I was shocked the last time I saw Wilco by how much weight Tweedy had put on over the few years since I had last seen them. He did not look healthy at all.
Yes, I should also have mentioned this. Great call-out. I love Eels and am looking forward to digging into their new one also.
"We Aren't the World (Safety Girl)" definitely picks up the pace which is good, because Side 2 does drag a bit for me. It's definitely in the category of "songs I like" on this record. And I agree that it does have a Summerteeth vibe to it. Never realized that until someone pointed it out.
Not meaning to turn this into an Eels thread, but I'm happy to say the new album has some great songs on it. He always throws me off with some of the early singles. I really don't like "Baby Let's Make it Real" but that seems to be the worst of it. It has me going back and reevaluating his last album, which also has some good tunes amongst the singles that didn't do much for me. I think the main critique of Eels is they can sound like they keep writing the same songs over and over. Good thing it's usually a good song. I'm more of a fan of the mellow side of Eels over his attempts at rocking out on albums like Hombre Lobo and Wonderful Glorious. I would love to take part in an Eels song by song thread, but they don't seem to get much attention on this forum. Anyhow, sorry for that little Eels interruption, but there seem to be a few fans here. Back to Wilco! I'm guessing Warm is the next album? Are we doing Warm and Warmer together? A couple songs a day? Sad to see this thread is getting close to the end. It's been a lot of fun having these songs to listen to everyday. Excellent job @Parachute Woman!
I was planning on one day for Together at Last, followed by a journey through Warm/Warmer (probably two tracks a day like we did for Sukierae). Then Ode to Joy. Anyone chime in if there are other ideas!
A little offtopic but certainly Wilco related - I see that Wilcoworld is having a Halloween sale on roadcase downloads..as well as posters, t-shirts, etc.
I'm not familiar with the Eels, but this song sounds to me like Jeff/Wilco doing Luna's impression of Lou Reed. This being Wilco's lo-fi indie record, and since Dean Wareham and Lou had a lot to do with shaping that sound, why not? The lyrics seem to be an oblique comment on politics & current affairs in 2016. A lot of his songs apparently about his wife & family indicate a rocky relationship, but in this case the "safety girl" of the song evidently is his shelter from a bleak world. A good film of a performance from Brussels in 2016:
And how - just sampled it on iTunes and pulled down most of the album. This guy just never lets up! Got on the train with Electro-Shock Blues and "3 Speed" in 1998, backtracked to the first album, and have been with him ever since. This is my kind of depression!
I’d vote for a day devoted to Mavis & Tweedy’s third collaboration - If All I Was Was Black. Released between Together at Last and Warm, all eleven songs were written by Jeff, and the music is Jeff and Spencer. Lyrically it’s an important piece in Jeff’s political themes which have escalated again in light of BLM, but were coming through in Schmilco’s disillusionment, as addressed just today with We Aren’t the World. Musically it’s an important progression too. The first Mavis collaboration was his first real production job, and included two Tweedy contributions. The second one was all Spencer on drums which laid the groundwork for Sukierae. And with the third one being fully authored by Jeff, we’re into another dimension... Jeff songs for Tweedy, Jeff songs for Wilco, and now Jeff songs for others.
Another observation about "We Aren't The World (Safety Girl)," and I apologize for not reading all the prior comments in case I repeat someone, but in invoking "We are the world, we are the children," just the whole Live Aid era, and then coupling that with the concept of a "safety girl," I think this song could have been written only by an 80s kid about my age (Jeff is two months younger than I am). During that time, my friends and I would talk about going to college, and what schools we could get into, and what schools we probably couldn't, and "safety school" was a term then. I don't know if it still is. But the idea is that you'd apply to a handful of colleges you really wanted to go to, but then also a couple you knew would probably accept you on sight, or at least one such school--your "safety school." And the "safety school" concept so fit in with the go-go, preppy, material 80s. Nevermind that you should be grateful to go to most any college, or to be able to afford to go college in the first place--no, you had to be a spoiled baby and lament about having to, oh woe is you, go to your safety school. So it's weird and inventive that Jeff takes that ranking and puts it on a young woman as seen by this young man in the song. I'm almost stream of consciousness at this point, it's been a long week. But Belleville is, like, no great shakes, I would guess. I mean, you know, there are good people everywhere, but it was sort of a dead Midwestern town filled with heavy industry like railroads and such. Industry in the Midwest got absolutely pummeled in the 70s and 80s, economically speaking. So the two kids in the song, sitting in detention, they really aren't the world, and they really aren't the children. They're not chosen. Maybe they're the burnouts or down and outers. And maybe in an attempt to make himself feel better, mask insecurities, and feel in control or powerful, he treats her as his safety girl, as in, if I can't do better than you, you'll do. But really he'd take her on a date in a second if she'd just show interest. I don't know, just theorizing. This song resonates with me.
Thread guide Introduction and Uncle Tupelo Mar 1995 AM I Must Be High Casino Queen Box Full Of Letters Shouldn't Be Ashamed Pick Up The Change I Thought I Held You That's Not The Issue It's Just That Simple - live Should've Been In Love - live 1995 Passenger Side - live 1996 Dash 7 - live 2010 Blue Eyed Soul Too Far Apart Outtakes Oct 1996 Being There Misunderstood Far Far Away Monday Outtasite (outta mind) Forget The Flowers Red Eyed and Blue I Got You What's The World Got In Store Hotel Arizona Say You Miss Me Sunken Treasure Someday Soon Outta Mind (Outtasite) Someone Else's Song Kingpin (Was I) In Your Dreams Why Would You Wanna Live The Lonely 1 Dreamer In My Dreams Blasting Fonda (outtake?) Live 1996 - televised version Snow Job 97 June 1998 Mermaid Ave (with Billy Bragg) California Stars Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key Birds And Ships Hoodoo Voodoo She Came Along to Me At My Window Sad And Lonely Ingrid Bergman Christ For President I Guess I Planted One By One Eisler On The Go Hesitating Beauty Another Man's Done Gone The Unwelcome Guest March 1999 Summerteeth I Can't Stand It She's A Jar A Shot In The Arm We're Just Friends I'm Always In Love Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again) Pieholden Suite How To Fight Lonliness Via Chicago ELT My Darling When You Wake Up Feeling Old Summer Teeth In A Future Age Candyfloss Interview 1999 May 2000 Mermaid Ave vol 2 Airline To Heaven My Flying Saucer Feed Of Man Hot Rod Hotel I Was Born Secret Of The Sea Stetson Kennedy Remembering the Mountain Bed Blood Of The Lamb Against Th' Law All You Fascists Joe Dimaggio Done It Again Meanest Man Black Wind Blowing Someday, Some Morning, Sometime Mermaid Ave vol 3 Loose Fur Laminated Cat Sept 2001 Yankee Hotel Foxtrot I Am Trying To Break Your Heart Kamera Radio Cure War On War Jesus Etc Ashes Of American Flags Heavy Metal Drummer I'm The Man Who Loves You - live b-side Pot Kettle Black Poor Places Reservations b-side The Good Part Blasting Fonda The Minus 5 2003 More Like The Moon ep Camera Handshake drugs Woodgrain A Magazine Called Sunset Bob Dylan's 49th Beard More Like The Moon June 2004 A Ghost Is Born (inc. Kicking Tv versions) At Least That's What You Said Hell Is Chrome Spiders Muzzle Of Bees Hummingbird Handshake Drugs Wishful thinking Company In My Back I'm A Wheel Theologians Less Than You Think The Late Greats Nov 2005 Kicking Television + some b-sides and oddities March 2006 Loose Fur Born Again In The USA May 2007 Sky Blue Sky Either Way You Are My Face Impossible Germany Sky Blue Sky Side With The Seeds Shake It Off Please Be Patient With Me Hate It Here Leave Me (Like You Found Me) Walken What Light On and On And On Extra Tracks Tweedy Interview The Sun Came Out - 7 Worlds Collide June 2009 Wilco (The Album ) Wilco (The Song) Deeper Down One Wing Bull Black Nova You And I You Never Know Country Disappeared Solitaire I'll Fight Sonny Feeling Everlasting Everything Dark Neon Sept 2001 The Whole Love Art Of Almost I Might Sunloathe Dawned On Me Black Moon Born Alone Open Mind Capitol City Standing O Rising Red Lung The Whole Love One Sunday Morning I Love My Label + extras Sometimes It Happens Sept 2014 Tweedy Sukierae Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood High As Hello World Away Diamond Light pt1 Wait For Love Low Key Pigeons Slow Love Nobody Dies Anymore I'll Sing It Flowering Desert Bell Honey Combed New Moon Down From Above Where My Love Fake Fur Coat Hazel I'll Never Know Aug 2015 Star Wars EKG More Random Name Generator You Satellite Taste The Ceiling Pickled Ginger Where Do I Begin Cold Slope King Of You Magnetized Sept 2016 Schmilco Normal American Kids If I Ever Was A Child Cry All Day Common Sense Nope Someone To Lose Happiness Quarters Locator Shrug And Destroy We Aren't The World
Okay. We can do that. Today we come to the last track on Schmilco: Just Say Goodbye This song is better than I remember it being. That bass is ace, the swirl of organ and the somewhat marching beat on the drums on unexpected additions and overall it just has a cool arrangement. And the composition is very good as well. Some really strong lyrics from Jeff on this one: My, my in my opinion I tried, I huff and I puff Why am I in my skin again? I suppose I would say that this is a pretty good song that is elevated by the band--a real nice showcase for why Wilco is such a great band, even if they didn't quite shine as a group on this album the way they have in the past. It's too short again, though. Only 2:45. This one, as the closer, is crying out to linger a bit more. Schmilco Overall Thoughts I suppose I would have to say that my opinion on this album is mixed. That's been the case since I first heard it. It's certainly not a bad album and I will continue to defend it against those who see absolutely nothing of worth on the most recent Wilco albums and think that the last decent album was The Whole Love (or Sky Blue Sky...or A Ghost is Born...or (heavens) Being There!). There are still great ideas, great emotion and some truly wonderful songs on this album. My chief complaints would be that the songs are mostly too short and not given enough room to really stretch out, and the fact that I wish the band was utilized more fully. I think the group sounds great on songs like 'Just Say Goodbye' and 'Safety Girl,' but in other places on the album (Happiness, Shrug and Destroy) this could easily be a Jeff Tweedy solo album. The highlights of Schmilco are warm, vulnerable and I am so happy to hear lyrics that actually strike a chord with me and aren't completely obtuse. And even the lowlights aren't offensive. Their biggest sin is usually that they are kind of forgettable. Like Star Wars, Schmilco is so brief that it is very easy to put it on, listen all the way through and enjoy myself every time. And I do firmly believe that the three most recent albums each have very distinct characters and shouldn't all be lumped together as many like to do. Star Wars is garage rock oddball. Schmilco is warmly reflective. I'll tell you about what I think of Ode to Joy when we get to it. Track ranking: 01. Normal American Kids (A) 02. If I Ever Was a Child (A) 03. We Aren't the World (Safety Girl) (A-) 04. Someone to Lose (A-) 05. Common Sense (B+) 06. Just Say Goodbye (B+) 07. Quarters (B+) 08. Cry All Day (B+) 09. Locator (B) 10. Happiness (B) 11. Nope (B) 12. Shrug and Destroy (B-) Nothing in the C range for me. The song by song approach has risen a couple of these songs in my estimation (Quarters especially). And yeah, I still dig Common Sense.
Just Say Goodbye: a pleasant New Wilco song. I agree with PW’s comments. Schmilco Overall: I enjoyed it. Again, taking from PW’s essay (!), there’s always something that I like from this (hard to define) era. (Hard to define because, for the third time, I agree with PW! Some songs are solo, some are band). And I agree, too, that Schmilco and Star Wars are not a pair. I look forward to revisiting Ode To Joy.
Nice call yesterday by @frightwigwam on Dean Wareham, I especially love his 2014 solo LP, the one with the Dancer Disappears and Love Is not A Roof Against the Rain. There’s a good chance Tweedy was paying attention when it was released in 2014, approximatively when he was working on some of the Schmilco tunes. I think the reference is also spot on regarding Just Say Goodbye, another splendid Wilco closer, with beautiful words, melody, playing and sentiment. Maybe not one of their best closing songs, but only because they’ve had some monster ones in their day. The stagnant moody verses clear like cloudy skies turning blue for the more upbeat choruses ending with the title phrase. This trick is repeated three times, and in typical Wilco style, the third time is the fullest, the most complete, the most moving, with Jeff’s heartbreaking “o-o-ho” hooks and the backing vocals coming in, ending the album on a high and leaving the listener with a sustained emotion that can last for a few minutes (that's where it lingers beyond the 2'45'' mark in my opinion @Parachute Woman). On a closer examination, only Reservations, One Sunday Morning and the upcoming An Empty Corner are for me undoubtedly better than Just Say Goodbye as closing tracks. So maybe, it’s one of their best after all…
It's been good to spend time with Schmilco and so many interesting and disparate opinions about the record. It has risen up a bit in my overall ranking for Wilco records. I do see Star Wars and Schmilco as Tweedy's attempt to deflate the expectations that seemed to follow Wilco. These records are short, not overly labored upon and at times beg for a little expansion and spiffing up. Two starkly different sides of the same coin? I'm really looking forward to the Ode To Joy discussion as well.
The lyrics on Just Say Goodbye are possibly my favorites on the album. It seems like it’s the thoughts of somebody as they drift off to sleep, insecure, as their mind wanders around the people he’s seen. And the weary music matches perfectly. This is a Schmilco highlight for me, and the perfect song to end the album. In the end, Schmilco is one of Wilco’s weakest albums. It's not worthless; there are some good songs, but at times it feels underdeveloped, and there’s too much of the same sound on it. When I want to listen to Wilco, it won’t jump out at me.
Forgot to say these are my Schmilco playlisters: If I Ever Was a Child Cry All Day Someone To Lose Total to date: 25 songs, 1 hour 38 minutes
I agree with PW that I like Schmilco, but I do wish the band was utilized a little more. I wish I had been able to see more of these songs live, because I usually end up liking those songs more than the ones I don't. The rawness of many live performances appeals to me, and the band can sometimes stretch out a little. The Schmilco songs I saw live were If I Ever Was a Child, Cry All Day, Locator, and Someone To Lose. They didn't seem too enthusiastic about keeping many of the Schmilco songs around in their live set. Ironically, the one song from Schmilco that I want to see live the most is practically a Jeff solo number, Normal American Kids. I requested it at every show I went to post-Schmilco with no luck. The lyrics on that one really resonate with me.
"Just Say Goodbye"- Always thought this was an odd choice to close the album. Wilco usually has some grand ending and this comes up short for me. I do like it more than I thought, but I still don't think it's a very strong ending. Looking at the rest of the tracks on Schmilco this song is the likely choice for ending the album though. I'm not sure if there are any other songs that would be better in this spot. They have raised the bar on closing songs that this has always felt like a minor ending. Some cool bass and organ are the highlights, but the album ends with me wanting something more. 3/5 Looking at my ratings nearly every song is at least a 4/5. This is a great little record that I think is a very welcome addition to the wilco discography. I prefer Star Wars, but this is right on its heels. I wonder if they ever intended or thought about making it a double album since they are both short albums and were recorded around the same time? One album being electric and one album being more acoustic based. It would be interesting to know what the overall reception would be if the music was presented like that. Or if it was presented with a more serious cover and album title. Anyway, I like this album a lot and put it above several other Wilco albums. There is nothing on this album that I would say is bad, and most of it is stellar. My ranking: If I Ever Was a Child 5/5 Cry All Day 4.5/5 Locator 4.5/5 We Aren't the World 4.5/5 Happiness 4.5/5 Common Sense 4/5 Someone To Lose 4/5 Normal American Kids 4/5 Nope 4/5 Quarters 4/5 Just Say Goodbye 3/5 Shrug and Destroy 2.5/5
Just Say Goodbye is the perfect closer to Schmilco. As with most of the album, all the usual criticisms apply... too short... interesting ideas but underdeveloped... too much like Tweedy... Yet, it’s a solid song that’s built on these nuanced contributions from the band, which is exactly where the album started. I listened to the album in full again (even Common Sense!) and the negativity that had been carrying through my song-by-song analysis kind of faded away as it always does when I listen to this album. Very few of the songs here hold up to Wilco’s best, but as a whole, the album works pretty well for me, as does Star Wars. I’m also in the camp that sees these albums as a complementary pair. In doing so, there are actually three I’m a row of these with Sukierae, Star Wars/Schmilco, and Warm/Warmer. Of the three Star Wars/Schmilco is the most “yin/yang” with different styles on each. What I really like about Schmilco (and the rest of these) is that in an age where the album is becoming irrelevant they are almost stubbornly presented as albums. Locater was a terrible single, but works on the album. Plus, because these are so short, I still reach for them, much as I used to go for AM. Is there a Sunken Treasure or Impossible Germany here? nope. But it’s a pretty cohesive 35-or-so-minute listen that I can digest in one take. I’ll also add that amidst all the subtlety, John has some really cool bass parts on this album.
About the album as a whole, I think the two LP sides work as reverse images of each other : Side 1 starts with what @jalexander called a three songs suite (Normal American Kids/If I Ever Was a Child/Cry All Day), then you get the weird fractured Common Sense willingly breaking the flow, before two upbeat demo sounding tracks. Symmetrically, Side 2 starts with two demo sounding ballads, then there’s the weird fractured Locator before another (remarkable) three songs suite, Shrug and Destroy/We Aren’t the World/Just Say Goodbye, that really work as a sequence, almost segueing into one another. This song by song examination was once again very enlightening. First, it’s highlighted the fact that I find merits in each and every track. The lyrics are particularly strong (even on the short poem pieces) and at least two songs (Child and Cry) are for me as good as anything the band ever put to tape. Like Star Wars, it’s better at creating a general feeling than it is as a collection of songs (a big difference with the Whole Love), but for my part I find it better than SW, the demo approach achieving better results on acoustic driven songs than on an approximation of glam rock. For me Schmilco is a charming beautiful sounding record, one I very often go back to with great pleasure. Playing it instead of A Ghost Is Born, the Whole Love or Sukierae is a bit like listening to the Beatles’ Esher demos instead of the White album. A nice, less demanding but ultimately satisfying alternative. Speaking of which… I never gave any second thoughts about the cover art and the title. I just saw them as fun attempts at “deflate the expectations that seemed to follow Wilco” as @Rockford & Roll put it. But it just occurred to me the cover mocks the “dad rock” tag (yes, ok, I’m slow…) and I guess Jeff’s used the “Schm” joke’s to warn some of his most contrarian fans: beware, this is not going to be the Wilco you expect, but almost Wilco, a lo-fi acoustic approximation of Wilco. And well, I guess that’s a pretty fair depiction of what we’ve been covering here for the last 12 days.
