Rank the Wilco Albums Thread

[Iowan]

There seems to be a ton of Wilco debate over in the "Bands You Wish You Liked" thread, so I felt it might merit it's own thread. It's simple, rank Wilco's studio albums. No Mermaid Aves, either. GO!

A Ghost is Born
Yankee Hotel Fotxtrot
AM
Being There
Summerteeth
Wilco (The Album)
Sky Blue Sky

[Rusty Shackleford]

AGIB
YHF
ST
BT
SBS
AM
W(TA)

[sactochris]

Being There
A.M.
Y.H.F.
Teeth
A Ghost Is Born
Sky Blue Sky
Wilco

[Gator McKlusky]

A.M.
Being There
Mermaid Avenue

don't really care for the rest of em--more into Son Volt.

[Tequila Cowboy]

There seems to be a ton of Wilco debate over in the "Bands You Wish You Liked" thread, so I felt it might merit it's own thread. It's simple, rank Wilco's studio albums. No Mermaid Aves, either. GO!

A Ghost is Born (7)
Yankee Hotel Fotxtrot (2)
AM (6)
Being There (1)
Summerteeth (3)
Wilco (The Album) (5)
Sky Blue Sky (4)

[tinnitus photography]

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Being There
A Ghost Is Born
Summerteeth
Sky Blue Sky
Wilco (the album)
AM

[Zip City]

I haven't listened to them in forever. I'm going to have to listen through the catalog before ranking them

I DO know that Wilco (The Album) is really underrated

[tinnitus photography]

i was so psyched to hear "Hotel Arizona" at SSF this year.

[Duke Silver]

Being There

Summerteeth

A Ghost Is Born

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Sky Blue Sky

AM

Wilco

[Cubfan06]

Being There
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Summerteeth
Sky Blue Sky
Ghost is Born
Wilco (The Album)
AM ( Solid least favorite album of a band's catalog. "Its Just That Simple" is one of my favorite of their catalog. )

[UncleFrank23]

I love Wilco, and for whatever reason my ranking of their "best" and "worst" albums flucuates tremendously based on my mood (probaby more than any other band). YHF usually stays in the top spot, but after that all rankings are subject to change depending on the day. Right now:

YHF
Ghost
Being There
Wilco (The Album)
Summerteeth
Sky Blue Sky
AM

[Iowan]

Surprised to see AM that low.

There are a couple of clunkers, but it's one of my all time favorite "cruising gravel roads on a fall afternoon with a 6 pack" albums of all time.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Surprised to see AM that low.

There are a couple of clunkers, but it's one of my all time favorite "cruising gravel roads on a fall afternoon with a 6 pack" albums of all time.

Part of my problem with AM was that in the early sweepstakes of the post Uncle Tupelo bands, Jay Fararr was clearly the winner with Son Volt & Trace. That might be unfair but Trace was, and is, an unqualified masterpiece and AM sounds flat in comparison. Shortly after that Jay Bennett joined the band and they released Being There on which Tweedy really found his own voice and, IMHO, was never surpassed by Fararr and Son Volt again (not to say there haven't been great records after Trace though). Just my take on things.

[scotto]

I DO know that Wilco (The Album) is really underrated

Yes. So is Sky Blue Sky.
I get the feeling that a lot of recent music (not just Wilco, but everything) is unfairly graded by a perfunctory listen through computer speakers or earbuds. Some great musical craftsmen and -women (Wilco, DBT, Cat Power, The White Stripes all come to mind) put out amazingly and painstakingly constructed sonic gems that need to be really heard as opposed to just listened to.
Sky Blue Sky has amazing sonics and production that--along with the song writing and performances--is part of the sum total.

[Iowan]

Surprised to see AM that low.

There are a couple of clunkers, but it's one of my all time favorite "cruising gravel roads on a fall afternoon with a 6 pack" albums of all time.

Part of my problem with AM was that in the early sweepstakes of the post Uncle Tupelo bands, Jay Fararr was clearly the winner with Son Volt & Trace. That might be unfair but Trace was, and is, an unqualified masterpiece and AM sounds flat in comparison. Shortly after that Jay Bennett joined the band and they released Being There on which Tweedy really found his own voice and, IMHO, was never surpassed by Fararr and Son Volt again (not to say there haven't been great records after Trace though). Just my take on things.

I don't disagree with any of this really. Trace is a masterpiece, but Farrar has never even remotely come close to that greatness. Every Son Volt album has some great songs, but Trace is on a different level.

That said, I don't really ever compare AM to Trace. I just take it for what it is. IMO, what it is, is a pretty damn good rock and roll album with some great songs on it.

[Gator McKlusky]

Brian Hennemen's guitar on Casino Queen is my all time fave Wilco moment.

[Smitty]

AGIB
YHF
SBS
Being There
Wilco
AM
Summerteeth

I also think Kicking Television is the best live record of the past decade.

[tinnitus photography]

Surprised to see AM that low.

There are a couple of clunkers, but it's one of my all time favorite "cruising gravel roads on a fall afternoon with a 6 pack" albums of all time.

Part of my problem with AM was that in the early sweepstakes of the post Uncle Tupelo bands, Jay Fararr was clearly the winner with Son Volt & Trace. That might be unfair but Trace was, and is, an unqualified masterpiece and AM sounds flat in comparison. Shortly after that Jay Bennett joined the band and they released Being There on which Tweedy really found his own voice and, IMHO, was never surpassed by Fararr and Son Volt again (not to say there haven't been great records after Trace though). Just my take on things.

100% on this.

[tinnitus photography]

I also think Kicking Television is the best live record of the past decade.

others for consideration

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos
Mogwai - Special Moves
Guided By Voices - Live in Daytron

[Cubfan06]

I DO know that Wilco (The Album) is really underrated

Yes. So is Sky Blue Sky.
I get the feeling that a lot of recent music (not just Wilco, but everything) is unfairly graded by a perfunctory listen through computer speakers or earbuds. Some great musical craftsmen and -women (Wilco, DBT, Cat Power, The White Stripes all come to mind) put out amazingly and painstakingly constructed sonic gems that need to be really heard as opposed to just listened to.
Sky Blue Sky has amazing sonics and production that--along with the song writing and performances--is part of the sum total.

Funny. Was Private Messaging with TC about the exact same thing. It's my 4th favorite album of theirs. But as a whole it may be the greatest.

[Zip City]

Finishing up A.M.

Great record. Love the slide guitar and banjos. Not every track is a winner, but there is some fantastic stuff here

[Iowan]

I DO know that Wilco (The Album) is really underrated

Yes. So is Sky Blue Sky.
I get the feeling that a lot of recent music (not just Wilco, but everything) is unfairly graded by a perfunctory listen through computer speakers or earbuds. Some great musical craftsmen and -women (Wilco, DBT, Cat Power, The White Stripes all come to mind) put out amazingly and painstakingly constructed sonic gems that need to be really heard as opposed to just listened to.
Sky Blue Sky has amazing sonics and production that--along with the song writing and performances--is part of the sum total.

Funny. Was Private Messaging with TC about the exact same thing. It's my 4th favorite album of theirs. But as a whole it may be the greatest.

I really like Sky Blue Sky live, but find myself listening to the album infrequently. I need to be in a certain mood.

I think it's a very good album, just down the Wilco pantheon for me.

[Smitty]

I also think Kicking Television is the best live record of the past decade.

others for consideration

My Morning Jacket - Okonokos
Mogwai - Special Moves
Guided By Voices - Live in Daytron

I haven't heard that Mogwai, but while GBV & MMJ are both great live records, I don't think they hold a candle to Kicking Television - especially w/the bonus vinyl tracks.

[FlounderinDC]

1. Being There
2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
3. Summerteeth
4. AM
5. A Ghost Is Born
6. Sky Blue Sky
7. Wilco (The Album)

[Zip City]

Now working on Summerteeth.

[The Stranger]

Ghost
Being There
Foxtrot
Sky Blue
A.M.
Summer
The Album

Rock and Roll royalty.

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Now working on Summerteeth.

I love this record. For some reason it seems to be overlooked but it remains one of my very favorites of theirs.

[Zip City]

Now working on Summerteeth.

I love this record. For some reason it seems to be overlooked but it remains one of my very favorites of theirs.

didn't love it. Kinda all over the place, and short on memorable tunes

[Kudzu Guillotine]

Now working on Summerteeth.

I love this record. For some reason it seems to be overlooked but it remains one of my very favorites of theirs.

didn't love it. Kinda all over the place, and short on memorable tunes

It's a classic from start to finish to these ears.

[Zip City]

AGIB is so good. The guitar gets pushed way out front.