Wilco.

Know of a great band you think we'd like to hear about? Got some music news? Or just want to talk about music in general? Post it here.

Moderators: Jonicont, mark lynn, Maluca3, Tequila Cowboy, BigTom, CooleyGirl, olwiggum

Post Reply
Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

I'm new here so I still care about whether or not I tick anybody off. I know that music nuts like us can get a little bit chippy if someone doesn't give what we feel is due respect to a band that we like.

But yall help me with this Wilco thing. I apparently don't get it. I tried them out years ago and after reading through this forum I tried them again yesterday.

I don't want to put too fine of a point on it so I'll just say that I found it unlistenable.

I really like Uncle Tupelo. I like Son Volt. But I don't get Wilco at all. It doesn't even sound like it come have come out of either of those bands.

Not trying to be a jackass. There are lots of people whose musical taste I respect that like them a lot. It's a case of thinking I should like them but I just can't lie to myself.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
Kudzu Guillotine
Posts: 11761
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:46 am

Re: Wilco.

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

As a friend of mine said to me a few months ago after asking my opinion of a local band, "it's ok not to like them". I feel the same way about your opinion of Wilco.

User avatar
Beebs
Posts: 4335
Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 2:26 pm
Location: Chicks still dig the stash

Re: Wilco.

Post by Beebs »

Hey Cole. I think that fact that we have a whole thread dedicated to bands that you "respect but don't necessarily listen to" sets the tone that its OK for you to say whatever you want. You're in a safe place.

I think we should all feel free to like or dislike whatever we want for whatever reason we want. If it sounds good, it is good. But I dig your pursuit of WILCO appreciation despite the fact you continue to come up cold. I've had the same experience with My Morning Jacket. Tried and tried out of fear that I was missing out on something but came to realize that it's just not my thing. Anyway...


Son Volt has sounded like a logical heir of Uncle Tupelo here and there in the evolution, but WILCO never really has. AM, kinda. So it's a totally different animal.

There's a lot of Wilco out there so I'm wondering what you've listened to. It's a pretty varied body of work and not all so easily digestible. I'm a fairly serious fan and I'm just warming up to The Whole Love now.

And whether you decide you like them or not, catch them live if the opportunity ever presents itself. Great, great Live band. Ashes of American Flags is a concert film from a few years back. Definitely worth checking out.
Beebs is not a ragey man

User avatar
sactochris
Posts: 2581
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:47 pm
Location: Orangevale, California

Re: Wilco.

Post by sactochris »

From 96 till 2002 they were my very favorite band. I saw them fifteen times. There were some really amazing nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco. Wilco was the soundtrack for my journey from late youth, into early middle age. I couldn't even put into words how important they were to me during the time when I was getting engaged (at a Wilco show of course) getting married, buying a house, and having children.

I never fully recovered from the firings of Ken Coomer and Jay Bennett. Tweedy is a brilliant song writer, and I strongly support his desire to explore other musical landscapes, but fuck man, did you really have to go and destroy one of the best live rock n roll bands I've ever seen? And did you have to be such a prick about it? I rate Being There as one of the greatest albums in the history of rock n roll, and that band live, at the time, simply had no equal.
Keep calm and have a cigar

harleywood
Posts: 74
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2011 1:48 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by harleywood »

Guess Im with Cole....just cant find a way to like them. I've bought Sky Blue Sky, A.M, Yankee Foxtrot Hotel (all in last 6 months).... only find them OK at very very best, which doesnt inspire me. Got a huge, varied music collection like most here, but cant see where Wilco fit in.

Im also smart enough and know from past mistakes that its posssible that these albums may hit me in 5 years time on some random notion that I do pull them out & I'll be blown away or at least have my curiousity aroused and venture deeper.

Until then I'm done with Wilco. If they came to town I'd pay to see them (not gonna happen), aint travelling though.

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wilco.

Post by tinnitus photography »

i am confused why Wilco doesn't sound like Son Volt as well.



:?



if you do like Wilco, check out the stream of their 12Dec11 show in Chicago...it's fucking outstanding. i've got my laptop hooked to my real stereo and it sounds amazing.

http://wilcoworld.net/#!/roadcase/roadc ... pera-house

User avatar
dee dee
Posts: 4256
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 8:59 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by dee dee »

I was where were you were 2 and 1/2 years ago when I asked people to help me "get them". The live album "Kicking Television" was probably the album that helped me get it. Both DVD's (I Am Trying to Break Your Heart and Ashes of American Flags) assisted in getting it. I saw them at Bonnaroo in '09 and then at 10k Lakes festival later that summer and they won me over. They are the place where roots rock/Cosmic Americana and experimental meet, they do kick ass weird avant garde jams, and they write great songs. I say keep at it. For me, "getting them" was well worth it once it finally kicked in.

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

I'll keep trying guys. But right now they do the one thing that I just can not forgive when it comes to music, they bore me. Nothing about them appeals to me.

For the person that said I was being a prick about it, I went to a lot of trouble to not come across that way. I apologize.

To me they are just a band that people like because music critics tell them they are supposed to like them.

I didn't like the Truckers at first either. But at least there was common ground.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
one belt loop
Posts: 3772
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 6:02 pm
Location: East Bay

Re: Wilco.

Post by one belt loop »

I feel the same way you do, and I feel no need to keep trying to "get" them. I gave it a good honest shot, saw them live three times (admittedly only one good show), and enjoyed them, but simply never, and I mean never, had the urge to listen to them again, even after the good show. There are so many bands in this world that DO excite me, or might. Why waste time on something that's not doing it for you?
Matt playing like an evil motherfucker w/ rhythm with a capital MPLAEMWR.

- bubba

User avatar
Beebs
Posts: 4335
Joined: Sun May 02, 2010 2:26 pm
Location: Chicks still dig the stash

Re: Wilco.

Post by Beebs »

Cole Younger wrote:For the person that said I was being a prick about it, I went to a lot of trouble to not come across that way. I apologize.


I missed that part... ?
Beebs is not a ragey man

User avatar
Kudzu Guillotine
Posts: 11761
Joined: Wed Oct 27, 2010 10:46 am

Re: Wilco.

Post by Kudzu Guillotine »

Cole Younger wrote:For the person that said I was being a prick about it, I went to a lot of trouble to not come across that way. I apologize.


I do believe that comment was directed at Jeff Tweedy, not yourself.

I put together a mix for a party a few weeks ago that included "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart". A friend of mine asked me, "is that Wilco? I don't like that." I took no offense whatsoever, I appreciated his honesty.

Wilco is a peculiar beast. They get played on the Outlaw Country channel on XM yet I don't really consider a lot of their newer material to fit that mold at all. I also have some friends that say "alt.country" has become too generic for them and have since moved onto other forms of music yet they hold tight to the early Wilco records, the Jayhawks, etc. I guess because they don't consider those albums to be generic. Our musical tastes can be rather baffling to grasp at times. As for me, I like all of Wilco's records to one degree or another.

User avatar
Tequila Cowboy
Site Admin
Posts: 20230
Joined: Mon Mar 29, 2010 6:12 pm
Location: The Twilight Zone, along with everyone else

Re: Wilco.

Post by Tequila Cowboy »

sactochris wrote: I rate Being There as one of the greatest albums in the history of rock n roll, and that band live, at the time, simply had no equal.


This.

Cole, Sacto wasn't calling you a prick, he was calling Tweedy a prick. I don't think Tweedy is a prick, I think he's an OUTSTANDING prick. Rock musicians, like pro athletes, need to have big egos to a certain extent but Tweedy has elevated his to an art form. Then again it works for him. Few artists would have been brave enough to release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I love Wilco but can understand why you don't. I didn't care for AM, but Being There blew me away and I've been a fan since. I've struggled with their recent work though and only reluctantly put The Whole Love in my top 25 this year, and I still don't love but I guess I respect it. Rest assured, however, that you can always speak your mind around here. I'll leave you with these good words from a songwriter that we all can agree on:

And don't ever let them make you feel like saying what you want is unbecoming
If you were supposed to watch your mouth all the time I doubt your eyes would be above it
We call him Scooby Do, but Scooby doesn’t do. Scooby, is not involved

User avatar
RolanK
Posts: 3037
Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 10:52 am
Location: drivin' home early Sunday morning through Bakersfield

Re: Wilco.

Post by RolanK »

I got onboard around Summerteeth. I thought YHF was a great album. As has been said by several people already: Great live band. I think Nels Cline is fantastic (but I am a guitar geek, especially offsets). However, I really do not listen to their albums that much anymore (especially not after having found DBT). I was really exited by the preview material from The Whole Love, but was a bit disapointed once it was out, although there is a couple of gems in there. I don't know. Maybe its the production/mix. Seems to me that they are trying a bit to hard to stand out as "something different".
Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

Beebs wrote:
Cole Younger wrote:For the person that said I was being a prick about it, I went to a lot of trouble to not come across that way. I apologize.


I missed that part... ?


The comment wasn't directed at me. :oops: :D

That's what I get for reading too fast.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm enjoying hearing your takes on this band. I guess I feel like I'm missing out on something.

I'm going to dig through their catalogue some more and see what I run across.

Whatever that song was that I listened to the other day, it almost made my head hurt. I nearly felt like my ears were under attack it was so unpleasant. LOL. I'm sort of kidding but then again I'm not.

I agree that they seem to almost try too hard to be different. I think my biggest hang up so far after admittedly hearing remarkably little of their material is that I assumed they would sound at least a little bit like Uncle Tupelo. What I have heard sounds absoloutely nothing like Uncle Tupelo. Instead it sounds more like some obscure European band that critics would claim to love. But I also don't get Radiohead so maybe it's just not meant to be. I know people who swear by Radiohead and when they talk about them, they sound how I must sound to other people when i talk about the Truckers. LOL.

Musical taste is such a funny thing.

I also agree that Tweedy has an outsized ego. I watched an interview with him on youtube and that came across immediately. He seemed to think his music is very important but I guess since it is his he should.

One of the many things that I love about the Truckers is that they come across like regular people. They all seem like people I know and a few of them, Cooley in particular, remind me a lot of people that I do know.

Who knows anybody that acts like Jeff Tweedy? I sure don't. He and Jay Farrar are both odd guys in my opinion. As I mentioned, I thought I would like Wilco because I really like Uncle Tupelo. I love those sounds. So i watched an interview with Jay Farrar once. If you've never done that, I reccomend it. He is one weird cat. Listening to him talk was almost hard work. I can't really explain what I mean. He sounds so tired in interviews that it almost wears you out and he doesn't seem to have much of a personality.

Honestly, though, if I was going to describe Wilco's music right now I would say that it was boring but bordering on unpleasant in a way that I can't really define. I'm not going to give up on them yet though.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wilco.

Post by tinnitus photography »

1 - you shouldn't (normally) have to work hard to enjoy or 'get' music. if you don't like it, move on. there's tons more out there.
2 - musicians should be proud/protective of their music. that's why they do it.
3 - uncle tupelo broke up ~15 years ago. it's natural that Wilco sounds nothing like them. it would be really boring if they did.
4 - how have you judged what sort of person Tweedy is? by watching an interview, or reading some quotes?

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

tinnitus photography wrote:1 - you shouldn't (normally) have to work hard to enjoy or 'get' music. if you don't like it, move on. there's tons more out there.
2 - musicians should be proud/protective of their music. that's why they do it.
3 - uncle tupelo broke up ~15 years ago. it's natural that Wilco sounds nothing like them. it would be really boring if they did.
4 - how have you judged what sort of person Tweedy is? by watching an interview, or reading some quotes?



I just said Tweedy seems kind of full of himslef and kind of odd. I will add that he also seems a bit over serious. Just my impression of him. Since he is a musician an something of a celebrity, interviews and quotes are the only way for me to form an impression of him. I don't see that as "judgement" and I realize that my impression may be wrong. But I seriously doubt that he would care if he knew what I said about him.

As for it being boring if Wilco sunded like Uncle Tupelo, that's your opinion. I love that band's music so to me it would be a good thing.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wilco.

Post by tinnitus photography »

i like UT a lot, but playing the same style for two decades equals staleness of a biblical level.


i can't pretend to know either of the guys, but i have talked w/ both of them. jay seemed reserved, jeff was gracious.

User avatar
oilpiers
Posts: 1471
Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 10:46 am
Location: Louisville Ky

Re: Wilco.

Post by oilpiers »

I bought Being There when it came out, based on something I read. I like it fine, but honestly after listening to it periodically for 12 years or so, nothing sticks in my head. Right now all I can remember is Choo Choo Charlie. I bought Summerteeth, and like it OK. How to Fight Lonliness is my alltime favorite song of theirs. It always reminds me of the William H. Macy Character in Magnolia. The rest is like B.T. leaves little impression. The last one I bought was YFH when it came out. I was astounded it was basically hailed as the best album of the last decade. Earlier this year I left it in my car CD player and listened to it about 4 times in 2 weeks. Again, nothing sticks to me. It is not bad, but kind of droning watered down alt. country with geek effects to make them the American Radiohead. (Who BTW got more famouse as they stopped writing good songs.) I actually like the new album more than anything they have done in the studio. One Sunday Morning is really good. They are playing live next month around here, but between seeing Jayhawks or Wilco in the same few weeks, I chose Jayhawks, a band who knows how to put a hook or two into a song.

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wilco.

Post by tinnitus photography »

i will say that "Poor Places" is a fucking killer song all around, lyrically and musically.

YHF's pedestal is a bit too high in my opinion, but it's a very strong record. i think the drama around the release, and the DVD that was recorded around that time, helped its ascendancy to sainthood.

User avatar
oilpiers
Posts: 1471
Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 10:46 am
Location: Louisville Ky

Re: Wilco.

Post by oilpiers »

For Beebs
Re: not getting My Morning Jacket. I can sort of understand not getting it by listening to their albums. I was first exposed to them from the Okonokos DVD less than 2 years ago. I have now aquired every album, seen them 4 times, and dragged friends and family to each of the shows for conversion. If you have not seen Okonokos here is a sample of a run of the mill song on that DVD. There are many points that hit much higher than this, but this is short and sweet.
http://youtu.be/8JJ1nwt_Gp4

LBRod
Posts: 4362
Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2011 8:15 pm
Location: Beneath Pacheco Pass

Re: Wilco.

Post by LBRod »

Nope, sorry. Wilco and MMJ both go in my respect but don't listen file.
It's not bad, but doesn't move me. I have listened enough to make an informed decision.
Of course my opinion is worth what you pay for it.
Don't hurt people, and don't take their stuff.

User avatar
sactochris
Posts: 2581
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2010 6:47 pm
Location: Orangevale, California

Re: Wilco.

Post by sactochris »

oilpiers wrote:I bought Being There when it came out, based on something I read. I like it fine, but honestly after listening to it periodically for 12 years or so, nothing sticks in my head. Right now all I can remember is Choo Choo Charlie.




All you can remember is the opening line of one of the best rock n roll songs ever recorded. 8-)


I said it, and I mean it.
Keep calm and have a cigar

Zip City
Posts: 17313
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:59 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Zip City »

If you can watch MMJ perform Dondante and not be moved, you may need to check if you still have a soul
And I knew when I woke up Rock N Roll would be here forever

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

Zip City wrote:If you can watch MMJ perform Dondante and not be moved, you may need to check if you still have a soul


I agree. And MMJ is the complete opposite of what Wilco seems to be to me.

MMJ have this amazing soulfulness to their music and in their shows. Not to sound all new agie but there is an indefineable current within their music. It just sounds and feels great and it makes you feel good. Even though the Truckers sing about some dark and desperate things, their music has the same effect. The shows are joyous and celebratory.

Never been to a Wilco show but what I've heard of their music feels sterile and lifeless. If it was a color it would be gray.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wilco.

Post by tinnitus photography »

i just checked the IP address and 'Cole Younger' is Jay Farrar.

Cole Younger
Posts: 3989
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2011 6:34 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Cole Younger »

No need for pissiness.
A single shot rifle and a one eyed dog.

User avatar
tinnitus photography
Posts: 7251
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wilco.

Post by tinnitus photography »

lighten up, Francis. you are entitled to your opinions, as I am. if i was out of line, i'm sure a moderator would let me know.

User avatar
oilpiers
Posts: 1471
Joined: Wed May 11, 2011 10:46 am
Location: Louisville Ky

Re: Wilco.

Post by oilpiers »

Cole Younger wrote:No need for pissiness.

I tend to agree with you a lot about Wilco, though I do like some of what they do. I thought his comment was funny, and as an uninvoled observer saw no pissiness there.

Sub
Posts: 637
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2011 9:10 pm

Re: Wilco.

Post by Sub »

Yeah it was a little funny and just for the record I'm not big on Wilco either.

Post Reply