Wilco
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<h3>Alt-Country pioneers turned Pop geniuses</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/wilco.html">Wilco</a> are a rather great band. I was about to introduce them as a Country Rock outfit, but with their latest album release <i><b>Summerteeth</b></i> (some are teeth, some aren't...) they've gone all 60s pop on us. Which, it turns out, is no bad thing, although the Alt-Country purists would argue the point. But we'll leave them to it and just enjoy the music.</p>
<p>It all started roughly a decade ago with a band called <a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/uncle-tupelo.html">Uncle Tupelo</a>. These guys are often credited with starting off the Alt Country scene, which, when lead singer Jay Farrar left the band, could now claim two great bands as it's heroes - Farrar formed <a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/son-volt.html">Son Volt</a> while the remaining members of Tupelo formed Wilco.</p>
<p>Wilco are one the finest bands I've ever heard, and in a fun kinda way. Their music is an affecting blend of Jeff Tweedy's love-soaked lyrics, sung in a cracked voice that'll have the girls' knickers dropping down, and the most uplifting, sweet tunes that just can't help but lift your mood.</p>
<p>Musically, the band are very different to any other I've heard - 1996 double album <b><i>Being There</i></b> was an unashamed indulgence in all of Rock, Rock & Roll, Country and Bluegrass - and a damn fine one it is too. The two CD format here gives the listener a choice of searing rides through these musical genres, both of which last little over half an hour.</p>
<p>Wilco seemed to have a lot of fun making <i>Being There</i>, and it's this that you carry away with you after listening to it.</p>
<p>1999's <b><i>Summerteeth</i></b> then, has a different skin, but the flesh is identifiably Wilco's. Slightly more disturbing in places, lyrically - one particular song deals with Tweedy dreaming of killing his wife, and then the effects upon her of even speaking of it (but does so anyway) - it still contains the beautiful and the plain silly in abundance elsewhere.</p>
<p>Tweedy and his band have also been working on a project with acclaimed British folkie Billy Bragg, on bringing to life some previously un-scored Woody Guthrie lyrics. The two albums to emerge from this project, <b><i>Mermaid Avenue Volumes 1 & 2</i></b> have received probably wider critical acclaim than the band's own work.</p>
<p>There may yet be more to surface from this project, and where the band's own sound will go next is anybody's guess. One thing <i>is</i> for sure though - it'll be another beaut.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.h2g2.com/U143763">AntonJW</a></p>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<h3>Alt-Country pioneers turned Pop geniuses</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/wilco.html">Wilco</a> are a rather great band. I was about to introduce them as a Country Rock outfit, but with their latest album release <i><b>Summerteeth</b></i> (some are teeth, some aren't...) they've gone all 60s pop on us. Which, it turns out, is no bad thing, although the Alt-Country purists would argue the point. But we'll leave them to it and just enjoy the music.</p>
<p>It all started roughly a decade ago with a band called <a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/uncle-tupelo.html">Uncle Tupelo</a>. These guys are often credited with starting off the Alt Country scene, which, when lead singer Jay Farrar left the band, could now claim two great bands as it's heroes - Farrar formed <a href="http://www.gumbopages.com/son-volt.html">Son Volt</a> while the remaining members of Tupelo formed Wilco.</p>
<p>Wilco are one the finest bands I've ever heard, and in a fun kinda way. Their music is an affecting blend of Jeff Tweedy's love-soaked lyrics, sung in a cracked voice that'll have the girls' knickers dropping down, and the most uplifting, sweet tunes that just can't help but lift your mood.</p>
<p>Musically, the band are very different to any other I've heard - 1996 double album <b><i>Being There</i></b> was an unashamed indulgence in all of Rock, Rock & Roll, Country and Bluegrass - and a damn fine one it is too. The two CD format here gives the listener a choice of searing rides through these musical genres, both of which last little over half an hour.</p>
<p>Wilco seemed to have a lot of fun making <i>Being There</i>, and it's this that you carry away with you after listening to it.</p>
<p>1999's <b><i>Summerteeth</i></b> then, has a different skin, but the flesh is identifiably Wilco's. Slightly more disturbing in places, lyrically - one particular song deals with Tweedy dreaming of killing his wife, and then the effects upon her of even speaking of it (but does so anyway) - it still contains the beautiful and the plain silly in abundance elsewhere.</p>
<p>Tweedy and his band have also been working on a project with acclaimed British folkie Billy Bragg, on bringing to life some previously un-scored Woody Guthrie lyrics. The two albums to emerge from this project, <b><i>Mermaid Avenue Volumes 1 & 2</i></b> have received probably wider critical acclaim than the band's own work.</p>
<p>There may yet be more to surface from this project, and where the band's own sound will go next is anybody's guess. One thing <i>is</i> for sure though - it'll be another beaut.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.h2g2.com/U143763">AntonJW</a></p>
