I have an alt-country/roots playlist where I permit mingling. As long as it fits my viewpoint of the genre. Bottle Rockets, Blue Mountain, Whiskeytown etc included. And I agree on the listening experience being a good one.
This is great. I have the Wilco book sitting within close reach, but haven't played it in years. Will have to give it all a listen later.
I included those in my list of Being There extras (about 1800(!) posts ago). All great versions, but for the first time I think I’ve finally straightened out the versions of James Alley Blues. The Roger McGuinn version is from 1997 so belongs in that Being There/Mermaid era. The second version was released between Ghost and SBS which is why I’ve always had it in my Wilco playlist alongside Panthers, Kicking Television and Just a Kid. But it was recorded live in 1999 so really belongs alongside Summerteeth.
Interesting highlights - I don’t have the book, but these are the songs I’ve heard from it because these are the ones chosen for the three episodes of the Wilco podcast years ago.
This is my first time listening to the music that came with The Wilco Book in probably 16 years. I remembered it as the "let's drop things on the studio floor and see what happens" record. But that's not fair--there's only 1:25 of that. It's actually pretty strong, considering these are just studio exercises of a band discovering itself. These are probably the closest things to AGIB demos we're going to hear, at least anytime soon. There are some hallmarks of the weirder ideas from the YHF demos in these tracks. If you take these, well most of them anyway, not as songs but as processes meant to spur creativity, then it can be a fairly interesting listen, I think.
The Wilco Book The CD that was included with the book (mounted in a very hard to remove manner on the inside back cover!) contains 12 tracks drawn mostly from the nearly year's worth of informal working sessions in Chicago that preceded the band's trip to New York City to record A Ghost Is Born. I remember there being some rumors that the new album would be called "dBpm", which is confirmed as an early title in the book. Most of this material is interesting but inessential and there is probably much more where this came from buried in the Wilco vault. However, there are a few tracks I quite like. "Pure Bug Beauty" - a long ambient opening part leads us into some of the melodic components of "Company In My Back". I must say that this is a lovely, peaceful instrumental. Beautiful. "This Is New" - sounds very demoey; hard to really assess this one. Might be going for a bit of a Yo La Tengo vibe here. Not much of a melody and it's hard to figure out everything Tweedy is singing. Lots of echo and tambourine. "Diamond Claw" - a very pretty instrumental with a lovely melody and nice interplay between the piano and the guitar. "This Is New (The Explanation)" - sort of an appendix to the earlier track. Mostly just some odd noises. "What Good Am I" - Tweedy on acoustic guitar demo. Sounds like it could have developed into something good. Lyrics seem very unfocused. Recorded in Tweedy's Perth, Australia hotel room while touring in early 2003. "Here Comes Everybody" - an interesting instrumental that sounds a little like film music; cool percussion/drumming on this. "Hummingbird (Soma Version)" - an earlier take of the song recorded in Chicago before they went to NYC to make AGIB. It's an interesting alternative approach to the song but it pales next to the album version. It features some very distracting dulcimer throughout. "The High Heat" - an outtake from the early Chicago pre-AGIB sessions. Interesting but not truly much of a song. "Doubt" - another noise experiment "Barnyard Pimp" - mostly a jam session that has some appealing bits in it but not really a song per se "Rottnest" - random piano snippet with some other swirly sounds over it; rather evocative "Hamami" - random percussion - drum sticks, chains, and other ephemera Not going to rate this disc amongst the regular Wilco albums since it's not really an "album". The entire book is actually quite well done, if filled with kind of random inclusions. It's great to look at.
Sky Blue Sky Released: May 15, 2007 Sky Blue Sky was the first Wilco studio album featuring the six-man lineup. It was recorded at The Loft in Chicago, where the second Loose Fur album had just been completed. It was a commercial success, debuting at #4 in America and selling well both nationally and internationally. After a series of very acclaimed albums, Wilco had become a solidly performing rock band in an era when rock was disappearing from the charts. The album featured more songwriting collaboration between Jeff and the rest of the band members, with several songs featuring co-credits and four credited to Tweedy/Wilco. Sky Blue Sky was noted right away for a more straightforward sound in both music and lyrics than the previous few albums. Influences noted by the band at the time included the Byrds, Fairport Convention, the Beatles and the Stones. After experimenting heavily with noise and genre experimentation, Sky Blue Sky feels like a deliberately old school album that is all about strong songwriting, with few frills. The album cover photo was taken by Manuel Presti in Rome and won him the 2005 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. The album title is said to have been inspired by an experience Jeff had as a child when he was blocked from returning home by a Memorial Day parade and realized that the town was always going to be too small and confining for him. There was some controversy involved in the band licensing songs from this album for Volkswagen ads. The album received both strong praise and criticism—a mixed reception. Those who loved it praised it for its maturity, clarity, tenderness, craft and beauty. Alternative Press wrote, “It’s apparent it takes deft skill to sound this simple.” However, some reviewers found it bland, dull, lyrically innocuous and the term ‘dad-rock’ began to appear in Wilco reviews. I think the dad-rock pejorative is mostly used by people who think middle aged people are boring and incapable of making or liking interesting music. Midtempo, sonically warm, emotionally rich music isn’t automatically boring and can in fact be compelling art. Interestingly, my experience with Sky Blue Sky has been impacted by my own aging. It came out when I was in college and it didn’t interest me all that much. I had it on iTunes and I listened sometimes, but I didn’t love it like I had loved the last two albums. However, I’ve grown up and it is really in the last two years that I have come to fall head over heels for this album (and really come to understand everything Wilco has been doing from this point forwards). I now consider Sky Blue Sky one of my favorite Wilco albums and it is an album I love dearly. I love the lyrical directness. I love the patient and open arrangements. I think Nels and Pat folded into the band effortlessly. I like the blend of tracks and the running order. I just really love this album and it feels like such a healthy album after the decidedly unhealthy A Ghost is Born. This is a band with a new lease on life and a new artistic perspective. If its dad-rock, so be it! It reminds me of all-time great songwriters like Tom Petty in places. I’ll further wax poetic on the individual tracks. We begin today with ‘Either Way.’ Either Way Jeff Tweedy: vocals, electric guitar John Stirratt; bass Glenn Kotche: drums Mikael Jorgensen:: piano Nels Cline: lead electric guitar Pat Sansone: Hammond A100 organ Karen Waltuch: viola, violin This is instantly something different from A Ghost is Born. It feels content and comfortable in a way that Jeff's writing hasn't felt since perhaps the days of Being There. His mental health was under control, he had kicked his debilitating drug addiction and this new lineup had toured together and were ready to record in the studio. The result is, in my opinion, absolutely beautiful. Maybe the sun will shine today The clouds will blow away Maybe I won't feel so afraid I will try to understand either way In his book, Jeff called this song "basically a rewording of the Serenity Prayer, for crying out loud." His vocal is tender and assured. The band plays with amazing sensitivity and depth of feeling. The combination of Mikael on piano and Pat on organ is so warm and lovely to my ears. I think Nels' solo is excellent and perfectly suits the song. As you can see, I love this track. I remember listening to it on headphones in the backseat of a car once and feeling like it was telling me that everything would be okay. Press on. This is mature music made for adults. Of course, some critics ripped it to shreds. Mojo said it was "as disposable as 70s-era Bread lyric" and Pitchfork said it "sleepwalks through a list of indecisive sentiments before breaking for a Cline solo that's straight-up Weather Channel Local on the 8s." Ah yes, recognizing the immutability of life and our own inability to predict what will come is definitely the same thing as "indecisive." I'm a huge fan of this era of the band and a strong supporter of maturity and straightforward emotion in music, so buckle in for lots of compliments from me and lots of disagreeing with critics who wanted Jeff Tweedy to remain an emotionally distraught basket case drug addict for the rest of his life or that only like music when it is highly experimental. I love straight up good songs and this album is full of them! You may disagree with me, of course, and that is fine! But this is my perspective and I know I am heavily influenced by the fact that Wilco's music has helped me tremendously with my own mental health and struggles with depression. It's hard to be objective about things like that...
You write a lot of truth here. The first five times I listened to this album, I was disappointed. I thought it was the Allman Wilco’s Band or Steely Wilco. I thought it was boring. This album signaled for me a new era where they were a must see live act and as far as the studio output, whatever. What will be interesting is listening to this one again for this thread, because I may like it more now. I will try to understand either way. But from here on out, I went to every live show I could. I moved to the Bay Area in 20o5 and was immediately overwhelmed by the extent of the live music scene. Wilco came here a lot, and I took full advantage. I saw them at Outside Lands on a smaller stage, I saw them three out of five nights at the Fillmore, and then two weeks later saw them at Sound Summit on Mt. Tam. And then Tweedy solo shows.
I can't remember when I first heard "dad rock" used, but I think it was in the early 90s. Along with all the other negatives associated with it, you should throw in "racist." Unless anyone has heard of any black artists disparaged for their music in a similar way? It's always seemed too easy for me, too pat, used by the kind of people attempting to curry favor with hipsters, i.e. indie rock fans and critics for the most part. Peel away the layers and it's simple intellectual laziness. As for Mojo slagging off Bread, I'd like to think time has revealed Bread to be a fantastic band, if not pop geniuses, They really were that good! Odd that a critic would reference a 30-year-old band with the understanding that everyone reading the piece would understand exactly what he is talking about. Why is that? If Bread was that disposable, shouldn't they have been forgotten by 1980? Do critics even realize someone in their 20s in 2005 reading that review would more than likely say, "Who's Bread?" As with "dad rock" - playing to the cheap seats. Either way ... this is a great introductory song to the album. Jeff was simply going for a more relaxed, melodic vibe, presumably to illustrate his mental state at the time. Although I have to admit ... that guitar solo would sound great in an elevator!
Long post ahead, apologies! I’m interested to read from more people who enjoy Sky Blue Sky, as it is the album where I largely got off the Wilco train and I feel like if I listen to it from the right perspective, maybe I’ll “crack” post-Ghost Wilco and enjoy it more. I got into them around Yankee, back tracked all the way to Uncle Tupelo and worked my way forward and loved it all, Golden Smog, Loose Fur, etc. I saw the band live for the first time at Bonnaroo in 2004 and many times subsequently and was impressed, so I was excited for a new album from the new lineup. I love Tweedy’s more impressionistic, evocative lyrics, so the almost generic, moon-june lyrics to “Either Way” were a shock. I can understand if they were deeply felt on Jeff Tweedy’s part and that they might mean something to him, but they fell completely flat for me. The band worked up a nice arrangement but the song itself felt like fluff or, when I’m being really harsh, “turd polishing”. At the time I first heard it, I gave props to the then-new lineup being so impressive that they could make such a bland piece like “Either Way” somewhat listenable. But if I went back to any previous Wilco album, the contrast was stark. Regarding the album as a whole, I remember I had burned a CD of it before it’s physical release, as they put it up on the Wilco website for download I believe. I remember the first time I listened to it I was at the airport, waiting to go on my first overseas trip (to England, to visit a bunch of Beatles-related sites). I listened once and was not impressed. I listened again and during “Shake It Off”, I literally ripped off my headphones, yanked open the CD player, took out the CDR threw it in the trash. I don’t think I’ve had such a viscerally negative reaction to an album before or since. Every so often I go back and try to give it another chance, thinking I was too harsh on it. But aside from a few tunes, I always come away with the same feeling of disappointment. And the fact that Jeff is so adamant about the whole idea of “you have to suffer to make good art” being nonsense, well, I believe that too... but in Jeff Tweedy’s case, it appears to have a ring of truth to it, which is unfortunate. I’m glad he’s happy and healthy and that is what is truly important, and the band still puts on a great show, so even if his new music doesn’t interest me, in the grand scheme of things that’s not such a bad thing if it means he’s alive and thriving.
Sky Blue Sky Great cover art. It inspired a very large piece of art from my wife, which I think she painted over. Artists! But I honestly never gave the CD more than a spin or two. nothing stuck. After finally getting into YHF and thoroughly enjoying AGIB for the first time this past month how can I not give this album another chance? I’m gonna have to give that 2nd Loose Fur album a tryout this weekend as well. Either Way Pretty good start. Definitely a 1970’s singer-songwriter type song and production here. I like the mellow positive outlook.
As usual, a well thought out, finely composed opening salvo by @Parachute Woman . I wasn’t aware of the mixed reception (critically) and didn’t know that this is the album that originated the dad rock moniker. My first introduction to the album, though, was when my son brought it home and showed it to me. I’ve mentioned before how he still associates Wilco with me and inevitably plays A.M. even now when he comes over to the house. Raised on Wilco, so to speak. I seem to recall not being all that impressed, thinking that it was rather inoffensive, but okay. And I did laugh aloud at the mowing the lawn lyric (so in retrospect I can see where the dad rock term came from). Normally, I’d be examining the liner notes and credits with care...but, as perhaps I’ve mentioned, Tweedy burned me out on that. I simply don’t care about the new guys. The packaging is beautiful. I did not know about the award for photography but can certainly appreciate it. It’s a wonderful photo. Either Way: melodic, gentle, I like the organ a lot. No opening track ‘wow’ factor ( if you’re a wilco-ite and expect a bit of zing in track number 1) but a well-crafted song.
I’d had the chance to listen to Sky Blue Sky in advance and posted an early review on the viachicago forum, I'm afraid I was even to blame for the phrase “this is mellow Wilco” as a description of the LP, which baffled a lot of fans at the time. Myself ? I meant it as a compliment. I see this as a great salutary gesture on the part of Tweedy : not trapping himself in a race against his own experimental self, not pigeonholing himself in the art rock genre, resisting the trappings of “edginess” as much as he had resisted the “Americana” label. Tweedy being the ultimate Dylan fan, he knew that after the mighty Subterranean, Highway 61 and BoB, you get the likes of John Wesley Harding or Nashville Skyline, and they’re just as beautiful and important for the artist’s development, if not for the mainstream culture and the music press. Like Lady Parachute, I thought it was very brave of him to come out as an appeased 40 years old songwriter opening the window of a new phase in his life. But still, the music had to be up to the stellar standards of his more “difficult” records. And for the most part it was, even if a quick mental glance at the tracklisting makes me think it may have not been fully the case after all, since the LP appears to be pretty front loaded. BUT Today, all will be good, as Either Way is one of the greatest opening songs I know. Period. I understand I'll I be in the minority here, but just put the CD on, and this music soars. There’s a Candy Says warmth to it, a Kathy’s Song (Paul Simon) tenderness to it (the first phrase of which “I hear the drizzle of the rain”, has the exact same metric as Jeff’s “Maybe the sun will shine today”). To be honest, the first 45 seconds (and the last 10) are what make the song for me. These opening 45 seconds reflect the songwriter’s state of mind and concept for the whole record like very few in the history of pop music. There must be some others, but right now I can only think of Lennon’s Mother, Simon’s Still Crazy after all These Years, Springsteen’s Thunder Road and Joni’s Court & Spark, songs that manage to capture the whole picture in their first few lines, in a brief flash of clarity and genius. In-between the intro and conclusion, Either Way offers plenty to enjoy, the sublime descending chord changes of the bridge, the lovely strings, piano and Hammond touches, the carefully composed guitar solo (which I like as a separate entity, really), but those opening guitar arpeggios and Jeff’s voice caressing the verse melody really touch the stars. This song could end at the 45’’ mark, it would still be an all-time masterpiece for me.
Couldn’t disagree more (except for the Mother etc part) but beautifully written (as always). If we were in a car together, I’d keep filling the cd-changer with discs when you weren’t looking to keep you from being able to slip in this one! Just kinda kidding but you really like every single lead track Wilco ever released!
Unfortunately I haven't had time to revisit this album yet. I guess I came to the album as an adult, so my perspective will be/is very different to the younger folk. In 2007 I was 39, and I didn't start really listening to Wilco until 2011, and this album would have been one of the last. I probably got to it around the time of Star Wars.... so five years ago and in my late forties...... So the whole thing about not being full of gimmicky sfx and other stuff is completely redundant to me. It's all about songs. Ghost is Born has some great songs, but is somewhat sabotaged by gimmicky kind of hipster sfx leanings ... it's still a good album ... and when we get to Sky Blue Sky Tweedy is A - in recovery. So focused, and not out of his head. B - more mature. Life lessons, the art of self examination etc etc C - has been successful enough to not have to pander to expectations D - is confident enough not to just churn out another album wrapped in hazy effects .... So we get songs here.... and that is a good thing. So I am going to need to go through this on a track by track basis to really get an idea of my feelings towards the album. As I am just not familiar enough with it. Dad Rock ..... hmmm, it's really just a put down term. Designed to make anyone who enjoys something feel uncool or something, because they like something that isn't currently trendy or edgy or whatever. It is somewhat understandable I suppose for younger generations to somewhat scorn what came before, as some form of impotent rebellion against the oldies..... but it doesn't interest me. I was listening to my parents stuff and my own stuff from a very young age..... I'm not even a dad, so the Dad Rock term means absolutely nothing to me on any level
I did like Sky Blue Sky right away, but me and my friends did kinda make fun of it and Wilco for going from an album like GiB to suddenly sounding like bands such as America or Bread.
Dad rock: still thinking about this. In my house, my son was initially enthusiastic about this. And me, the dad, was indifferent. So?
I'll join you in that minority - it's a stunning song. The gentle guitar, the organ, that short but oh-so-sweet solo, and the thoughtful lyrics all add up to a perfect song for my ears. It's no surprise that the music changed as Jeff got older and more sober. When I saw Wilco at the Pikes Peak Center that year, they opened the show with Either Way and You Are My Face. That was followed by Sunken Treasure. What a stunning opening. That is one of the best concerts I've ever seen by any band; I can only think of a handful of shows that can equal it.
Either Way Ah yes, I like this song. Jeff is singing, another bonus. I like his effected sort of commentary type vocals, but prefer when he sings. Really nice finger style guitar opens us up, and gradually the musical backing thickens up. A nice organ, some well arranged strings, or is it the mellotron? Anyway the music is beautiful. The melodic movement is beautiful .... and then..... I am guessing we get Nels first album lead break.... The guitar here is wonderful. It isn't over processed. We open with a series of almost jazz player melodic phrases, melodic in its design, beautiful in its execution. This recalls Benson, Montgomery and others in its styling and execution, only the tone really says 2007 alt style band. Lyrically this sounds like a statement of intent to his wife. Maybe this will happen, maybe that will happen, but either way, I'm going to stay right, (sober clean and true) for you. Beautiful lyric also. So from my perspective this is a marvelous opening to the new album. No need to try and smear things over it, because there is nothing to hide. Jeff sings this beautifully, even with his trademark melancholic tint. The music is really well written, and the melodic movement is smooth and beautiful. The lead instrument is perfect, and in context. Not much more one could ask really.
Sky Blue Sky is a record that I can hardly write about without tearing up a bit. Because of it, and what it meant for me at a particular time in my life, I've been thinking about it a lot in the days leading up to us talking about it. I've gone through what I planned to say (or not say) a number of times. I bought this record at Best Buy the day it came out and like many of you, I was initially disappointed. I'd fallen in love with Wilco during the Ghost is Born era and I'd been to maybe 3 Wilco shows between the release of that record and the release of this one. I may have heard one or two songs off of it already, but they did not register at the time. I can't remember. I was just so enamored by the "sound" of that record and those songs live. The Kicking Television sound. So while I played Sky Blue Sky a good bit it did not resonate with me at all. It was not the sound of the band that I had fallen in love with. Then in early 2008, after 19 years of difficult marriage, my then wife and I separated and that triggered a long and extremely difficult period of my life leading up to a divorce about 2 1/2 years later. I'm not going to bore with the details but it was a pretty brutal time. Life really sucked in a lot of ways. I lost a some good friends. I was struggling in a lot of areas but particularly maintaining a relationship with my kids (thankfully they are grown and we have a wonderful relationship now). But then, not so much...I know there were lots of sunny days in there but it seemed every day was cloudy...there were good times sure, but man how the bad was bad. And one day I put this record on and there it was. First song, "Either Way." As @Parachute Woman quoted: Maybe the sun will shine today The clouds will blow away Maybe I won't feel so afraid I will try to understand either way But there is more... Maybe you still love me, maybe you don't Either you will or you won't Maybe you just need some time alone I will try to understand Everything has its plan Either way I'm going to stay right for you Maybe the sun will shine today The clouds will roll away Maybe I won't be so afraid I will understand Everything has its plan either way I had heard this song many times but never really paid any attention to the lyrics. And, listening to them then, it was like Jeff was speaking through my car speakers to me. I was astounded. I felt every single word. It was like the song was written just for me. Just thinking about it now still gives me chills. This album became my lifeline. It never left my car. I listed to it all of the time. And things did get better. But it took time. But they did. I still dearly love this record. Is it my favorite Wilco record? No. Are there songs as we go through it that I will say I am not particularly fond of? Definitely. But its a record, again, that I treasure and came along for me when I needed it the most.
Beautiful, John. Thanks for sharing. I'm glad things have gotten better for you! I have experienced some of these same emotions regarding this album. Not because of a divorce (thankfully) but because of depression and it is an album that sings with empathy and understanding. The simple lyrics are a big part of the impact for me. They have a clarity and a strength to them, stating things so plainly and without obfuscation. It reminds me a little bit of some of the lyrics Tony Asher wrote for Pet Sounds. 'I Just Wasn't Made for These Times' includes the lyric "Sometimes I feel very sad" which seems like something a child could write, but it has always hit me really hard. It takes away flowery poeticism and just states things as simply as they can be stated and that hit home all the more strongly for me. Sometimes I feel very sad. There's no better way to say it. It didn't work for everybody, but it works for me.
It took a while for us to warm up to Sky Blue Sky. It felt comfortable and seemed to be missing some of the more challenging aspects of the band. What Light being the advance single didn’t impress either. But good songs are good songs and this record holds up really well. Except for Shake It Off which is terrible. Either Way is a mellow opener. I’ll be honest that every time I hear it to me it really shares some similarities with Wings’ London Town, the song. Both mellow, harmony laden album openers.
I haven't listened to Sky Blue Sky in ages. I just pulled it off the shelf for this thread, and I found dust in the gatefold. But I also found fingerprints and spindle marks on the records, so I must've played it quite a lot and handled it poorly back then. I was still in my mid-20s and in law school when this record came out. I was also slightly disappointed that they were no longer exploring the same direction as in YHF, which was where I jumped on board, and AGIB, which I loved, but I understood that sobriety must have had a strong effect on the songwriting. And I recognized what was essentially the live sound of the new band, translated to the studio. It's a wonderful sounding record, and the vinyl was cut by the audiophile legend Stan Ricker, and pressed at RTI. A conversation I had with a disappointed friend: Him: They were supposed to be the American Radiohead! Me: I dunno, it sounds like they'd rather be The Band. For Tweedy's part, he said his goal was just to make a beautiful record for Susie. Mission accomplished.
