i just picked up the new wilco album "sky blue sky" this afternoon.
and suddenly. just hours later, i am an addict.
it's a completely amazing album coming from a completely amazing band, probably the best living american band around. it's just musically triumphant and somewhat intimidating from a creative standpoint.
let me take a step back. it's not their most creative album. "a ghost is born" is, by far. but it is their most focused. and i just feel there's such a greater achievement in staying creative and disciplined.
"summerteeth" might have more hooky songs. "yankee hotel foxtrot" might be more inspired. "being there" might be more energetic.
but i swear, this album just got me, shook me, captured me, from the opening line of "maybe the sun will shine today" to the very last "you and i will try to make it better yet", it's actually an uplifting album - which is strange to hear, considering the natural pain heard through jeff tweedy's voice. i think, actually, that makes it seem more uplifting that through it all, the clouds are parting.
i listened to it while writing my screenplay at my coffeehouse. in fact, i went through the entire album three times. sometimes, writing is just a wave you ride as long as you can. tonight, this album carried me. tonight i had breakthroughs. maybe i would have had them anyways. maybe not. it just set the right mood, you know?
i've been reading reviews of the album. the funny thing is that wilco are held in such high regard, that although the albums are praised endlessly, they are also criticized for what they aren't, or what everyone expected them to be. this album isn't any different. for every 4 out of 5 stars comes a list of complaints. a band this creative and complicated that makes an album this simple just opens themselves up for criticisms.
but of everything i read, no description sums it up as accurately as this:
this is the eagles album that the eagles wished they made,
what else can be said?
the album is free to listen to here though a streaming audiocast. i urge you to give it a chance. just be prepared for the repercussions.
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