materials and the little girl had a weird Tweedy vibe about her. Also another young actor from years ago who I can only picture but not think of a name or any of his movies, so that doesn't help.

[washing machine]

Fine I’ll listen to stupid Whole Love again and report back

My wife won't even let Capitol City play if she's in the car. I don't blame her.

[surfndestroy]

Would 'Kicking Television' be a good starting point?