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New Wilco Record


Jahfin

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Not only does their upcoming new record have a tune called Wilco, the Song) but the album will be named after them as well:

Wilco Keep It Simple, Name New LP “Wilco (The Album)”

This better be one kick ass album as naming both a tune and the new record itself after the band seems to have "jump the shark" written all over it.

Not sure how many here are familiar with the two records Wilco did with Billy Bragg of previously unrecorded Woody Guthrie songs (Mermaid Avenue Volumes 1 & 2) but they've posted a new Wilco/Woody track to WilcoWorld as well as a link to an interview Jeff Tweedy recently did with NPR's Marketplace.

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I'm looking forward to this record, am very interested in hearing new -wilco music.

I haven't heard any of the new songs yet so I can't speak to those but I just watched the new DVD last night. Damn good stuff. If you haven't picked it up yet I highly recommend it.

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I've heard a few of the new songs they've been playing live and so far I like the new stuff. Tough to say if any of those songs will make the album without being drastically rearranged, Wilco has a history of that.

The buzz over at Via Chicago is the new stuff sounds too much like Sky Blue Sky, an album the Wilco-come-lately's can't embrace since they think the only Wilco worth hearing is Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Personally I loved SBS, in fact it's a personal fave, though I think all of their stuff is great. For me Wilco is one of the few modern bands that consistantly puts out great stuff, front to back every album is great IMO. No doubt the new one will be great too.

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I think Yankee Hotel Foxtrot got a bit too hyped for it's own good. Some speculate that was Wilco's doing while other say it really was rejected because it was too "noncommerical". Whatever the case, I still love it but it's far from my favorite record of theirs (that would either be Being There or Summerteeth depending on what mood I'm in at the time). I also liked Sky Blue Sky but from what I've read the new album is supposed to be "experimental". I guess I'll find out what they mean by that once it's released in June. I've just been a bit put off by all the Wilco The Album and "Wilco (The Song)" stuff.

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I've just been a bit put off by all the Wilco The Album and "Wilco (The Song)" stuff.

I wonder how much of that has to do with Jeff's odd sense of humor. I think over-enthusiatic fan reactions to his inbetween song banter has gone to his head. He could say "last night I had two diet coke's" and the Tweedyites would cheer and laugh for 3 minutes. Kind of off topic but Wilco has some of the most fucked up fans I've ever encountered, especially since YHF. They are tied for with Zep fans as far as ridiculous adoration for the wrong reasons goes.

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I wonder how much of that has to do with Jeff's odd sense of humor. I think over-enthusiatic fan reactions to his inbetween song banter has gone to his head. He could say "last night I had two diet coke's" and the Tweedyites would cheer and laugh for 3 minutes. Kind of off topic but Wilco has some of the most fucked up fans I've ever encountered, especially since YHF. They are tied for with Zep fans as far as ridiculous adoration for the wrong reasons goes.

I'm not sure about Tweedy's sense of humor but I have seen some fans going absolutely apeshit over the self referencing thing in regard to the new record. It just doesn't seem very imaginative to me.

The first few times I saw Wilco Tweedy seemed pretty quiet so in the years since I've actually enjoyed some of his asides, particularly last summer when someone threw a cover from the back of their chair at the stage that had their seat number on it. He got a lot of mileage out of that one since it immediately gave away where they were sitting.

Agreed about the fans going overboard with the adulation, especially here but I guess that comes with the territory on boards devoted to one single artist.

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I still haven't seen the I Am Trying To Break Your Heart documentary about the making of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I guess I finally need to get around to seeing that someday. Same for the Man In the Sand doc about the making of the first Mermaid Avenue record.

Wilco ex-member sues frontman Tweedy

wilcocaption.jpg

Former Wilco member Jay Bennett sued lead singer Jeff Tweedy in Cook County Circuit Court today, claiming Tweedy owes him money from the band's 2002 documentary and royalties on songs written during Bennett's seven years with the group.

Bennett was part of the Chicago-based band from 1994 to 2001, the breach-of-contract suit states, and worked as a sound engineer and performed instruments on the albums "Being There," "Summerteeth," "Mermaid Avenue," "Mermaid Avenue Vol. II" and "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot."

The suit argues that "as a recording musician in Wilco, Bennett is entitled to compensation for his services rendered in the form of continuing and perpetual artist royalty payments from" Tweedy.

You can read the rest of the article here.

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Not sure what to think about that one, it's about 9 yrs too late and seems like Jay is trying to capitalize on the bands current success.

However it's the comments about the story in the link that are truly pathetic. Jay Farrar's hardcore fans are still badmouthing Jeff like it's 1995. I commented earlier how yucky Wilco's fans can be. I forgot that Jay F's are many times more obnoxious, it truly bothers them Jeff was the one who eventually got the lions share of attention.

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Not sure what to think about that one, it's about 9 yrs too late and seems like Jay is trying to capitalize on the bands current success.

However it's the comments about the story in the link that are truly pathetic. Jay Farrar's hardcore fans are still badmouthing Jeff like it's 1995. I commented earlier how yucky Wilco's fans can be. I forgot that Jay F's are many times more obnoxious, it truly bothers them Jeff was the one who eventually got the lions share of attention.

Speaking of Farrar, have you heard the new Son Volt record, American Central Dust? I know it's not officially being released until July but it leaked about a week or so ago. I haven't heard it yet myself (I'll wait until it actually comes out) but everyone seems to be falling all over themselves to praise it.

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Speaking of Farrar, have you heard the new Son Volt record, American Central Dust? I know it's not officially being released until July but it leaked about a week or so ago. I haven't heard it yet myself (I'll wait until it actually comes out) but everyone seems to be falling all over themselves to praise it.

No I haven't. I like SV and I always buy Jay's stuff on release day but I haven't been drawn to the last few SV albums they way I was the older stuff or even Jay's solo stuff. I'll bet I haven't listened to The Search twice all the way through. Honestly I don't even know who's in the band anymore, for a while it was musical chairs with Chris Frame and Brad Rice.

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No I haven't. I like SV and I always buy Jay's stuff on release day but I haven't been drawn to the last few SV albums they way I was the older stuff or even Jay's solo stuff. I'll bet I haven't listened to The Search twice all the way through. Honestly I don't even know who's in the band anymore, for a while it was musical chairs with Chris Frame and Brad Rice.

Brad Rice is now with Keith Urban. I'm not an Urban fan, though I will say from what I've heard he seems to be a pretty fair guitar picker. Can't really blame Brad for taking the gig as I'm sure that's better than working in the trenches as he has for all these years. I've always been a Uncle Tupelo/Wilco/Son Volt fan but I've never heard any of Jay's solo records. I do like the last couple of Son Volt albums though but like you, I haven't listened to The Search all that much. From what I've been reading American Central Dust is the closest thing he's done to Trace in a very long time. That's not to say it's better than Trace or anything but it's apparently more in that vein musically than the last couple of Son Volt outings.

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Brad's always had a gig with a touring country act as far as I can remember and I have never held that against him, gotta eat. Actually it's kind of fun to spot him here and there, for a while he was everywhere. Personally I think Jay should have stuck it out with Chris Frame, that guy freakin' wailed. It's a shame Urban can't get himself out fo the pop-country ghetto because he truly does have wicked chops.

As for the new SV I'll definitely be grabbing it on release day and if it pleasantly surprises me great, though I doubt it will. I haven't been into that scene or music for a really long time. All I have time for is blues and the 60's-70's great I continually go back and explore, like Humble Pie and Fleetwwod Mac.

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Brad's always had a gig with a touring country act as far as I can remember and I have never held that against him, gotta eat. Actually it's kind of fun to spot him here and there, for a while he was everywhere.

What other country acts has Brad toured with? I've seen him with Tift Merritt, Ryan Adams and Whiskeytown. I know before that he was also in the Backsliders and Finger. I've also seen him in the post-Backsliders band the Anti-Carpetbaggers League that included all of the original Backsliders except for Steve Howell. I didn't even know Brad had joined Keith Urban's band until I saw him onstage with him on SNL a couple of years ago.

Personally I think Jay should have stuck it out with Chris Frame, that guy freakin' wailed.

I don't think I've ever seen 'em with Chris Frame. I believe the one time I have seen Son Volt Chris Masterson (from Jack Ingram's band) had joined. I do like Mark Spencer (Blood Oranges) though. I caught a Gob Iron show a couple of years ago and he was one of the many highlights (Farrar on drums was another).

As for the new SV I'll definitely be grabbing it on release day and if it pleasantly surprises me great, though I doubt it will. I haven't been into that scene or music for a really long time. All I have time for is blues and the 60's-70's great I continually go back and explore, like Humble Pie and Fleetwwod Mac.

I've probably mentioned this before but what I listen to is dictated more by mood than being into a certain style. Today it may be old dB's and Let's Active records, tomorrow it may be the Itals, there's just no telling.

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Part of a parody posted at the viachicago forum about the Bennett/Tweedy lawsuit. To read the entire thread click here.

SUBPOENA QUEEN

They say money's pourin' down

But it's not where I'm around

so I'm comin' back to town

I want your paycheck

So that I can make the rent

and my hip that I just spent -

I'm lookin' like a wreck

Supoena queen

Good god I'm mean

I'll been suing like a fiend

For your royalties green

I always sue in May -

I say - it's better pay

The room fills with suits

And I'm ready for my fruits

But the judge he keeps on jokin'

'Cause the contract isn't broken

Supoena queen

Good god I'm mean

I'll been suing like a fiend

For your royalties green

Supoena queen

Good god I'm mean

I'll been suing like a fiend

For your royalties green

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The new album is streaming on Wilco's website now. Perfect timing especially considering the record leaked yesterday.

Do you like it? I think it's great, but I think all their stuff is great.

People over at the Wilco board are going through the usual motions. Each time a new Wilco album comes out the Wilco-come-lately's disect it and lament that it's not YHF II. I don't understand the need for that, mostly because I don't think YHF was the massively experimental album those types do. It's not like it was Metal Machine Music or something like that. The only reason I think any of that crap came up was because of where the band came from music, rooted in roots music etc.

Anyway the album sounds like what I expected them to make, it ties elements from all their era's into a package that plays out well as an album.

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Do you like it? I think it's great, but I think all their stuff is great.

I haven't heard it. I'm going to wait to listen to it when it comes out in June.

By the way, apparently them putting it up on their website had everything to do with it leaking:

Well, we made it nearly a month with copies of Wilco (the album) floating around out there before it leaked. Pretty impressive restraint in this day and age. But the inevitable happened last night. Since we know you're curious and probably have better things to do than scour the internet for a download (though we do understand the attraction of the illicit), we've posted a stream of the full album at http://wilcoworld.net/records/thealbum/ . Feel free to refer to it as "wilco (the stream)" if you must.

We also have our usual guilt abatement plan for downloaders. If you have downloaded the record, we suggest you make a donation to one of the band's favorite charities, the Inspiration Corporation -- an organization we've supported in the past & who are doing great work in the city of Chicago. Information and donation button here: http://inspirationcorp.org/.

That's all. Enjoy the stream. Tickets for summer shows, etc. http://wilcoworld.net/tours/ Note that we'll be holding a free online midnight screening of the "Ashes of American Flags" film this Friday night (at both midnight US Central time and again at midnight Pacific). So get the popcorn or whatever together and be sure to log on and tune in on Friday.

Wilco HQ

Too bad more artists don't take the same approach to internet leaks and downloading in general, not to even mention the industry's overreaction to it. If only they would learn to embrace it rather than regulating it or sweeping it under the rug maybe they'd fucking learn something.

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You'd think Wilco's genuine approach would rub off on more bands, their best selling album streamed on their site for about a year before it was officially released.

Worth noting; I just read some uninformed blogger's review of the album where he thanks Wilco for coming on board with Radiohead's idea of streaming new albums pre-realease a-la 2007's In Rainbow's. How did he miss that Wilco has streamed every album prior to release since 2001? His review was equally off base.

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You'd think Wilco's genuine approach would rub off on more bands, their best selling album streamed on their site for about a year before it was officially released.

I'm not sure what the policy is here now but for a site devoted to a band who built a huge part of their fanbase on "unofficial" live shows it seemed the discussion of those shows used to be frowned upon here. As long as no money is changing hands, I think trading concerts goes a long way towards establishing a fanbase for artists, especially these days.

Worth noting; I just read some uninformed blogger's review of the album where he thanks Wilco for coming on board with Radiohead's idea of streaming new albums pre-realease a-la 2007's In Rainbow's. How did he miss that Wilco has streamed every album prior to release since 2001? His review was equally off base.

He probably missed it in the same way that so many so called "music writers" referred to this year's tour by The Dead as a "reunion" or even worse, called them "The Grateful Dead". I saw the same thing happen with the Page, Jones and Jason Bonham project. It was never going to be called Led Zeppelin but that's how the press referred to it. I call it not doing your research or a lame attempt at snagging headlines.

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I'm not sure what the policy is here now but for a site devoted to a band who built a huge part of their fanbase on "unofficial" live shows it seemed the discussion of those shows used to be frowned here. As long as no money is changing hands, I think trading concerts goes a long way towards establishing a fanbase for artists, especially these days.

Without a doubt. Back in the day, when there was still real deal indie record stores that didn't look like an extension of Starbucks, we had a store in Boulder called "Trade-a-Tape". The owner was a Deadhead and you could actually trade live recordings there, there were massive cases of cassettes for trade. However they also sold bootleg vinyl, which despite being a no-no was actually a pretty cool thing for a hardcore fan like me. I'm not ashamed to admit I bought some killer bootleg's there back in the day, it only served to make me appreciate the bands more and it certainly didn't stop me from purchasing official material. I felt I was due some extras and still do considering I've bought some albums many times as media has gone through the many format changes over the years. But yeah it'd be a whole lot easier for everyone involved if trading was promoted. Though the problem now is many tapers are stingy bastards. I suppose if you invest the $$ for the gear and the time to do it you get to decide what you share.

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