Wilco - "Schmilco" - New LP - 2016

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by auto, Jul 18, 2016.

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  1. drbryant

    drbryant Senior Member

    Location:
    Los Angeles, CA
    That's not bad. Maybe I mistakenly put in my Japan address.
     
  2. kouzie

    kouzie Forum Resident

    Location:
    Batavia, IL
    Actually... It was originally $50, but then dropped down to $35 the next day. Luckily the credited my card.
     
  3. chickendinna

    chickendinna Homegrown’s All Right With Me

    I'd like to purchase a vinyl edition of Schmilco for my son. What is the consensus on the color to go with? I appreciate your help.
     
  4. vudicus

    vudicus Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Black seems to be the most reliable in terms of pressing quality.
     
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  5. whisper3978

    whisper3978 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Apex, NC
    I've read Star Wars being compared to Abbey Road, which actually made me appreciate it more. Weird how easily influenced I am by other people's opinions on music I already liked!
     
  6. Crazyhorse11

    Crazyhorse11 Hoser

    Location:
    Edmonton, AB
    You actually just blew my mind because after all these years I had no idea what was going on with the Summerteeth cover. Now it all makes sense. I feel like such a fool. lol.
     
  7. whisper3978

    whisper3978 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Apex, NC
    I got a "test pressing" on black and it's filled with pops and clicks. It has labels that nearly match that of the actual release, so I don't know if you can actually call it a true test pressing. The pink one plays perfectly.
     
  8. Gabe Walters

    Gabe Walters Forum Resident

    I had a long car ride and listened to The Whole Love, Star Wars, and Schmilco in sequence. Not only does Schmilco hold up, but my esteem for Star Wars grew and for The Whole Love it shrank. I wish Star Wars didn't start with the pointless EKG, but otherwise it's a pretty strong work. I like the emotionally direct period Tweedy's in. The Whole Love feels adorned by comparison, and the nonsensical word grab bag lyrics don't do it any favors. I was surprised to come to this conclusion, because I've really liked The Whole Love.

    I still think Sukierae should've been recorded as a Wilco album, though. It's definitely of a piece with Star Wars and Schmilco.
     
  9. wavethatflag

    wavethatflag God is love, but get it in writing.

    Location:
    SF Bay Area
    I agree with your comparison of Schmilco and The Whole Love. They are very different albums. To me, The Whole Love is Tweedy saying, "Ok, this is how Wilco (The Album) was supposed to turn out." Schmilco is a much more organic and direct affair than The Whole Love, which, as you aptly put it, is adorned.

    That said, I listened to Wilco (The Album) just a couple days ago, and it's actually good. But I think coming after Sky Blue Sky didn't do it any favors.

    Also, it took Schmilco to make me more comfortable with Star Wars. Star Wars to me is still an incomplete statement. I still don't really get it as a whole. But the reassurance Schmilco provides me let's me go back an try to understand Star Wars. I was disappointed by Star Wars and thought it signposted the end of the band, or at least the band as I want to know it.

    I thought of Star Wars as Sukierae leftovers. No one here agreed with me (as far as I know) but I was discussing this with a Wilco fan after a recent show and unprompted by me he called Star Wars the same thing. But I'll bet that doesn't end up being my ultimate understanding of that album.
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2016
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  10. jalexander

    jalexander Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    If a band is lucky enough to have a masterpiece, you'd be hard pressed to find one who did it beyond the ten year mark... some hit it out of the gate and have little left beyond that point (Television), most do it around album 3 or 4 (Radiohead, probably Wilco) and a few peak right around that ten-year deadline (the Stones, the Cure).
    In my mind, the mark of a great band is keeping it interesting beyond that masterpiece. Most go into greatest hits mode, but a few maintain the creative energy to keep doing something new. Dylan's never going to have another Blonde on Blonde, but he has never sat still, sometimes to tremendous results.

    This makes Wilco a top-tier band to me. I don't expect them to match their past masterpiece(s) - that's a young man's game. And while some of their later albums have been better than others, they've all had something interesting to these ears.

    Plus, without these recent albums, I would be missing Impossible Germany, One Wing, One Sunday Morning, and the interesting ying-yang soundscape of star Wars/Schmilco. ‎
     
  11. Marty DiBergi

    Marty DiBergi Forum Resident

    Location:
    hamburg, germany
    interesting point and probably worth an own thread. i guess usually it doesn´t affect my judgement. hehe i hope that is ... but maybe it does subconsciously? that actually is very interesting. but at the end of the day i have a certain feeling that comes from within my subjective little universe. i liked "star wars" but to me it felt a little all over the place; more like a collection of ok-ish, good and great songs but it didnt gave me a same coherent vibe like "schmilco" where i feel that the individual songs sum up to that great and certain overall wistful vibe.
     
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  12. psychedelia

    psychedelia The Psychedelic Axolotl

    Location:
    Norway
    Had my first listen to the album, and my first impression is 'meh'. Too many down tempo, slow songs in my opinion. I miss their more up-tempo rockier melodic days.
     
  13. neilpatto

    neilpatto Forum Resident

    Location:
    Leeds, UK
    Another take on the question of coloured vinyl vs black vinyl.

    I picked up a black vinyl 'Schmilco' on release day from HMV in Leeds, UK. Side 1 was fine but Side 2 had some grungy distortion on the last 3 or 4 tunes (no visible marks on the disc). It sounded similar to fluff on the needle but I checked a couple of times and it was definitely a problem with the disc.

    Maybe it would have been OK with a thorough wet clean but I'd rather get a clean sounding pressing from the off so I took it back to the shop who were happy to give me a replacement.

    I'm pleased to say that the new disc sounds great on both sides, excellent in fact, dead silent between tracks.

    I'm still getting my head around the album itself, it's definitely a grower. I look forward to hearing the songs in a live setting.

    NP
     
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  14. aoxomoxoa

    aoxomoxoa I'm an ear sitting in the sky

    Location:
    USA
    Just got my black vinyl replacement and where I haven't thoroughly checked it yet, it seems fine.
    I actually think it sounded better but that could be a placebo effect.
     
  15. Larry Loves LPs

    Larry Loves LPs Forum Resident

    Location:
    Alexandria, VA
    My orange and pink copies sound great except for the side 2 off center pitch warble. My black replacement came and it's def better. The tonearm isn't skating around like a drunk driver.
     
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  16. medium Rob

    medium Rob Forum Resident

    Location:
    East Virginia
    still haven't heard Schmilco, but I think Star Wars, is a pretty solid and understated album, despite its seemingly throwaway title and cover image. Any time it pops up on my player, I'm pleasantly surprised by the familiar quality of the hooks/melodies and the simmering vibe of it. It just feels super solid, and it's gotta be tough to maintain for any band (writing songs), for that long. Never been a serious Wilco fan, and Sky Blue Sky probably stands as my favorite of theirs. It's the only one I've returned to (besides Kicking Television) over the last several years. It's interesting to read about impressions of the new record... it sounds like it's of a similar vibe to Star Wars.
     
  17. whisper3978

    whisper3978 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Apex, NC
    You mean like last year's album?
     
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  18. MikeTV

    MikeTV Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
    I actually thought the same thing on first listen. I even asked Jeff Tweedy about it on his Reddit Ask Me Anything that he did last year when they released the album for free. I pasted the exchange below. That is also why I was not at all disappointed with it. I loved Sukierae. Star Wars felt like Wilco covering Tweedy to me.


     
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  19. whisper3978

    whisper3978 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Apex, NC
    As someone else likely said earlier in the thread, what a wealth of material he came up with during this period. Basically four albums of material that we've HEARD.
     
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  20. psychedelia

    psychedelia The Psychedelic Axolotl

    Location:
    Norway
    Yes, I much prefer Star Wars to Schmilco, all though I dont think they've manage to surpasse A.M., Being There or Summerteeth.
     
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  21. Colin Allstations

    Colin Allstations Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Just cos Sukirae came first, that doesn't mean the Star Wars/Schmilco material are 'leftovers'.
     
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  22. MikeTV

    MikeTV Well-Known Member

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Totally agree. I regret phrasing it that way when asking Jeff about it. And his answer reflects that.

     
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  23. mtruslow

    mtruslow Forum Resident

    Location:
    Towson, Maryland
    I bought "Schmilico" this past weekend. I like it very much. Better than "Star Wars". My opinion, of course.
     
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  24. steviej

    steviej Forum Resident

    Location:
    Calgary, AB
    This album is pretty dull... I very much doubt this would ever turn any new listener into a Wilco fan. Star Wars didn't really connect with me either, but it at least had some interesting moments. This album just sounds like one long, boring, monotone groan. Did Jeff sing these songs lying in bed?
     
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  25. John Bliss

    John Bliss Forum Resident

    Every Wilco album has to grow on me a bit. I end up liking them much more than the first listen. Haven't heard the new one yet. I'm sure it will be the same way, it'll have to grow on me. Looking forward to getting it soon.
     
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