I bought the new Wilco album Blue Sky Blue at my favorite music store, Groovacious in Cedar City, while visiting Utah last month. Since then I have become addicted to this record and play it in my car almost constantly.
This is their first studio effort with new band members Nels Cline and Pat Sansome (who have been touring with Wilco for three years now) and you can hear the difference, especially the guitar work of Cline. Band leader Jeff Tweedy has woven a delectable, hook filled tapestry that is part mid-sixties electric Dylan, post-Beatles John Lennon, southern-fried Ziggy Stardust, early Steely Dan (the guitar duel at the end of Impossible Germany sounds a lot like the solo from My Old School), Mott the Hoople, the Faces, Uncle Tupelo and a very liberal sprinkling of Neil Young three-chord electric guitar chops spread throughout.
There is a humble and gracious attitude of celebration in the simple things of life that make the lyrics a throwback to an earlier time in American life, which I like muy mucho.
Sunlight angles on
A wooden floor at dawn
A ceiling fan is on
Chopping up my dreams
What is left of them
I take to sleep again
Where I dare pretend I'm more than I seem
Suffice it to say I highly recommend this record, which is available at your friendly neighborhood Wal-Mart.
Happy 4th of July!
3 comments:
Sounds good, I'll have to check that one out soon. Hope your 4th was a good one and no worries, I drove the tractor for you. (just keeping the seat warm)
Thanks for the review. Would you recommend this one over their live in Chicago CD? Does Cline appear on both?cyrbi
He does. The live record is a collection of already released material performed before a hometown audience of loyal fans. Both records are good.
The new one is more low key, but full of wonderfully crafted songs.
Post a Comment