Reviews (page 3 of 12)
Wilco and this album are definitely something I have heard of but I couldn't have told you anything about their genre of music. This album was one I definitely enjoyed. Stripped back and a bit experimental but melodic. I think this is one of those albums that really grows on you. Already I listened to it a second time and liked it even more. Think this will be a favorite for me.
If I’m ever in a situation where I have to prove to someone I’m a late 30s white guy, I’ll just show them this 5 star review.
I'm glad I stumbled across Wilco about ten years ago. I didn't care much for them then, but my opinion has grown over time. The shadow of this album looms large over the modern indie scene, and the album artwork warms my architect heart. Favorite track (on this listen): "Heavy Metal Drummer."
Genuinely one of my favourite albums ever. Perfect road trip music
A favorite
I see this often compared to OK Computer. But it is better and more personal yet still global in both its disparate and hope. It seems remarkably ambitious and still messy. I love so many songs on here and I come away moved after listening everytime.
Best album so far deserves six stars out of five.
I really enjoyed this album. Personal enjoyment: 5/5 Relevance to this list: 5/5
I absolutely adore this album. I love Jeff Tweedy's way of putting words together. (Pro tip: read his book "How To Write One Song.") I loved the crazed arrangements and instrumentation, the attempt to make something stunningly beautiful that will also make a record exec have an absolute fit. I love the way that thinking about this album makes me feel like I'm getting smarter. I love the fact that I finally listened to a "deluxe version" of an album and the "unified theory" remasters sound totally different than the originals, and maybe designed a bit to piss off fans who only want the album preserved in amber. I even love the way it made me ask if I've been too hard on prog rock. (I don't really think I have, but maybe I can listen with bigger ears.)
i tbh melted so much and so firmly into this that when i got to the other side i realized i didnt actually form any cogent thoughts rly hfjsd. best attempt after the fact: sounds alternately like its being transmitted from the other side of the country or the other side of the galaxy, a bunch of the melodies feel like theyve been around for forever, and maybe its just cuz its when my lucidity started coming back to me but poor places is grabbing my soul as a Song Of Significance for the future.
El disco que cambió las reglas. Entre Nirvana y Radiohead, Wilco han sido y son otro grupo fundamental por recorrido, actitud y producción. Siempre he comparado a Wilco con Primal Scream por su variedad en estilos siempre bien ejecutados. A su vez, Jayhwaks, el otro grupo esencial de Americana, los comparo con Teenage Fanclub. Este Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, al margen de anécdotas como haber sido publicado para descarga gartuita por haber sido rechazado por la misma compañía que luego pagó millones por publicarlo en CD después de haberse negado y dárselo gratis a Wilco para que hicieran con él lo que les diera la gana, tiene canciones emblemáticas (Ashes of american flags, War on war, Jesus etc. , Radio Cure, I am trying to break yoru heart, Kamera, Heavy metal drummer... es que todas son geniales). Fue el último con Jay Bennett... y se vaya que si se nota, como la producción y giro de Jim O'Rourke. Disco esencial (aunque a mi me guste más Summerteeth) de una banda imprescindible. El año del revival garagero con Is this it de los Strokes y White blood cells de los White Stripes como punta de lanza, así como otros discos estupendos: el canto del cisne de Bjork con Vespertine, Things We Lost in the Fire de Low, Rock action de Mogway, el album verde de Weezer, Origin of symmetry de Muse, Morning view de Incubus, Gold de Ryan Adams, The Invisible Band de Travis, Rings Around The World de Super Furry Animals, Hot Shots II de The Beta Band, debuts de Gillian Welch o Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions, It's a Wonderful Life de Sparklehorse.... (otros discos notabes también fueron Love and theft, Hallelujah! de La Buena Vida, Pleased to Meet You de James, Free All Angels de Ash, Souljacker de Eels, Can Our Love... de Tindersticks o el segundo de Manu Chao) y con la electrónica a pleno rendimiento ya fuera por vía experimental (Amnesiac), estética (Discovery de Daft Punk, los debuts de Gorillaz, Röyksopp, Zero 7) o simplemente lúdica (Fever de Kilye, Survivor de las Destiny´s Child...) ese mismo año publican Madredeus el sugerente Movimento y Gotan Project La revancha del tango.
One of the true indie aughts masterpieces
Top 20
This album rocks. Awesome, beautiful, melancholic. Grabs you and holds you close for the 50 min runtime. Never listened to before but I’m glad I did.
Jesus etc
The goat
The indiest of indie rock. Shout out to Chicago's corncobs
This is why I don’t like telling people what kind of music I like. Give me a genre-defining 80s punk rock band and I’m cold. Give me a 6 minute indie rock song of one man moaning that starts and ends with 30 seconds of, as far as I can tell, random fucking noises, and my brain is like ‘ohh yeah that’s the good stuff’.
It's the real deal
All timer with 0 skips
This album is just incredible. It's not only the most experimental of Wilco, it has their strongest song writing.
Great album, but maybe not my favorite wilco album?
Nice.
One of the greatest albums I've ever listened to.
It's war on war from what I've seen. We had made reservations, but no one wants to commit to them. The day before, I had broken the kamera, which added to the already tense mood. Not even saying I'm the man that loves you did the trick like before. The ashes of American flags colored the ground as the rambling preacher raged at the sky above regarding all things apocalyptic, hellfire, Jesus, etc. Why do we keep dwelling in these poor places, I will never know. And I don't wish to know as I'm trying to figure out the meaning of pot kettle black. The heavy metal drummer is on again, as the pre-teens' prayer for a radio cure becomes more elusive by the day. And the only thing we've got left, in order to stay sane, is a clarion call that will reverberate for the remainder of our days: I am trying to break your heart. I am trying to break your heart.
Lots of emotions, moods, rhythms and rock n' roll dimensions
I'm so happy Wilco's on this list. Jeff Tweedy's a quintessential songwriter, whose work everyone should hear! Having said that, this isn't my favourite Wilco album. Sorry, I'm a Nels Cline fan, and I hope Sky Blue Sky is also on the list! Having said that, it's still an amazing album, released at a dark time in American history - perhaps a dark time in Wilco history too. The music is moody and at times unmelodic, but it's also beautiful. Some songs are heavily produced, while others are just raw and seemingly random. Kamera sounds so well produced compared to I Am Trying To Break Your Heart. I like the high-low octaves in the chorus, a technique I first heard used by Squeeze. Pot Kettle Black's guitar in the verses sound a lot like the Cure's In Between Days. Maybe it's just me, but it's still a great song. Liked songs added: - Kamera - War On War - Jesus Etc. - Heavy Metal Drummer - I'm The Man Who Loves You - Pot Kettle Black - Reservations
Great.
5/5
I have seen this album often compared to Kid A. Close but it's really closer to OK Computer. The essence of the band remains fully intact buts it's expanded and exploded. Jeff tweedy can't help but let his inner Beatle shine no matter what sort of cacophony envelops him all while Dylaning his way down the uncertain streets. This is a pivot and a reaction while still very much building on their first three albums. Top notch songwriting. Great playing. Fun noises. Sad when they're happy. Happy when sad. A gem. Kamera, Jesus Etc., Heavy Metal Drummer. That's a whole career for most.
It's not often that you listen to a record for the first time and instantly know this is going to be a classic. This one is that. Not all the songs are at the same level, but the strong moments of this album are so strong that their beauty and grace wash over everything else.
Incredible from top to bottom. May be one of the best albums of all time.
Whole books could be written about this. Films made. Oh wait, that has happened. A brilliant album that happened to punch music forward and catch the zeitgeist at the same time. The story behind the album is as fascinating as the album itself.
Love it
Takes a few listens to really start enjoying this. But, an all time favourite for me.
Day158 - great album from beginning to end
5 duh
It’s great when sentimental music is still good music
Cohesion. A masterpiece.
This is some really nice/chill indie rock. I really like atmospheric sounding music, and this falls under that umbrella. Yeah, this is just comfort music to me. I don't often save albums from this list to listen to again, but I did with this one. It kept getting better until the end, and I just really enjoyed the sound.
Do I love this album? Or do I love the memories of what was going on in my life when this album was released? Maybe both. I was really into this album when it was released. I’m pretty sure I saw them live on the tour for this album. The show was okay. My prevailing memory of that concert is the room was way too hot. I can’t remember the last time I specifically put on some Wilco to listen to, but I did enjoy listening to this again today.
Awesome stuff.
Whoever curated this list must just have an affinity for 2000s ethereal pop-rock, because this has to be the 20th album like that so far. This one thankfully is really good. Though it may not be my fav genre, it's a really good album. It's just experimental enough to be really interesting, but not so much that it verges into atonality or anything. Honestly the vibe I'm really getting here is Bastille before Bastille was a thing. The more I listen, the more I like this. This is a sneaky 5 star for me.
Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a phenomenal example of how to mix up sounds, and still make it sounds amazing. Each song brung something new to the table, and I was all for it. The openers, I Am Trying To Break Your Heart and Kamera were soul-shocking, and so enjoyable. The vibes then mellowed a bit, but then re-electrified with Heavy Metal Drummer, my personal favorite. I regret that I sat on this listen for so long, but at least I eventually did discover it. All in all, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is an amazing album. Best Song: Heavy Metal Drummer Worst Song: Ashes of American Flags
Intense, understated beauty.
would rate it 6 if i could!
This is an unbelievably great album. I spent the better part of a year listening to it. Even with that, I'm looking forward to listening to it again right now.
One of the greatest albums made this millennia. A masterpiece of folk, rock, Americana, country, noise, alternative, rock, post-rock, non-music, sampling and ambient. Every album should sound like this.
Super chill album
Sad and sweet. Eternal Wilco. Love it.
I remember the first time I heard this album I was confused. Then my good friend Mop gave me the key: listen to it like a cross-country trip listening to the radio. Genius! Though not my favorite Wilco, I love this album, not for any particular song (though Heavy Metal Drummer, PKB, Man Who Love You, and other great songs are here), but for the experience this album uniquely offers. It would rank it as one of the best concept albums of our generation! Apparently all you need is a Mop, a key and a CD!
One of my dessert island albums. This is truly a masterpiece. Jesus, Etc. is the standout track but the whole sonic landscape of picking up radio signals across the midwest is so cool. The weird "Yankee, Hotel, Foxtrot" voice at the end of Poor Places is one of my favorite parts of the album. Heavy Metal Drummer might be the only track that doesn't fit in on this album but it's such a great song about reminiscing about the good ol' days that it still works in the middle of this album. I'm going to go put on the headphones and listen to it again.
great
Really good easy listen
Already one of my favorite records. Love the songs, production, all of it. Been listening to it for 20 years and it never gets old to me, it's a cozy album... I like all the little details and such. Only recently did I learn a lot of that has to do with Jim O'Rourke's input. Gotten more into him lately. Maybe it's not as cool to like it, but it's a 5/5 for me.
this is an album i've heard 1000 times in 100 different contexts. tonight when i listened to it, it felt slow. i feel that a lot with music i liked in my 20s -- i appreciated a 6 minute song then in a way i no longer can. is it my attention span? my exposure to more frenetically-paced music? i'm not sure, but it was noticeable on this album. so i feel like i need to take at least a half a point off for that. will i round up or round down?
The album where Wilco goes from country-rock to freaky, weird, country-rock. Lots of great stuff. Moody and haunting and interesting.
Enjoyed it!
Calm, i love it Fav songs: Kamera War on war Jesús,etc. :^)
Good album. One of my first exposures to acclaimed indie records. Ashes of American Flags, Heavy Metal Drummer, Pot Kettle Black, I am Trying to Break Your Heart, Kamera. All great indie folk rock jams.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (In a Brummie accent) It’s going to be a 5, it’s one of my favourite albums. I have great memories of living in Japan when it came out and listening to it a lot at that time. I still return to it often and it still holds up, it doesn’t sound at all dated. It wears its influences pretty clearly, but all filtered very deftly through the Wilco musical sieve. There’s less overt rock and country to it than previous albums, as they lean more into some pure pop melodies as well as more layered atmospheric soundscapes, using keyboards as textures rather than melodic drivers. They also got a new drummer around this time and he makes a big difference - there’s just a sense of more rhythmic interest and variation to it. The shimmering keyboards, broken rhythm pattern and the discordant coda of I am Trying to Break your Heart lead brilliantly into the more conventional strum of Kamera, but still maintaining a sense of unease. Radio Cure and War on War follow a similar pattern. The trio of Jesus, Etc, Ashes of American Flags and Heavy Metal Drummer are really the centrepiece of the album. The tenderness of Jesus, Etc, followed by the slightly uneasy of Ashes of American Flags and then the joyfulness of Heavy Metal Drummer encapsulates the whole album. I really like the Neil Young/Crazy Horse guitar contrasting with the Motown style horns on I’m the Man who Loves You. Pot Kettle Black comes back to the feel of Kamera and War on War before Poor Places and Reservations end things on a suitably downbeat and sonically discordant note. I particularly like the layers and textures on Reservations, not so much a tune as a feeling. I do love how the songs alternate between the slower, textured and rhythmically fractured songs and the more melodic up beat strummers, that combination is in keeping with the slightly dissonant, fragile and melancholic tone of the whole album. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐️
Gorgeous, haunting, and fucking weird
This is one of my favorite albums. First of all, Jeff Tweedy’s voice fits perfectly with the calm, but emotional tone of the album. These songs are so memorable, and I love the soft, but steadily-paced songs such as ‘War On War’ and ‘Heavy Metal Drummer’, which also has a really good transition into it in ‘Ashes Of American Flags’ (not the whole song, but the ending). ‘I Am Trying To Break Your Heart’ has a great vocal performance and is an excellent opener. ‘Jesus, Etc.’ has an instrumental that hits such a mood and some of the best lyrics on the album. I don’t like how ‘Reservations’ has all that whatever at the end, but the song itself is a perfect choice to close out the album. So yeah, very clearly a 5 to me.
Ughhh so fucking good!!
Wow, what a total masterpiece. Had heard a lot of good things so expectations were high but it delivers. Incredibly inventive instrumentation, lamentful lyricism, catchy tunes. This one will be going in the rotation for sure.
I am a disposable dixie cup drinker
Delightful surprise, great lyrics and music. Definitely adding this to my rotation
I’ve been listening to Wilco since I was a teenager
The difference in sound from song to song really made this worthwhile for me and elevates it from sad indie rock into something more unique.
LOVE!
Ku godt li
As much Wilco as I’ve heard, I’ve never really sat and listened to YHF. Now I have, and it actually lives up to the hype. Not exactly my thing, but there’s something here for everyone and it’s objectively excellent.
Top 10
This is great. Wikipedia uses the word percussive in one of the sections and that's a great descriptor. Definitely going into the rotation.
One of the best indie rock/singer songwriter albums. Love this one!
<3
Yup, still passes my ear test. I’m a bit worn out on the intro track especially with its noisy and gratuitous ending. I hate songs that get ruined like this. Rant over That being said, the album is full of forward looking folk rock that I dig a lot. Jeff Tweedy is one of the good ones.
at this point it has slowly became one of my all time listened too records 5/5
This is one of m favorite albums of all time. By far the best Wilco album and that is saying a lot. Just every song is great. Plus all the other noise just fits in so well.
really enjoyed it, unique sounds but not unrelatable
This is a nice album to listen to with an experimental vibe. They clearly put a lot of thought into the end production.
One of my five or so favorite albums of all time and a record that helped shape my taste in great albums. I love every second of it.
I already knew I loved YHF and a re-listen did nothing to change that. Everything feels so deliberate and calculated - there's a lot of electronic sounds and other things beyond the core instruments, and listening closely reveals a lot of subtle layers that aren't just there for the sake of it I like Jeff Tweedy's voice as well, seems like some find it boring but to me it's melodic and captivating, with emotion and gravity when the song requires. Overall I enjoyed this because the 51 mins runtime absolutely flies by, and it doesn't really have any filler content I can think of except the outro to the last track which is admittedly not that interesting. I like every song so it's got to be 5*
Sorry to my dad for that one time we went to Chicago and he was like "that's the Wilco YHF" building and my entire family bullied him for like 10 minutes about it. I am actually a Wilco fan now 8 years later.
wonderful album
Toujours aussi bon !
I really loved this. It’s going straight into my regular rotation!
EXTREMELY EXCITED to dive into this one. A little embarassing to admit as the "Indiehead," but I think I've only played through this album as a whole like once, although I know a few of the singles (Jesus Etc, Heavy Metal Drummer, etc) pretty dang well. Wilco has always been one of those bands I know I need to get into, just haven't made the dive yet (especially with all their connections to the Dead!) Quick thoughts: "I'm the Man Who Loves You" -- the guitar sound is VERY "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere" era Neil Young, and I am HERE FOR IT. I can sorta hear the Grateful Dead influence on like "War on War" (ok yes i am copying a little bit from the p4k review of this article, but I figured I had to mention those two as they are two of my favorite artists). I can tell how this must have just dropped like a bomb on the indie scene in 2001/2002, every song is just excellent in its own way. Great production by Jim O'Rourke. I think I finally "get" Wilco. Honestly, I'm a little shocked at the negative reviews that this album is getting on this site. How the hell could this album be described as boring, when you have songs like "Heavy Metal Drummer," when the album starts with the lyrics "I am an American aquarium drinker / I assassin down the avenue"? Another album that is rewarding as a headphone listen, I feel like there's no way you're getting the full experience if you're just playing it off of your laptop speakers. "Jesus Etc." is just an absolutely perfect indie-rock song. Like platonic ideal. The instrumentation, the lyrics, the melancholy delivery by Tweedy, all just exactly perfect. Five Stars. Fav trax: “Jesus, Etc.”, “Heavy Metal Drummer”, “War on War”, “I am Trying to Break Your Heart”, I will stop before I list the whole album
One of my favorite bands. Easy to rate this one.
got this album already...love it
Sonically amazing just vibey with nice textures. Sad lyrics too.
I will admit, I didn’t get Wilco for a long time. I saw them open for REM. Meh. Listened to their stuff because a woman I was dating loved them. Meh. Had a chance to listen to their live album. Finally got it. That’s a long intro into once I got it, I listened to this album with fresh ears and it’s just great. It’s sort of the best of Wilco in the songs are well crafted and musicians are experimental without stealing from the songs. Excellent stuff.
Liked this one a lot more than I thought I would. The second half definitely dragged more but I still really enjoyed it overall. Rating: 4.7
A personal favorite of mine, and one that just holds up more year after year. This album has been praised into the ground, so I won't say anything crazy or unsaid, but it did so much to solidify Wilco as a groundbreaking band. Tweedy's writing on this record alone puts him in a new arena. And while he admits time and again that he has no idea what he's doing, his approach to lyricism is completely unique and lasting on listeners. The structure of this record is also unmatched. With each track, we're exposed to net new sounds that blend folk, psych, midwestern emo and country in a way that just keeps you hooked in. All that said, you may not be an immediate fan, as a lot of what's here isn't exactly put-on-at-a-party music. You're forced to sit with it and in it, and that is a (understandably) tough barrier of entry. You'll get a lot more accessible Wilco songs on later records, and those are great! In fact, I like most of the band's singles on other records more than anything here, but this really only works as a whole record, and it's pretty damn close to perfect.
Modern Midwestern melancholia masterfully tinged with enough turn-of-the-century country psychedelia and folksy flights of fancy to make every re-listen a revelation in its own right.
Lovely!
An obvious 5 star Wilco album, with a fair share of Wilco classics.
This album combines the finest songs (Jesus, Etc. as highlight) with carefully dosed raw edges. Absolutely fantastic.
Best country album of all time. So many classics and the mix of different genres just make it so much better.
love it so much.
Love
5/5. All time album.
Is there any band that better encapsulates dad rock than Wilco? Is there an album that better represents Wilco’s canon than YHF? Is…is this…the holy grail of dad rock!!?? I’ve liked this band for as long as I can remember and this album overshadows the rest of a really great catalogue. I also recommend the documentary I Am Trying to Break Your Heart which follows the release of and tour for this album. And Jeff Tweedy’s books. And going to Chicago and seeing the parking structures featured on the front of this album and then going, “hey - it’s the corn cobs on the front of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot!” This album has some of the band’s best songs - “Jesus, Etc.,” “Heavy Metal Drummer,” “Kamera” - but each song has cleverness and style. Have been meaning to pick up the reissue on vinyl and this may be just the nudge I needed. A great way to start the week!
Holds up all these years later. Takes me back to the high school days.
I'm just gonna review this right now cuz I think I listened to this like 3 times out of order. I'm bumbling around Chicago and just taking trains around. I listened to this album music while staring at the corncob towers from the exact spot where the album cover is taken and I took a pic. This album is really good I already had it downloaded so that tells you how much I liked it. It's also a moment of pure synchronicity that this is the album for today when I'm literally enjoying the corncobs for the first time. Yeah this one really does it and captures my angsty youth in a timeless why unlike some other shit. I discovered it later in my music journey but it holds a special place in my heart. They played it on prairie home companion. Idk what to say, it was an honor to listen to a timeless piece of art while enjoying something that might have been an inspiration for it.
Classic. Love this record. Favorites are Pot kettle black, Jesus etc, Heavy Metal Drummer, and I’m the Man Who Loves You. I would also like to go back and change my rating of Being There from 4 to 5. Hope to get Sky Blue Sky and A Ghost is Born.
This album is so important to me and I think really shaped the way I listen to music. The balance between folky Melodies/songwriting and avant- grade/noise is just perfect throughout this record. The songwriting and layering are so unique and amazing on every song.
I really like this album. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart was my favorite
One of my favorite albums
Perfect album
This album was for national to my love of music.
Fantastic album
Masterpiece.
This album was largely responsible for pulling me out of a deep classic rock rut.
El mejor álbum de rock indie de los '2000s. Una espectacular colección de innovadoras canciones con las que Jeff Tweedy dió un vuelco en 180° en su carrera, adentrándose en la experimentación sin dejar sus raíces country de lado. La producción de Jim O'Rourke es perfecta, creando un LP lleno de hermosos paisajes eléctricos adornados con guitarras acústicas, creando la obra más importante de la banda más importante del Midwest Estadounidense.
just the sounds i needed today.
C'était franchement cool. Je connaissais un peu quelques titres, mais l'effet d'ensemble rend très bien. Je ne sais pas pourquoi ça marche mieux que les vingt albums un peu identiques sur le papier qu'on a déjà eus, mais je suis client.
Absolutely perfect LP
Wonderful album, a joy to listen. Will be added to my personal list of repeat listens.
I loved this album a lot. I could hear the country roots of the band, but there were so many interesting design decisions that pushed it into the realm of alt-pop or alt-rock. I loved the textures and how it sounded almost like it was coming to me through a military radio. Also, the messages of a lot of the songs were sweet but slightly dark. I'm not really sure what else to say but I loved the album and want to listen to Wilco a lot more!
I liked it. Good stuff
This is one of my favorite albums of all time, although it had been quite sometime since I listened all the way through. It's still the same flawless, and incredibly moving collection of Indie America style tracks, strung together with strange soundscapes and tweedy's beautifully absurd lyricism. Flawless, 5/5 FAVORITES: I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Jesus, Etc. , Ashes On American Flags, Heavy Metal Drummer, Reservations. LEAST FAVORITES: N/A
Such a perfect collection of songs. Captures a great moment in music.
There are, in my estimation, only a couple of sins related to *opinions about music* that are entirely unforgivable, and chief amongst them is to display bad faith. When you have Willie Nelson' *Red Handed Stranger* and Brian Eno's *Ambient 1: Music For Airports* on your "wall" of favorite albums, complaining about Wilco's *YHF* for being a "monotone-sounding collection, unvarying in tempo, tone or ambition" takes the cake a little. I get that *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot* can be "boring" for some ears not attuned to its admittedly understated, peculiar dynamics. But maybe you can express your subjective distate for those dynamics in ways that would at least not resort to vague generalizations, while also not contradicting your takes about other essential albums. Food for thought for folks highlighting that one-star review currently topping this section, maybe? I do agree that Tweedy's voice is indeed "monotone" in *some* parts of *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot* (*some*, I insist). But that supposed "flaw" is actually part of the melancholic sepia aesthetics displayed on the album cover (more on that later). So it's more an asset than a flaw. And the music in that LP is anything but "monotone" or "unvarying in tempo, tone or ambition" anyway. Actually, it goes to an incredible amount of different directions, either through the off-kilter-yet-enticing chord progressions, or through a treasure trove of rowdy/noisy experiments with instrumentation, smearing things with the right number of messy brushstrokes in the background of those tunes. Very often, Wilco use *both* admirable tricks at the same time, which takes the listener to a fascinating chiaroscuro world, filled with delicate fall lights, bittersweet moods, and compositions that are in turns lively or meditative. It's a world where ghosts from the past gently whisper inside your soul as you contemplate overcast late-afternoon skies. After all, with the right mindset, large grey clouds looming on the horizon can turn into a gorgeous spectacle. Given their respective artistry, Brian Eno and Willie Nelson probably know about this themselves. I love those two musicians by the way, and I'm glad that the unhappy reviewer I mentioned earlier unwittingly provided such an interesting spectrum to explain what Wilco does in *YHF*. In a way, Tweedy, Bennett and co. took a regular indie-country-folk landscape and painted abstract hues and "ambient" colors over it. It's a palette that's admittedly very different from the one Brian Eno would have drawn from, sure. But you get the idea, I hope. There's a very postmodernist sort of layering in this LP, with blink-and-you'll-miss-it leftfield flourishes that turn those songs into fascinating "trompe-l'oeil" canvases. On one level, the tunes are a reenactment of more innocent times, with nostalgic lyrics about lost/unrequited loves, or ones about adolescent memories (see "Heavy Metal Drummer", for instance). But on another level, the impressionistic layering messing up with those tunes, along with the collage-like surrealism used by Tweedy in his lyrics (the drunken ramblings of "I Am Trying To Break You Heart", for example), suggests that Wilco were deeply aware that the good ol' days might either be an illusion that needs to be deconstructed, or that it was just something that you simply need to move on from. "Every moment's a little bit later," as Tweedy muses in "Pot Kettle Black". Incidentally, it's a philosophy that was also very fitting to the time where *YHF* was released, i.e. a week after 9/11. Tweedy "salutes the ashes of American flags" at one point of this album. In the pastoral earworm "Jesus, etc.", "tall buildings shake" and "voices escape, singing sad sad songs". Those lyrics probably helped some listeners coming to terms with the tragedy that had just taken place, even if the record never consciously intended to catch this particular zeitgeist in the first place. Strangely soothing, with a touch of the uncanny in its meandering soundscapes, *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" thus reflected the strange concerns of its day and age. That's also how it captured imaginations. And at the time, you couldn't fail to notice the eerie coincidence of that artwork showing two ghostly towers, of course. Those towers are not in New York, by the way, they're in Chicago: I remember bumping into that vista from another age as I visited the Windy City ten years ago, and how said vista stopped me on my tracks for ten or fifteen minutes. I'm not even sure I knew who Wilco were in 2012, and I had certainly not listened to *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot* back then. Yet observing those part-brutalist/modernist, part-usonian/organic corncobs sticking out like two sore thumbs in the middle of the city's skyline, I remember that I couldn't help thinking about utopias of the past and how the signs of their demise said a lot about our perception of history, both personal and communal. How you always mourn or grieve about your past in one way or another--whatever that past is--build interior monuments and memorials to celebrate it, and yet have to learn about the best ways to keep on going and live the rest of your life. As Tweedy sings in "War On War"--whose title also had peculiar involuntary connotations post-9/11--, "You have to lose / You have to learn how to die / If you want to be alive". I may not have *exactly* thought along those lines as I beheld Chicago's Marina City Complex ten years ago. But the thought was there, somewhere. And it still is today. Number of albums left to review: 455 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 255 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 130 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 162
this is such a weird thing to say but this is an album that i love that i haven't really gotten that into. in my opinion, it's a great listen, one of the pinnacles of 00s indie, and yet i haven't really come back to it all that often. but it was an important album to me during my sad boy era. in particular, "jesus, etc." is one of my favorite songs of the last 20 or so years. it was nice to revisit this album, like seeing an old friend. favorite song(s): i am trying to break your heart war on war jesus, etc. i'm the man who loves you
Instant 5 out of 5
That's a fantastic album from start to finish, super melancholyc, and right on the feels
I love this record, with its mysterious lyrics and experimental (for them) sounds. I was (and still am) sad that they didn’t continue in the vein of Summerteeth but the ‘sonic landscape-mess’ of YHF grew on me. This is the last album of Wilco’s that I really cared about.
Every song grooves. I know Jeff Tweedy wrote Heavy Metal Drummer about Pam Anderson but even back then, I played with the idea that he knew me. How could he not because this album hits every single fucking chord in the things-i-love category. LOVE the cover too--great font, beautiful cream, amazing architecture. (Jen and I just cruised past these towers in Chicago! Such cool buildings.)
Just gonna go ahead and say it. This is one of my favorite albums so I am biased. I definitely was not crazy about this album when I first heard it, but now its one of my favorites. This is a mastapiece Favorite song: Jesus Etc./Poor places/The whole album Least favorite song: Radio cure/Kamera
Listening back its remarkable that this record caused such a fuss with the bands record label, Reprise. The songs aren’t a massive departure from what the band had being doing prior to this. You’ve still got that distinctive Tweedy drawl. But what makes this so interesting is that the arrangements are expanding the Wilco sound. Moving them away from the more traditional Americana sound and rebooting them as an alternative rock band.
Modern classic
- Heard this many times before - Absolute classic, love this album, think it's quite easily Wilco's best - Really consistent, there's not a bad song on this - Could easily pick any of the tracks as second best to Jesus, etc - Fav tracks: Jesus, Etc.; Ashes of American Flags; Pot Kettle Black
no idea why but i adored this. i think it's mostly because it's the very specific genre i've been craving recently - it feels like radiohead's calmer songs had a baby with the mountain goats. i really enjoyed the two more upbeat songs in the middle and didn't feel they took away from the overall feel of the album, which can often be the case when trying to integrate faster/less quiet songs into an otherwise more subdued context. my top three were radio cure, heavy metal drummer, and pot kettle black, although the end of reservations really had me too - what a great album closer. the only part i didn't love was the very end of poor places, but that wasn't significant enough for me to reduce my rating at all. amazing stuff, will be listening again immediately.
After listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot a couple of times, I started to understand what's all the fuzz around it. It is a great album that explores a tasty range of indie sounds, uses a delectable sound palette, and conveys charming stories. Also, could I be labeled as demented if I say that some songs in this album reminded me of the late Beatles' (Get Back) and Beach Boys' work? I am not a Wilco fan -at least, at this very moment- but I need to recognize why this album is constantly listed among the best 00s albums. I will be revisiting Yankee Hotel Foxtrot constantly, for sure!
I listened to a ton of Wilco during the early 2000's and this album in particular. They seem to hit this stride around this time, blending folk, country, jam rock, noise rock all together into something that sounds like none of those genres. I always seemed to struggle describing them. Anyway great album.
Brilliant record showcasing Jeff Tweedy’s excellent songwriting.
I've listened to this a lot since it came out. I own it on multiple formats. I've watched the documentary about the making of the album. This is a classic and if i could give it 6 stars I would.
This is my favorite Wilco album and it's great. I listened to this album a ton when it came out and it's stayed in heavy rotation since then. It's got a great blend of diferrent musical styles. Simple yet compelling, and great studio work. This is just a great album.
Loved this when it came out. Stands up now.
This album is the utility belt of albums, it works in any setting. Dinner party, park hangs, rainy day, sunny day, bbq. There’s not a miss on this one, it’s airy and moody with the whole band at the top of their game. 5 stars
This has to be peak Wilco. The song writing and creativity on this album is high level. Lots of interesting sounds, use of dynamics, many different instruments. Beach boys-esque sans harmonies. However, the album really lacks gusto. Much prefer the live versions of the songs as seen on "kicking television" weak five.
"Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is the fourth studio album by American rock band Wilco. This album has quite the history; it was initially rejected by their label at the time Reprise as they did not like it. Wilco was somehow able to acquire the rights and self released via their website the album a week after 9/1. They eventually signed with Nonesuch Records who released the album commercially on 4/23/2002 where it reached #13 on the US charts and is still Wilco's best selling album. There was also plenty of drama with the recording as documented in the film "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart" as they fired drummer Ken Coomer (replaced with Glen Kotche) and it was the last album with multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett. The album and sound itself were more atmospheric and experimental than previous three albums. The album received very high critical acclaim making it toa lot of top ten lists for best albums of the 2000's. An electronic drone and drum beat open "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart." This is a gutsy way to open an album. Acoustic guitar. Bells. Jeff Tweedy's smoky voice. Clever lyrics. I think longing for love but he'll only break her heart. The song ends with distortion and Tweedy screaming. "Kamera" is more pop and has a groove and great backing vocals. He needs an objective view of himself. "Radio Cure" is stark and ominous with the drum beat and pace. The pace picks up and ends more optimistic. Music is the cure sometimes. Strings open and dominate the melody in "Jesus, Etc." Great lyrics and chorus. "Turning Your Orbit Around." We're small to the universe but need each other. One of Wilco's best. A drum machine beat and we're off with their pop song "Heavy Metal Drummer." Oh, to be young again at The Landing playing KISS covers beautiful and stoned. "Poor Place" is another stark song with a hushed drone, Tweedy's voice and piano. The song builds with swirling keyboards. A robotic female voice repeating Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in the background. I'm guessing he's telling the story of a soldier coming home with PTSD. More hushed drones is used on the closer "Reservations." A guy who's down on himself but has no reservations about his lover. The song ends with a three to four-minute church organ fade out. Suzy Cream Cheese was not around either. This album still sounds fantastic. You really notice the space which gives these songs time to breathe. The meticulous arrangements and sound details. Tweedy's voice is strained, emotional and exhausted and contributes to maybe his best performance. Picking a favorite Wilco is impossible for me. Everything from " Being There" through "A Ghost is Born" has been my #1 at some time. This one is defintely worth going back for a listen.
In a decade dominated by indie rock, nothing comes remotely close to sounding like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and it is just gorgeous. 5 stars alone for 'Jesus, Etc.'.
Calling Jeff Tweedy a minor genius after listening to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot would be an easy feat. So that’s exactly what I’ll be doing.
Great stuff
Wow what a record, i didn’t realise it was just a headphone masterpiece. Such subtleties in background noise and song composition, if you care to listen closely. Still not my favourite Wilco record but not a bad note played nor any albums fillers to be found. It is also very educational, as an album, taught me about the phonetic alphabet, KISS, the war on war. probably would give it 4.8, but definite 5 star on this rating scale. "Every song is a comeback every moment is a little bit later" Giddyup
Really enjoyed it: sounded like a west country emo style radiohead and I loved it. Recognised the album cover but not the band name nor the songs and honestly so thankful this record came. Gonna have to list to other music from the band bc I really enjoyed this album.
Favorites
I think Wilco are a great band, one of the greatest. And this album is beautiful.
Big fan of Wilco. This album is not for everyone I don't think but I love it - how it ebbs and flows. It gets weird and atmospheric and then they pull you right back in with a song that just rocks (ex. Radio Cure to War on War). I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Jesus, Etc., Heavy Metal Drummer are highlights for me but I like it all. Was obsessed with this album around 2009 so it was fun to go back to it. That's a 5 from me, dogs 🐕
Ah yes. I bought this unheard in 2002 just based on the buzz and it’s still with me today.
Excellent, and we all know it.
Gorgeous.
This was laser-targeted to appeal to me haha. A few moments where it veers into wannabe-Radiohead territory but it really holds its own as a lovely art rock album
Love it.
Masterpiece
What can I even say about this record. This record has probably figured more prominently and been more present in my life as something absolutely essential than any other record. They say music is tied to memory and time, and this record has been there for everything in my life since it came out. It evokes such deep multitudes of memories and feelings in such a visceral way. The mythology and timing of how and when this record was recorded and released aside, it's absolutely beautiful. Its at the same time textured and sparse, busy and full of space, bursting with sound and absolutely hushed. It exists somewhere in the margins like the shortwave radio recordings from which it drew inspiration. This record both lends itself to comforting background listens and is still deeply rewarding with fully attentive immersive listens. It has given and continues to give so much. I simply cannot imagine my life without it.
Finally. An album I actually have. A favourite. It's atmospherics. Thanks Jonathan for recommending it in ZRH. It's a defining album of the first decade of the 2000s. But does anyone know it. Bare with it, let it envelope. And do it's thing. This time I listen on headphones for the first time, and I get a whole other layer of intimacy... It's surprisingly vulnerable, personal and feels honest. The corn cob cover (Marina City complex towers in Chicago). The rejected album. "She tasted like mountain dew and maraschino cherries" It's a building somewhere. A full five stars from me.
personal top 10 of all time. i love this album dearly.
This one hits different every time I hear it. As I get older I appreciate it in new ways, it’s like an old friend. One of the all time great indie albums that spawned so many other great indie albums. It’s amazing listening to this right after Hail to the Thief and the juxtaposition of post and pre-9/11 albums. This one, while melancholy, has such a brightness shining through, like there is hope in the world.
Wilco's masterpiece. Beautiful tones on the instruments. Soulful solemn start: I am trying to break your heart and radio cure. Kamera and war on war lighten things up a little. And then comes Jesus, ect and youre trying not to cry. Might be their best song. Ashes of American flags finishes the first half with another tear jerk. The second half is much more upbeat. The trio of heavy metal drummer, I'm there man who loves you and pot kettle black builds up a lot of energy. Then poor places shatters it for the finale, reservations, a last heartfelt push. It's a great album
makes me think of Beau. 5/5
An all time favorite from me
Jesus Etc!
Really nice vibe. My gf described it as something chill to listen to on a road trip.
One of my top50 all time. Indie rock landmark, in a genre that I have been growing more and more tired of as the years go on. This one has somehow, through thick and thin, stayed with me all these years later. I've never cared to listen to a different Wilco album.
Fantastic album.
People always like to parade capitalism around on a stick like Guy Fawkes, as an easy target to blame all of their problems on (when they should be using Ronald Reagan instead). Though after reading up on the album’s history, one can’t help but wish to deflect unfathomable anger towards the stiff suits who saw the record as “unmarketable.” The music is pure genius, striking a perfect line between experimental art rock and American indie, fusing the two into a sound which gives Wilco a distinct voice, amplified by their audible Alt-Country roots. To miss out on this record is a sorry mistake. The 50th anniversary remasters make the record sound so fresh and inventive that it could have been made ten years in the future. Standout Songs: “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” “War on War” “Jesus, etc.”
Incredible album, I didn’t have no expectations going into it but it blew me away. Either a 8.5 or 9/10
Probably one of my favorite albums
RIP to missing the Wilco pop-up show at Carol’s. Damn you marathon!!!!
Classic album, one of my all-time favorites, although I'm still a bit partial to the album that came before this, Summerteeth. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is more polished and professional while Summerteeth is a bit more raw and experimental. Both great albums though, Wilco at their peak. 5 stars.
Roger!
Fantastic album
Always a joy and always a bit sad. My favorite listen was when Wilco played it front to back as an encore at Solid Sound in 2017.
Ovo će sad bit treća petica zaredom. Al ovo je mislim čak meni najbolja petica od ta tri albuma.
This is my favourite Wilco album slightly bettering in my opinion Summerteeth. Jeff Tweedy has an incredible ear for melody and for hook writing. YHF from beginning to end is filled with beautifully constructed pop music which are punctuated with flourishes of electronic noises, fantastic horn charts and just sublime music making of the highest quality. The middle part of the album - sides 2 and 3 of my double vinyl LP is nearly perfect, reaching its peak on the infectious nostalgia of Heavy Metal Drummer, but all 6 songs that make up the heart of this album are timeless. The songs that make up sides 1 and 4 are more deliberate and somewhat experimental in their use of the studio as musical instrument, but their more languid pace does not diminsh the album in any way, in fact they add to the albums power. 5 stars
beautiful sounds on this one, and such a nice little batch of songs
Essential.
One of my favourite albums Cover art. 5/5. Chicago brutalist architecture
This is one of those landmark albums that is absolutely not to be missed. Wilco creates a vast sonic landscape as they transition fully out of alt country into art rock. The results are expansive and stunning. They influences incorporated into the sound are diverse spanning from Television, John Cale, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys just to name a few. This album should be listened to in its entirety and ideally more than once.
Very enjoyable album with lots of great tracks. Especially like Jesus, Etc., Ashes of American Flags, Heavy Metal Drummer, and Reservations.
хуя
Very Good
Banger
Banger
By any measure a great collection of songs, brilliantly produced and delivered, haunting and atmospheric, smart and engaging. Talent everywhere, repeat listening rewarded.
When it comes to music discussion circles on the internet, this is the Wilco album I see getting praised the most. I had already developed an appreciation for Jeff Tweedy's songwriting on their sophomore album Being There, so expectations are already high. Already notable is the band's shift away from their alt-country sound into a more artsy-leaning indie rock. The opening track, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, is intricately mixed and performed. While it comes across as disjointed and messy on the surface, the production of the song exhibits a certain purposefulness in how each instrument supports one another through the sound. Despite it sounding mostly unlike the other songs on the album, this sort of studio work combined with Tweedy's songwriting will set expectations for the rest of the runtime. It's unmatched. Little things are what makes Yankee Hotel Foxtrot so special. The soft drumming keeping time on Radio Cure, the tinny piano on Ashes of American Flags, the unidentifiable bass-sounding instrument about 3 minutes into Poor Places followed by the numbers radio broadcast repeating "Yankee. Hotel. Foxtrot. Yankee. Hotel. Foxtrot. Yankee. Hotel...." I cannot stress how good the production is on this album. This is Pet Sounds for the 21st century. Credit goes to Jim O'Rourke for his ability to bring Tweedy's songs and Wilco's performances to perfection. I should also credit Jay Bennett who is a songwriter for Wilco alongside Tweedy. Bennett would pass away in 2009 at the age of 45, so I feel this album is a fitting way to remember his legacy. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is an achievement for western popular music, proving that attention to detail does not go unnoticed. It is a beautiful body of work that transcends genre. It speaks for itself. It's perfect.
PREFS: TOUT MOINS PREF: RIEN
Trying to break my heart? That's not that hard to do. And it's extra tender today so maybe this doesn't mean much but break my heart it did. (And I wasn't even really paying much attention to the lyrics.) Melancholy vocals over sad piano on a gray and gloomy day felt just perfect.
Nice early 21st century alt rock that I enjoyed then and enjoy now. There is a lot of interesting arranging and instrumentation that sets this above some of the more generic albums of this era. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot holds up for me. I like hearing it again.
Well well well. This is what all the fuss is about I guess! Another band whose name pops up in places, but you never ever here any music from them anywhere. But i loved this. I guess alt-country made a few reaches for the populace a couple big times in the 2000's before finally breaking through in recent years. This is just a nice sound, like a very American Belle and Sebastian, one of my favorite bands. And of course, its nice and gloomy, which is important, because when I am working, I am very gloomy, and it helps to have a soundtrack to my heaviness, as I trudge forward with copying and pasting, shifting windows, answering IM's, trying to remember what I was doing before Sally IM'd me about where she put her file, and then waiting for a slow website to load while I stare at the screen in 5 to 8 seconds of limbo - enough time to recognize my intractable state but not enough time to dislodge myself. Wilco knows this, and Wilco reassures me that its OK, it is the way it is for them too, perhaps for so many of us who plug ourselves into the feeding tube of our masters in hopes that we will win a few hours of joy after our minds bodies are sufficiently drained. Thanks for understand, Wilco.
I still listen to it regularly
The "Pet Sounds" of Indie Rock. Or maybe it's Indie Rock's "Dark Side Of The Moon" depending on one's theory as to how it syncs up with 9/11. Wilco became somewhat unfairly labeled as "Dad Rock" on subsequent albums (they released at least 3 more great albums after this one). That's probably because their music became more accessible than complex Jeff Tweedy said the goal here was to make something he'd never heard before, instead of sounding like a "really good rock band". Fortunately, the end result is both. Wilco found the perfect marriage of complex and accessible. And we're rewarded by listening to a fantastic rock band exhaust themselves to create their masterpiece.
This album is all about atmosphere. The introspective and thoughtful songs are elevated by the little details and ambient interludes which really fit and enhance the tone. A subtle album, but if you listen carefully it's a gem. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: Jesus Etc. Date listened: 16/09/22
Great!
slow-ish start but the rest is peak, 4.5/5
I unabashedly love this album. I read that it was reviewed as “an Americana Kid A” and I can only sagely nod in tacit agreement. Nothing further needs be said.
An all-time favorite
This rules. Love this.
Headphones, so good! Super melancholy.
C'est weird dans le bon sens. J'aime ce style, c'est plein de genre mélangé. Certaines chansons sont très pop et s'écoute super bien. D'autres chansons avec Guitares saturés plus rock. Un beau mélange et une belle forme pour une super album. Je met un 5 pour pouvoir y retrouner mais l'album est un 4.85 pour moi
One of my all time favorite albums. This one opened up a world to me.
real good
Le meilleur album de la liste à n'en pas douter. 10/10.
Thoughtfully crafted and excellently written, it sits somewhere between Weezer and Radiohead in sound. I really liked this, I thought this was superb.
Phenomenally laidback and gloomy, I love the cohesiveness and expressiveness on display in this.
4.5
Never really listened to Wilco and I have been missing out!
<3
Sadboy indie rock classic. Simple but with a lot of flavors. A familiar sound that is also cutting edge. Relatable lyrics. “I am trying to break your heart” and “Jesus Etc.” are staples of the genre.
Amazing album. Truly a chronicle of destruction and creation of the new Wilco that came after the work and influence of Jay Bennet.
Yankee Hotel Fivestar
Interesting! I will listen to it another time.
10/10 awesome art rock, really good shit I gotta listen to their other stuff now
A classic. Every song on this album is an absolute banger.
Love this. Peak Wilco
amazing
A foundational text of indie rock
A rare album in this list that I've listened to a few times, and held off on rating for quite a while. I was familiar with this album prior, but never listened to it (aside from one attempt where I stopped after "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart"). Feels very... fall-into-winter. Each song is varied, with a wide array of instruments, and some noise elements thrown in between. Great segues into each song... I fought myself, but I feel like this is a record that I'll revisit every once in a while, maybe sit down and have a drink with. I'm glad I gave it some time. Some surface listens didn't do it justice. Favorite tracks: "Radio Cure", "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart", "War on War", "Jesus, Etc.", "Pot Kettle Black"
One of my favourite albums
yeah it’s easy to hear the inspiration in modern rock & indie music from this one. pot kettle black 🔥
4.5/5. Nice early 2000s low-key, richly textured indie classic. Good stuff
This is probably one of my favorites
Wilco has several great albums. Sometimes I tell myself my favorite is something different than this one, but this is just a straight up masterpiece in every sense of the word.
A successful combination of great songwriting, unusual production and a captivating sound.
Always a favorite.
Holds up spectacularly well on a first listen in years after touting it to one and all upon its release. Restive and off-kilter but always compelling. There’s a conventional song somewhere inside “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart;” thankfully the band and the producer stuck to their guns to give us this one.
Yet another album that I've never heard from prior to listening... but this one is different from most of the other 'hidden' albums that I've never heard of. It's so good, wow. My favourite songs are I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, Kamera and Jesus etc, but I enjoyed all of them. 5/5 stars.
A full five stars. Everything about it agrees with me and I agree with it.
Arguably, the best album ever made.
Amazing alt country album
Excellent album - groundbreaking.
A longtime favorite, captures a piece of America that I wish we could go back to
I like this just as much as I remember, an excellent record bookended by two meh songs
made salmon patties to this, good vibes, recorded before 9/11 :o
Nostalgia here earns a point, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would since I'd be revisiting this, I own it on CD but haven't listened to it in years. I really did not like the other Wilco album on this list but I did find myself enjoying YHF more after so many years.
Rate: 8/10.
Not my favorite thing ever so far but they have a good sound
8/10
pretty good!
I’m a fan!
A lot of great songs on this album
Raw and weird collection of country adjacent rock songs that sometimes gets a little too weird but almost always makes up for it Jesus etc is a damn near perfect song 4
The whole album feels like wandering through a rainy city with nowhere to go. Favourite Songs: I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, Jesus, Etc., Heavy Metal Drummer, Pot Kettle Black. Least Favourite Songs: Poor Places, Reservations.
If you haven't listened to this album on a good pair of headphones, you're missing out. Wilco takes the basic building blocks of folk rock and adds so many wonderful details and textures that elevate it to an entirely different place. Everything from unusual percussion patters, to squelching electronic effects, to layers of distorted feedback, to subtle string arrangements give this album its unique character. The songwriting at the core is fairly straightforward, and a weaker band could use these unique textures as a distraction from this simplicity, but Wilco strikes a perfect balance between these two elements of their sound. Jeff Tweedy's lyrics focus on the isolation and confusion brought on by 21st century life, and the unusual instrumentation is the perfect compliment to these themes. This is the perfect example of how tweaking a familiar formula can create something transcendent.
I sort of like the reticent punk singer feel. Listened to this in the background and found myself quietly grooving in a good mood. I'm gonna lean in and give it a 4.
I really enjoyed this album. I actually even saved two to my random playlist. Excellent album.
I do have a soft spot for folk, rock, country alt combo. I never got into Wilco during their hey-day (not sure why) but I did enjoy this one.
A strong 4.5 for me. But a couple songs I didn’t love back in 2003 (or now).
Nostalgia indie
Sunday, 7 June, 2026 Great Sunday album. Wilco breaks the rules. Changes the game. Great album.
My Dad’s favorite band, but had not heard much before this. I liked it quite a bit as far as folk indie rock goes. A couple of skips for me, but overall very solid. 4/5
Wonderful. This is a bit noisier than Being There, so this isn't my favorite Wilco album. I'd happily come back to this any old time, though.
Star for Jesus
This album got better and better. Four stars
This is a very good record !
very soothing, smooth. I liked it, it reminded me of britpop.
Nice stuff
This is one of those albums that I had been meaning to listen to, but never got around to it. Glad that I have heard it now though, moody yet experimental. I can hear the influence that this had on a lot of musicians that I really like (Bon Iver, Sufjan, The National etc). I do think I like the works of those other artists more though. Part of it may be just how sedate the vocals are, but I also think it may just be that I haven't spent a lot of time with this album yet and my appreciation may grow over time. At this stage, this is a 4, but that may become a 5 in the future.
This is a gem. Probably their best. The genre is alt-countryJeff Tweedy’s songwriting is so good. The best songs are I am trying to break your heart, Jesus etc., heavy metal drummer and I am the man who loves you. Some of the songs challenge the listeners but that is okay. Highly recommended
Listened previously. Expectations: High - Verdict: Great - I really like Jeff Tweedy's songwriting and his voice. The opener here introduces the album perfectly. Kamera is bouncy and Radio Cure is calm while building to a great cathartic climax. Jesus, Etc. is a great song, Ashes Of American Flags steps up some of the weirder sounds. Heavy Metal Drummer is a lovely pop tune and I'm The Man Who Loves You is a great groove. Pot Kettle Black is good and Reservations is beautiful. Really excellent album.
This album is unique — I don’t know if in a good or bad way, but it’s unique. Throughout the whole record it feels like a peaceful war, like a robot writing songs about how the earth was represented in 2002. It’s hellish yet somehow sweet, full of contrasts. They end it with an amazing song: the last bit of Reservations calls out to you — hurt, framed, dishonest. Truly something to listen to, so you can decide whether to hate it or love it.
4.5
Chill album
I listened through this twice and enjoyed it more the second time. Solid album with some catchy tracks. I liked this one
Solid alt-country/indie album.
There is not much wrong, or even less than good on this record. Maybe an extra kick in the gut, wrench of the heart or dollop of Top 40 could push it higher. As a body of work, the album is universally excellent as it movingly explores Jeff Tweedy’s state of mind. Most of that mind focuses on trying to hang onto his relationships, which hang by a thread on several songs, but others see Tweedy mining nostalgia to keep his love alive. The thread songs hit hard in the beginning as bleakness prevails in “I Am Trying To Break Your Heart” and “Radio Cure.” Tweedy knows his relationship is on the rocks, likely due to his mistakes. The songs come close to breaking down, but the singer and lyrics offer clinging hope. Elsewhere, the romance that was once there, and still exists, makes an appearance. The wistful, driving and first-love of “Heavy Metal Drummer” keeps the album from becoming a full dirge. Likewise, “I’m the Man Who Loves You” utilizes a punchy set of horns and squawking guitar to add liveliness to Tweedy’s affirmational title. Unusual percussion instruments and strings on nearly every number add engaging elements, although at times feel a bit showpiecey. Tweedy is not a technically gifted vocalist, but he fits with the melodies to match the mood of a song in a gifted manner. Wilco has fallen into the “uncool” category in the last decade. True or not, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Hotel is a top notch record.
This album is definitely a grower. Simply from beginning to end I found myself liking their style more. At times, mostly in the beginning, it was a tad too slow and lamenting for me, but by the end, a song like "Reservations" made my heart swell. I definitely think I will reach back for song on this album and find my ranking rising. However, I was not expecting Elliott Smith to seem more vibrant than Wilco.
I like it! It may be a case of having listened to it at the right time in my life, but I think it holds up. In particular it picks up towards the middle from Jesus Etc onwards. It's more Flaming Lips/Beck psychedelia than I remember. I had if filled as straightforward guitar Pitchfork/Garden State indie
I don’t know if it’s because I’m pretty depressed right now or what, but this album hit me in the emotions. I did some research and it came out right after 9/11 and that made sense. Very emotional lyrics. Lots of odd notes and off putting sounds. Maybe not something I’d listen to on repeat, but loved the first listen through experience. 4.5
Definitely my vibe. Pretty out there at times but grounded enough to make it feel like a stable listen.
4. I’ve heard Jesus Etc. and Heavy Metal Drummer quite a bit in the past. I enjoyed War on War quite a bit. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart kinda threw me for a loop at first between its almost discord and odd lyrics. I had this album pegged as a 3 but kept coming back to it.
Love a classic emo album
Ahh a classic indie/hipster/alt-country darling. This album starts of strong with I am Trying to Break Your Heart. Jesus Etc. is just an absolutely timeless song. I also like Kamera,, I'm The Man Who Loves You, and Poor Places. I got into Wilco a little late and maybe this isn't the stone cold classic its reputation portrays, but it is a very good listen.
No empieza de la mejor forma pero acaba muy bien, muy melancólico. Un sonido de los 2000s que recuerda a las tardes de verano siendo niño.
Lovely to revisit this. A great album
Canciones que tienen partes curiosas pero algunas otras muy wenas, me gustó lo calmo de algunas
4.5/5. In 2024 I took a trip to Chicago with two close friends of mine. We did a ton of the typical touristy stuff like the Bean, getting deep dish, going to the top of a skyscraper, etc.. but when we were on an architecture boat tour along the Chicago River I saw the Marina City towers and thought to myself “woah, the Wilco Towers!” I immediately snapped a photo and edited it to look as close to the cover of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as I could. Due to that moment I ended up listening to the album for the first time in forever on my flight back home and fell in love with the album again. The opener “I am trying to break your heart” has this great sense of unease to it with these random drum hits going off along with a strange groove forming from the bass and piano parts. Then you get “Kamera” next which is a much more structurally normal song, but it’s also a banger. I also love “Radio Cure” which feels very loose in its verses but suddenly gains structure in its chorus, leading to a really nice back and forth. And the strong track list goes on and on with great songs like “Jesus etc” “heavy metal drummer” or “war on war.” If you’re looking for some good 2000’s indie, you really can’t go wrong with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.
Solid! Really good, excellent songwriting
4/5 Best Song: Jesus, Etc. Worst Song: Heavy Metal Drummer Weirdest Song: Radio Cure Great variety from track to track that carries through the entire album. Each song has a unique style but remains rooted in its eclectic indie rock DNA. Hard to pick a favorite or least favorite but "Jesus, Etc." is stuck in my head days after listening.
Jesus etc is a real classic and the other tracks are very strong too.
It took me a few listens to appreciate this album more I did think it was a bit overrated at one point but it think as an album yankee hotel foxtrot is a great experience some of the bands best songs are on here like i am trying to break your heart and Jesus etc definitely wilcos magnum opus 8/10 Favourite: I Am Trying to Break Your Heart Least Favourite: I'm the Man Who Loves You
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was my second album by Wilco. I really enjoyed Being There, so I went into this expecting big things and it definitely delivered. This is a fantastic album. I had it playing over and over throughout the evening, and it got better with every listen. It’s proof that American bands can make brilliant indie music, blending thoughtful songwriting with experimental and ambient sounds in a way that feels natural rather than forced. The album manages to sound both warm and distant at the same time, which gives it a really unique atmosphere. I’ll definitely be coming back to this one again. Favourite tracks: Reservations is a lovely track, and I really enjoyed I Am Trying to Break Your Heart. Honestly, every song on the album brings something worthwhile. Least favourite tracks: Every song deserves its place on the album. Album artwork: A really cool and memorable cover, even if I’m still not entirely sure what I’m looking at.
Like a less good Radiohead, good though
Need a bit more time with this but i reckon I could love this, right up my street. Interesting story behind it too, always nice to see a record label snubbed 8 / 10 Best track/s: heavy metal drummer, poor places, I am trying to break your heart
Enjoyed it a lot, great listening experience, and very unique
Love this. It's also leaning heavily into the Indie genre, but it works well for them. The mumble pop gets a little old, but the beats hold it together.
Absolute new for me, its nice!
I thought this would be thinner than I remember but the 2nd half of the album is very sweet.
Very nice Americana from a band I only knew from their work with Billy Bragg. Will listen again and I think it will grow on me. Jesus etc was my favourite on first listen.
some might argue that this album is boring but in my eyes it reflects the simpleness of everyday life and therefore it‘s really beautiful
I had this album on in the background while I did household chores, and honestly it was just right for that particular activity. Wilco feels more or less like most modern day indie bands, to me there's nothing particularly outstanding about them. Doesn't mean they don't make music that's pleasant to listen to or keep on in the background!
Excellent and surprisingly modern sounding. I’ve put off Wilco for many years because I’d expected them to sound nothing like this, frankly. Will take a deep dive.
me gusta mucho el estilo de wilco, especialmente los vocals de las canciones. conecté con algunas lyrics más que otras y terminé guardando 4 canciones. el álbum es objetivamente muy bueno.
Honestly i cant say i *get* it in full but i like a lot of whats here
A tu z każdą piosenką jest lepiej. Dobra alternatywa z początku XXI wieku. Melancholijna, niespieszna, lekka, ale gęsta. Piękny wokal. Dobra muzyka. 7.5/10
Goed maar soms ook een beetje saai
Muy lindo y relajante en su mayoría, tiene canciones bien estructuradas pero a su vez le meten sonidos y cosas más experimentales o para desorganizar los temas, las letras en su mayoría son abstractas pero algunas saben abordar ideas sobre el amor, la falta de pertenencia y estar perdido en la sociedad, muy bueno, creo que es uno de ésos albumes que suenan como su portada.