Mermaid Avenue

What a dragggggggg.

Nice surprise! I had absolutely no idea this existed before today

Pleasant journey with Billy and Wilco

Always liked this album

Meh and more meh punctuated with some Woody Guthrie lyrics. Sounds like what you hear in Starbucks, but you take your coffee to go because you have better music in your car.

Is this the greatest Dad Rock record of all time? Woody Guthrie ✅ Billy Bragg ✅✅ Wilco ✅✅✅.

Vrij gemiddelde Britse country, waarvan het meest opmerkelijke wellicht wel is dat het Brits is.

So I guess this is more Billy Bragg than Wilco. I like Wilco. I think I have overrated them in the past. This record was terribly average. Did Billy Bragg also do stuff with Eddie vedder? Who is Billy Bragg. Don’t think I care.

pretty mid, in all honesty

Never heard of Billy then I randomly came across this album and loved it

Decent little album. I liked the other BB album I got a bit more. I can't quite give it a 4 but it's damnably close.

Good country folk.

Sick album

didnt really like it at all Will I listen to again: 0%

Technically my average of these songs is a 2.1, but unfortunately for Billy and the gang the 1s were so egregiously bad (Hoodoo Voodoo, jesus take the wheel, and I guess etc), and this album is so unessential, I'm rounding down a digit. 1/5

7/10

I went into Mermaid Avenue mostly because I already like Wilco, but I ended up really enjoying the whole project. The concept itself is great—taking Woody Guthrie’s unused lyrics and having Billy Bragg and Wilco write new music around them—and it gives the album an interesting mix of old folk songwriting and late-’90s alt-country. I definitely preferred the Jeff Tweedy-led songs a little more, but the Billy Bragg material grew on me as the album went along too. “California Stars” was the immediate standout, Natalie Merchant was beautiful on “Birds and Ships,” and “She Came Along to Me” was another favorite. Most importantly, the album held up all the way through instead of losing me in the second half. This wasn’t a huge, immediate *wow* album—it was just consistently good and kept giving me songs I liked. Definitely one I’ll go back to.

Basically CTRL+C / CTRL+V my review from the Billy Bragg album I had the other day. I don't like this either.

This was a decently pleasant album. Three stars.

Kinda cool, but a bit all over the place.

Ingrid Bergman 🌟

3.5/5

It’s interesting. At first I wasn’t sure if I would still love this. But I do. It’s just lovely. It’s not fully cohesive. But lovely all the same. 4 Boolean: True

I really like billy bragg - but not his own lyrics and a backing band of boring musicians in wilco? snore

Full of skips, but that’s because I don’t really like singing around the fire while camping ahh songs. As I was listening I kept thinking about when it would end. It doesn’t sound horrible, just I find it boring.

Dober

I appreciated this. And I appreciated the project. 3

Solid album. Great lyrics. Love the rotation on voices from Bragg, Wilco, and female singers. Catchy tunes. I'll find my way back to this.

Billy Bragg is a punk Woody Guthrie, and this is Dust Bowl Americana with the sharp edges smoothed out by Wilco. It shouldn’t work but it kind of does, despite dragging a bit towards the end.

I liked the collab with Wilco, but apart from that it was dreary sludge.

I know both Billy Bragg and Wilco, but didn't realize they did this collaboration until this popped up. Woody Guthrie's daughter Nora contacted Billy Bragg about doing the album after he played a Guthrie tribute concert in Central Park. Bragg enlisted Wilco and they wrote the songs and recorded the music. Definitely a bluegrass/folksy sound to the songs. None of the songs stood out to me. I didn't mind listening and the songs are all solid, just nothing out of the ordinary in my opinion. But it's a cool concept and I'm glad this popped up on the list or I never would have known it existed.

a little underwhelming

Own it. Parts I love, like California Stars. Not a complete winner, but oh so close.

Bit too long. Nice vibe.

Very folky, as expected. Not my first time hearing Wilco. I'm a sucker for a story and some good singing, and this did not disappoint. Overall I liked the album, but it didn't grab me well enough to consider it great.

Definitely some light experimentation going on here that worked on only a few songs for me. The rest were either just meh or annoying. Still not bad folk rock though. 3/5

This is just one of those albums that you listen to, enjoy, and quickly forget about. It was a perfectly pleasant experience that made my evening a little more interesting, but I'll be honest I didn't really find it memorable in the slightest. It's by two artists who's other works on the list I have actually found myself quite enjoying, but this one just didn't hold my attention in quite the same way.

Is Billy Bragg the only Atheltico Mince character on this list?

There is definitely such a thing as too much Billy Bragg.

I enjoyed listening to this one. It’s an interesting back story too.

Pleasant surprise and definitely better than I expected.

better than the last Billy Bragg album surprisingly. Not something I'll go back to but at least on this one I can see some of the appeal

This album of Woody Guthrie covers is mediocre at best, nothing essential. After multiple Wilco records now, I think I can say with authority that I am not a Wilco fan. Pleasant enough instrumentals, but everything always seems listless. Most bearable: "Way Over Yonder in The Minor Key", "Hoodoo Voodoo", "Eisler on the Go" Better albums from 1998 that are not on this list: VAST - VISUAL AUDIO SENSORY THEATER 12 Rounds - MY BIG HERO Tori Amos - FROM THE CHOIR GIRL HOTEL Massive Attack - MEZZANINE

lovely listen, great voice

It's a nice album of Americana tunes, and an interesting update on Woody Guthrie songs. Its fine, but it's nothing I'm itching to hear again.

Got fired today, so here's the review. I liked it.

Not my thing. Like them both seperately but couldn't get into this.

Sometimes I just don’t understand how I missed some of these albums. I love Woody Guthrie and I love what Billy Bragg and Wilco have done with Woody’s music. I guess this is why I love this list so much. Hidden gems are out there for all of us no matter how different our tastes are.

This was okay to listen to for me - not really my sound however. Reminded me a bit of Bob Dylan, but with a voice that landed better on my ears.

I honestly don’t have much to say about this album, because the more I hear from Billy Bragg, the more I realize he’s just not really my kind of folk singer. As for Wilco, they’ve been pretty hit or miss for me depending on the album, and this one didn’t change that. Overall, this felt like a very middle of the road album. A couple of good tracks stood out, but there were also a few that I found pretty rough. Definitely not a favorite, but I can see why some people might connect with it more than I did.

65

Wait, this is a collaborative album using a dead man's lyrics which had never been released, as a way to create songs? That's innovative to say the least, and now I'm torn because I tend to deduct stars from artists who have too many cover songs on an album, but this is a completely different beast. Nevermind that rambling though. As creative as this idea was, unfortunately, the album is boring. Favorite Track: "Walt Whitman's Niece".

Easy folk blues record. Decent sounds all around but might not revisit it. It’s okay.

this album takes what wilco does good and puts it in a genre where it makes it feel generic and boring. very samey tracks.

I think I like my Wilco as Wilco. I think after the novelty of this album as an American country-folky sound with a more modern, indie Wilco production wears off, it becomes really boring and repetitive.

This was beautiful. 4/5 just cause I think it needs another listen to be fully convinced

Outstandingly ordinary. Definitely not a 'must hear' album. Shouldn't be on the list. Would rather listen to sea shanties. And I'd rather stick pins in my legs than listen to sea shanties.

Nothing earth shattering. Boring in bits, enjoyable in others. 2.5/5

Very good, gentle but powerful. Worth relistening.

i'm not usually a big fan at all of country adjacent styles, but there were some very good standout songs here (notably, "California Stars"). even with the tracks that i wouldn't consider standouts, they were, for the most part, at least up to par.

Lots of beautiful songs but this seems weird to release as a Billy Bragg + Wilco album, their halves felt completely different in style to me. Highlights: "Birds and Ships", "Ingrid Bergman", "Hesitating Beauty"

Only Wilco’s mid-tempo meh could defang Billy Bragg

A great collaboration, peppered with some wonderful tracks. Bragg is a lot more palatable than I found him in his solo album, although I certainly find myself favouring the tracks that Tweedy leads. Mum and Dad also really liked this one! Favourites: California Stars Bird And Ships One By One

This was great, but a bit disappointing. I love both Wilco and Billy Bragg’s work separately, Billy Bragg was one of my favourite artists earlier this year! However, I didn’t love this, it was pretty similar throughout and quite boring. The first few tracks were great, but after that, they started to feel a bit basic, that is, with the exception of the outro track, another standout! The quality of these tracks are not reflective of their work outside of the collaboration. I’d be willing to listen to this again to see if my opinion changes, but I didn’t love it upon my first listen.

A beautiful, slightly dragging album from two artists resurrecting another.

The spiritual pioneer for "stomp-clap-hey" music, which I detest, but there were a few songs that ventured more toward the outlaw country genre, and those were the songs I enjoyed. A very folky, easy listen that is inoffensive, but kinda dry. Overall it was fine. 3/5

Esse album é horroroso, e nem gosto do estilo musical Que que é esse começo mano, que horror, sério Nem acabar dá pra acabar

Curious folk music

There were a couple of Billy Bragg songs that I enjoyed but overall a boring sedate album.

This was good! I think I had a slight preference for the more Bragg stuff, but I till enjoyed the more Wilco songs. "Walt Whitman's Niece" and "Way Over Yonder In the Minor Key" were my faves on here, but also enjoyed "California Stars" "Ingrid Bergman" "Christ For President" and "Hesitating Beauty"

Some good vocals amidst some solid tunes, Probably too country leaning for my taste.

I enjoyed this enough it made me want to go back and reassess the earlier Billy Bragg album. I’ve been on a big folk kick recently, probably contributes.

I see why people like this but it's not for me

Another album that gets better and better the more I listen to it.

Solid album, good surfer vibes at times and some playful and joyful tunes. Really enjoyed the first song probably my favourite. 7/10

These sound like the songs a too American family would listen on a roadtrip. I hate it.

This album is an interesting concept in that the source for these songs is a bunch of old Woody Guthrie lyrics that Bragg and Wilco put backing music to. Unfortunately, the execution is a bit lacking at times due to the overall production seeming a bit lo-fi for 1998 (I'm not sure if that's a deliberate choice given the conceit of the project) and the split of songs between Wilco and Billy Bragg (the listener gets a bit of whiplash going back and forth between the two approaches). Wilco's songs fare better than Bragg's due to more cohesive structures and vocals that feel more in line with the "all-American sound" that Guthrie is known for (Bragg's British accent is quite thick). In particular, "California Stars" sounds like a Wilco song that's just a bit more countrified. The shambling "Christ for President" also works well with the music supportinf the tone of the lyrics. While "Hoodoo Voodoo" will win no awards for lyrics, it is a fun 60s garage band pastiche centered around energetic organ licks. Natalie Merchant also features on two songs, taking lead with a pretty vocal on the short "Birds and Ships". Overall, the idea of Mermaid Avenue is intriguing even if the final product lacks polish and cohesion. (2.5 rounded up to 3)

Great chill music. I would gladly listen again

Folk music. Good stuff.

mostly didn’t like but some were good!

This is a project I respect more than I enjoy. Wilco’s contributions feel like genuine Americana, but Billy Bragg’s attempts at country land as genre cosplay: all hat, no cattle. The accent, phrasing, and emotional tone never quite fit the Guthrie framework. “Walt Whitman’s Niece” is the weakest moment, a self‑aware bit rather than a performance. After a few listens, I appreciated the intent, but the album never fully gels. My Rating: 3/5

Ehhhh California stars was ok but overall not my cup of tea

love love

Es ist sehr langes warmherziger, schöner Country‑Folk, getragen von Braggs Direktheit und Wilcos melodischem Feingefühl. Die Songs haben Charme und eine ruhige, zeitlose Qualität – wirken heute aber auch etwas aus der Zeit gefallen. Ein respektvolles, angenehmes Projekt ohne echten Glanzmoment.

Cool way this album came together. Didn't change my life but worth a listen.

I think projects like this are great and a fun way to pay homage to another artist. This has some nice arrangements. If this found me organically It may have peaked my interest a little more. A fine collection of songs, but not enough to call this required listening.

Another edition of why is this album on this list???

Det va Mermaid Avenue vol II som va mitt album i den her rekka, men æ tror æ må ha hørt på det her også, for æ dro kjensel på nokka av det, og elska absolutt alt. Det e så bra, Woody Guthrie e så bra, alt e så bra.

Snnnzzzz....

Quite possibly the most sauceless folk album I’ve ever listened to. The vocals on this album, both lyrically, and especially musically are profoundly lazy. Folk is at its best when it’s introspective, deeply saturated in the ideology and experience of the singer and musicians behind it. So perhaps this shit is so uninspired because they’re unreleased songs by a different artist that they refuse to emulate in the slightest. It genuinely does not sound like they gave a shit, which is reductive and impossible to be true, but so much of the music comes off as flat, in message and tone. Guthrie was a far more talented singer, guitarist, and harmonica player than anyone gave a shit to try and match in this album. THAT BEING SAID, guys, maybe big dawg didn’t put some of these lyrics on a track for a reason? California Stars is a classic, but this shit is so limp. 1.5/5 I enjoy Wilco but this ain’t it

i love white people music !

The first 4 songs were so promising but then it tailed off

Looking forward to checking out the following volumes.

(Decent 7/10) Getting the opportunity to perform some unreleased Woody Guthrie songs that were written but never recorded, Billy Bragg with the aid of Wilco set out to help bring to life some of his lost legacy, and it works! Billy and Tweedy trade off songs (with one song featuring the wonderful Natalie Merchant of 10k Maniacs fame), and for the 50 minutes run-time this album manages to sound fresh and engaging throughout. It really evokes the type of folk rock and Americana that artists like Mac Demarco, Kurt Vile or Bill Calahan would employ in the 2010's, but 20 years earlier. While the second half of the album sort of fades into the background a bit, the front half has some of the best songs of the bunch and overall I think this album is pretty good. A very well performed tribute.

I think the story behind the album is more interesting than the music, but I do like the music. Not sure I'd consider it a must-hear, but I do like it. 3 1/2 stars

Either I am getting tired of this list, or I am just getting bored with mellow albums. There were a couple upbeat songs, but for the most part, it just dragged on and I got bored very quickly. I guess in my old age I need more exciting albums.

Timely! They played this at Solid Sound last weekend and I wish I could have been there. I like Billy Bragg but prefer the Tweedy-sung songs on this. Regardless, this album was such a cool idea and so well-executed. And some of the songs from this project ended up being among my favorite songs to see Wilco play live. I think my two favorites are "One by One" (on this volume) and "Remember the Mountain Bed" (Volume 2.)

Interesting collection/project/dedication album, I guess California Stars was supposed to be the big one here but just ok for me. I liked Walt Whitman's Niece and Way Over Yonder. There were some silly and some duds.

Awesome concept, so-so execution for me. I love Woody Guthrie and I think it's really cool that they were able to bring some to life that no one living had ever heard before. This fell a bit flat I think though. It felt far too polished and like it was lacking the genuine, raw passion that I like Woody for.

Hard to review songs that are all someone else's. I think overall the tone of this album was off and not necessarily a good representation of Woodie Guthrie. They didn't play poorly but it just didn't feel right at all.

Pretty nice.

This definitely has to be country, right? California Stars will definitely go to the playlist of songs my grandpa would listen to Birds and Ships?? OMG WHAT A LOVELY VOICE Eisler on the go was cute I liked the slower songs better Very nice record 👏 Solid 3

So I'm just about the biggest Wilco guy you're ever gonna meet, and up until a couple of weeks ago I'd have given this album like three stars. But that was before Billy and the band finally got together after 28 years to play this music live for the first time. I didn't go to Solid Sound this year, but I streamed the Mermaid Avenue set live, and it was an incredibly moving experience. So I'm hearing these songs with new ears now. And it's shocking how relevant almost all of Woody Guthrie's words are to this day. Gotta give a fresh listen to Volume II now as well. All you fascists bound to lose.

This one has been with me for a very long time. And it kind of found me in a weird way. I was familiar with Wilco, I was kind of getting into indie. On my iPod I had Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, Sky Blue Sky, and A Ghost is Born. I enjoyed all of these records, but I think I was a bit young. I didn't quite *get* Wilco yet. Despite dabbling in the indie world, I was still really into punk music and very into folk punk. So naturally, I found my way to Billy Bragg. I checked out a few records from the library, because literally no one that I knew at the time would have had Billy Bragg on their iTunes. I was stoked on Billy Bragg. He kind of checked all the boxes for me: folk, punk, British and liberal. I loved it. Through all of this, I stumbled upon this obscure record. "Wilco and Billy Bragg? The indie band collaborating with the protest folk punk? That can't be right." I gave it chance and it blew my mind. This really checked all the boxes. It kind of opened the door for me to really dive into Wilco and get deeper into the vast world of indie music, while still keeping a foot in door of punk and folk music. I love the lyrics, I love the melodies. I love the arrangements. This record is one of my all time favorites.

Interesting concept album. Billy Bragg voice warm and delivered the lyrics well. Started my day off with the listen. Thumbs up

Broke a solid week streak of 4s and 5s I had going with this mid album. Whats this doing here.

Its a decent album although not my preference. Nice voice control and happy album

I'm not particularly fond of Bragg, nor Wilco, and Country isn't really my stuff. I respect Guthrie, but there wasn't nothing in this album for me.

An excellent album with some beautiful moments. Not quite perfect, but close enough to be in my rotation! 8/10

Rating: 4.9/5 Short Review: Heartfelt, timeless, and quietly profound. Billy Bragg and Wilco breathe new life into Woody Guthrie’s unpublished lyrics without turning them into museum pieces. The result feels both rooted in history and completely contemporary. Favorite Track: “California Stars.” One of those songs that feels like it has always existed. Gentle, wistful, and unforgettable.

The ultimate alt country cross over album.

This was really well done. Not particularly my style, but it was enjoyable. There were good moments for sure. Very well done and fun...actual rating....3.5 Liked Songs: "California Stars" , "Birds And Ships" , "Hoodoo Voodoo" , "She Came Along To Me" , "I Guess I Painted" , "Hesitating Beauty"

OK, so this is the Billy Bragg album with Wilco. It's been so long since I've listened to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, so I can't really remember what it sounded like, but I don't remember it sounding like this. That said, this is a really good slice of alt-country. Interesting that all the lyrics are Woody Guthrie written. Love the bounce of Christ for President. Might not be something I'd go back to. Really good, but not really for me I don't think. We'll see if I ever do revisit it in the future though.

eh

An enjoyable enough folksy mashup of two great artists. But, by the end all I could think was that I’d prefer an additional album from each on the list rather than this colab.

meh. me gusto, pero no me volo ni me hizo quedar escuchando de mas

Ah, Woodie Guthrie. I didn't read that until after I listened. I know understood why Woody didn't record these songs...

novamente, meu gosto recente por um countryzinho bem executado me colocou numa situação chata não sei se foi tb pelo wilco no meio do caminho, mas achei bem ok.... dirigiria por horas em direção à minha terra natal com esse tocando em pelo menos algum trecho (definitivamente enquanto tocasse california stars, preferencialmente na divisa estadual)

pior que eh bem forte acho que wilco ajudou nesse aqui, mas o billy bragg tbm eh bom de serviço. ótimas canções, apesar de terem umas 3 bem chatas no meio. ainda eh bem bacana e vale a pena ouvir!!!!

Walt Whitman's Niece - 3/5 California Stars - 4/5 Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key - 4/5 Birds and Ships - 3/5 Hoodoo Voodoo - 2/5 She Came Along to Me - 3/5 At My Window Sad and Lonely - 4/5 Ingrid Bergman - 2/5 Christ for President - 2/5 I Guess I Planted - 3/5 One by One - 4/5 Eisler on the Go - 3/5 Hesitating Beauty - 3/5 Another Man's Done Gone - 3/5 The Unwelcome Guest - 3/5 Average score: 3.1/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ not bad. there were a few standout tracks, but most of the album was a little too country for my liking. alt-country is sort of a hit-or-miss genre to me for that reason, sometimes the balance between alternative and country is just off

Звучит приятно

I like the odd bit of Billy Bragg. I like the odd song by Wilco. There's not much on this album though that makes me desperate to hear it again. It's fine but no more than that.

Never heard about. After listening I understand why

What a beautiful tribute to Woody. A veritable whos-who of 90s folk/indie rock stars…Natalie Merchant, hello! Such an incredible gift from Woodys daughter to ask these artists to bring his words to life.

California Stars was easily the standout track for me. Both its sound and Woody Guthrie’s lyrics gave it a timeless quality, making it feel as though it could belong to almost any time or place. As for the rest of the album, many of the songs blended together for me on a first listen. I suspect I’d appreciate them more by paying closer attention to Guthrie’s lyrics.

Heard Before? Yup. Notes: - odd choice for this list. but I'm a lot more interested in the odd choices than the obvious ones. - the Woody Guthrie lyrics are spot on, of course, and they made great choices. - the rough and tumble mishmash of song styles, arrangements and production values feels just right, although they could have gone even more warts n' all and i would have loved it the same or better. - multiple vocalists really sells the whole idea of the project, and adds to the general messy atmosphere and creative tension. i can hear the songs getting pulled in different directions. Verdict: I wouldn't call it essential, but the tossed off aura of this is a welcome reprieve from a run of self-conscious "statement" albums. Listen Again? This one is worth a revisit every few years, and the other two volumes aren't bad either.

I really liked this vibe overall, not everything was amazing but I would listen again and enjoy

Modernizing the sounds of a folk legend using his unheard lyrics is a pretty cool music project. And they highly succeeded at this task! I was hooked on this from the first notes. They created some fun rockin' tunes and others that are more sentimental, and it's hard not to love them all. It feels like both a love letter to future generations from Woody himself, and also a love letter from Billy Bragg and Wilco back to Woody. They really honored his words in a lovely way.

Far more country than I expected, unfortunately that is the best I can say. He's no Richard Thompson, no Roy Harper, and no talent. 2

Billy Bragg and Alt-Country are the perfect fit. They are both shit.

If I could make my review then sound of a very long exhaled breath in relief of this finishing, I would. It didnt even sound like Billy Bragg's voice, when did he learn to sing in tune? Ad for the source material, why bother? It wasnt even listenable. File under shit. Wilco. Over and out.

Too much folk rock on this list. Too much...

loved this album from my first listen, maybe 10 top listened-to all time

Billy Bragg and Wilco do justice to Woody Guthrie's lyrics with a set of sometimes pensive, sometimes upbeat songs. The artists collaborate a few times but most of the songs are helmed by either Bragg or the band. Bragg's songs are more successful, as his simple and direct songs are a good fit for Guthrie's simple and direct lyrics. "Ingrid Bergman" and "Eisler on the Go" are particularly poignant. Wilco's songs sound like Wilco songs from this era, which is to say they're good country tunes without the experimentation the band would later try. They're a worse fit for the lyrics, and work less often. "One by One" is an exception there. This is an interesting experiment and it's nice hearing these lyrics, though I would argue they're not good enough to carry a set of mostly just alright songs.

Folk rock. Bien otro meh

Big Dan of Wilco, but this album has the entire Billy Bragg essence and energy. It’s classy and I like it.

This is not a "album to listen to before you die"

334/1001 Billy Bragg and Wilco - Mermaid Avenue Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ✅️ So the algorithm gods decided to throw me two country inspired albums in a row. There's a stark difference in enjoyment levels between the two. I'd listened to California Stars previously but decided to go into different Wilco albums and this got left by the wayside. Bragg's voice works surprisingly well on an Americana record and combined with Wilco, is a great side project. No idea why I didn't get to this sooner.

Great album, enjoyed it quite a bit.

it's not a bad album per se, but after the fifth dad rock adjacent recommendation I decided to take a break from this project, I want to diversify my taste not keep it in one genre

Country

I liked and didn’t like this one. Some of the instrumentals were fun and I liked the vibe, but other songs were a bit too slow for me.

aside from the first song, I really liked this!

Enjoyed a lot of these, Bragg's voice really suits the lyrics

Really not my thing

Decent stuff here, second song is way better than the rest though there's def some other songs here that are pretty good

Great vibes

C’était fort jovial ! C’était un album composé de textes de Woodie Guthrie encore jamais interprétés, mis en musique par Billy Bragg et Wilco (totalement inconnus pour moi). Bon, passons sur la question de pourquoi ne pas avoir tout simplement inclu un album de Woody Guthrie à la liste (je parie qu’il n’y en a même pas). Concentrons-nous un peu sur cet album. C’est donc une interprétation moderne à laquelle on a droit. Le groupe a l’air de se faire plaisir et, il faut bien le dire, on dirait même des reprises tellement la musique qu’ils ont écrite est dans la lignée de ce qu’aurait pu composer Woody Guthrie lui-même. Donc autant dire que je trouve l’hommage de haute qualité. J’hésite encore entre le 3 et le 4, on verra bien demain matin.

I liked this one. Plus the cover art is good.

A great idea: take the lyrics Woody Guthrie left behind and set it to a style of music that appeals the tastes of a younger generation.

3/5

Ugh. The songs were so repetitive.

Meh

California Stars - simple straightforward song. Enjoyed Natalie Merchant’s contribution on Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key. And At My Window Sad and Lonely also strong. Alt country, folk, Americana (doesn’t seem right with Bard of Barking)? It’s almost a 4. Just don’t think it’s something I’d ever really decide to go back to.

Despite being a Bragg fan and more recently a fan of Wilco this album never quite resonated with me. Not really a fan of Bragg's forced American accent. The high points are undoubtedly California Stars for Wilco and Ingrid Bergman for Bragg but very much a mixed bag

Wilco been one of my bigger find/dives from this thing - they reign in some of their more creative talents here, but this is a pretty unique and charming record and I think just about worthy of a 4....

I like me some early Billy Bragg and feel Spy v Spy or Brewing Up would be far more appreciated by me than this album. It’s not a bad album, it’s just pretty derivative and doesn’t offer anything of great interest beyond the obvious pick of California Stars

felt like a goddamn cowboy listening to this.

Something about it doesnt match my style but it is pretty pretty good, 7.5/10

boring

I love Wilco and Billy Bragg individually, but admit that this project isn't quite the sum of the parts. It's good and I've listened to it many times since it's release, but I'd rather listen to one or the other do what it is that they do

Loved this. Way over yonder the highlight. Will be going back

Wow. What a find. As someone who is a casual LOVER of The Shins, this hits as a twangy version of them. I can listen to this for hours.

Eh, I really don't like country sounds. Interesting project with the lyrics being old and writing these later, but still didn't land with me.

was prima.. country oodellallyy

dit s echt vage country

The songs are really great, both musically and lyrically, and are they're consistently good enough that I can't go through the tracklist and pick on any of them, but... they do end up getting forgettable in the second half. Some of that comes down to the production, which is kinda same-y with just a few exceptions. These songs are much more engaging in live performance. But that's picking at flaws of an album I really like, a 3.5/5. I don't think I'd put it in list of 1000, though.

I like it.

# Album Name: Mermaid Avenue # Artist: Billy Bragg # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: Found it pretty boring overall. Two good songs but the length of this album brought it down. Felt like it went on forever. # Top Tunes: birds and ships / Way over yonder # Would I listen to it again? No

Solid background music to start the day to

Listens: 3 Standout Tracks: California Stars, Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key, Hoodoo Voodoo, Hesitating Beauty I didn't quite care for a Billy Bragg's album Talking With the Taxman About Poetry, and I wasn't particularly enthused about Wilco's Being There, either. So, I was not looking forward to this. Ultimately however, I ended up really enjoying this collab. It reminded me of Cake, mostly, but other bands too. And there were some quite funky tracks on the album too. Maybe I enjoyed it because it was Woody Guthrie's lyrics or something? I was mostly concerned it was going to devolve into another Country-ish album, but it only teetered the line and mostly stayed in the rock category. I am tempted to give this a 5. I think I will.

a couple of standouts but overall i really didn’t care for the arrangements. The instrumentation felt very bland from track to track. The lyrics, of course were fantastic and kept me interested.

I wasn't expecting much but really enjoyed this. Great songwriting.

Very easy listening summer time vibes

Much preferred the Bragg songs over the Wilco written songs, but appreciated that they both gave their own flavor on here without feeling too too different (although you can definitely tell their are 2 different song writers at play here). Interesting in thay they are taking old songs and re-writing them but keeping the lyrics. Mr. Bragg is coming to folk fest this year, which is pretty cool! Great summertime album, one to roll the windows down to on a warm summers night.

it was nice

My brother had this album when we were both living in Seattle. It’s interesting to hear something that I actually know extremely well, but never put on myself. Kind of like a visitor from a distant place, time and space. So I suppose I have a special love for it that can’t be separated from that feeling. I don’t know if I would put it on myself, but hearing California Stars today almost brought me to tears. 4 Boolean: yes, very glad to hear again before I die

It was fine

Back in college, I tried to listen to this and just didn't get it. 20+ years down the road and I get it now. Enjoyed this immensely. 4.5/5

3/5

Not knowing anything about this album it was fine and listenable. Special? I don’t know/ didn’t think so.

Tällaista holkkia jossa paljon hyviä rytmejä mutta myös kivaa melodista laulantaa. Nais-ja mies solistit molemmat osasivat asiansa.

I liked the concept of this album. The fact that they are Woody Guthrie songs but recorded by a backing band with a different then usual singer. I very much enjoyed the Natalie Merchant cameo and the Christ for President song was a good one for my 'Merica - fuck yeah playlist.

Awesome folk/country sound. Have not heard of Bragg before this but am very interested in diving into his back catalogue after this album.

Quite nice.

Country/Blue Grass/Rockabilly. It’s ok. Not my fav.

I don't get it

Not my favorite from Wilco, but Hoodoo Voodoo was good.

Another country album, great

Some highs and lows. But overall pretty good and a cool story behind the album itself. I knew California Stars pretty well but morning else and enjoyed it

Not really sure what I thought of this - might take a few more listens. Love Wilco, never been a fan of Bragg, and that kind of was the theme. Some fab songs, some duds. Will definitely listen again though.

One of my favourite albums. I borrowed this from my mom about 20 years ago and never gave it back

So great but oddly not as spectacular as I remembered. Still 5.

Just a really good album from stsrt to finish. 5 stars or A.

lovely little album

One of the best collaborations ever produced almost 50 songs of Woody Guthrie lyrics set to Bragg's and Wilco's music. I love when projects like this bring out the best in each artist and this most certainly did that. Add Natalie Merchant on a couple of songs and it's a folk rock masterpiece. The second volume of Mermaid Avenue, released a few years later, is just as good as this one. I will get to see Bragg and Wilco play these songs live at the Solid Sound music festival next month, the first time they've ever performed them live together, and I can't wait. In a time of rising fascism and division, we need Woody's songs more than ever.

Always loved the concept here. Woody Guthrie was a terrific, prolific songwriter and activist, whose poetry and homegrown American leftism deserves to be remembered. But the recordings of his stuff are super primitive, so giving it this refresh was badly needed. Billy Bragg was the perfect man for the job, but then throw in Summerteeth-era Wilco and the whole thing is just perfect. Way Over Yonder and Hesitating Beauty are two of my favorites, and I never realised how good the closing track The Unwelcome Guest is until this listen. Can't go wrong with any of the Mermaid Avenues, but this has to be the best front to back

Listened while taking the fam around. I think it was....fine.

den mou polu arese genika alla eixe liga kala tragoudia pou den thumamai kan pos legonte. apla mou thumise ligo country parolo pou leei i tupas oti kanei folk. kapoia pou mou aresan: one by one, ingrid bergman, kai eisler on the go

irgendwie boring... billy bragg ist so countryesque, wilco ist eigentlich cool aber es ist mid

A bit of country, a bit of pop rock, a bit of other stuff I don't remember. I had too little sleep. But I remember it was quite mid, but not bad. So 3 stars it is.

I was surprised that I knew a few tracks off this album! I have kind of liked more Billy Bragg but I still liked this album more than I would have thought. 3.5

Hmm. Fun and interesting premise. Liked the Wilco vocals the least.

definitely a curveball from all my previous listens. this one was very folksy, very twang-y, a loooott slower paced. some parts of it i really enjoyed: woody guthrie's lyrics lend themselves to a unique, kind of timeless quality, something old but yet it feels like it's sort of always been around. there were misses on certain songs, but i more think its due to me not liking the voice of one of the singers. he sings outside of his register often and it makes his voice crack something fierce, which i couldn't stand. the other singers were all perfectly fine though! nice melodies, pleasant guitar + harmonica and violin, some great harmonies in particular. it was nice to have a very downbeat break from all my previous albums, to listen with the window open and the night breeze roll in. i have to wonder how many of these songs were only lyrics and without any melodies to accompany them, or if they had certain melodies written in mind that the performers followed. highlights: california stars, way over yonder in the minor key, birds and ships (this one's a real standout, if you check out this album at ALL at least listen to this one), one by one, the unwelcome guest.

Pretty chill album.

Did not enjoy this

I like these guys. Bit random for the 1001 list to be honest but I guess it's cool that they're collaborating on the same one album. So I'll give it 5 stars mainly from a sentimental perspective. The music was good but they each have better albums musically tbh.

Occasionally beautiful but dumb as hell

Like this, easy to listen to and some nice songs, enjoyed this one.

I had high hopes for this, both because the first cassette I ever owned, aged 8 or 9, was Woody Guthrie, and because I have always felt I really should like Billy Bragg…. But it just seemed rather bland.

Average country music done by very unskilled musicians and some insufferable monotone singers. This list is so full to the brim of such americana mediocrity, that I'm starting to question the musical tastes of the people that made it. I would respect an aural abomination like De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas by Mayhem a lot more than this generic elevator music: At least that horrendous album took some courage to be released in the first place.

Jeg kan godt lide idéen om at genoplive kunstnere ved at lægge musik til deres uudgivede materiale. Jeg er også for nylig blevet glad for en håndfulde Wilco numre, og kan godt lide den mere moderne lyd de tilføjer. Må også indrømme at jeg bedre kan lide de sange hvor Jeff Tweedy har lagt vokal til. Albummet har en meget chill energi med et par enkelte jigs indimellem. Lyrikken på dette album er fantastisk! Standouts: California Stars, Birds And Ships, At My Window Sad And Lonely, One By One, Another Man's Done Gone

This is even better than I remembered. One or two duds but overall five stars.

I guess this is a novelty album. Very interesting idea that works better than it should. It must be the Woody of it all that makes it sound old fashioned. I didn’t love it, but solid like.

Most friend groups have a fairly unified taste in music, with a few outliers here and there. For us, Wilco was one of these points of controversy. Some think Tweedy is a genius who deserves the legacy of Bob Dylan, others (my brother) belong to the more quietly devastating school of thought that “Wilco sucks”. I’m currently somewhere in the middle, and I’m sure I will explore this further as the list progresses. As for this ambitious concept album, I thought it actually worked rather well. Exceeded my expectations, but Spotify was no help to the cause by recommending “California Stars” to me relentlessly for years, like a total pest.

Concept good

Feels like a compilation of songs all by different artists, rather than a cohesive album

Wasn’t too bad, nothing was sticking with me though.

Incest musik

I didn't know about this album before being assigned it. I found the ways Bragg and Wilco arranged music for these Guthrie lyrics quite appealing - tender, slightly melancholy - reasonably consonant with the musical styles Guthrie used, but sensitively updated. I may listen to some of these songs again, probably not play the whole album, but I'll still say it's Good, 7/10.

Put this on at a bar where everyone is drinking beer out of mugs.

It’s an okay album, not bad, not great. The songs are usually pretty decent, but very many of them are quite repetitive in composition and by the end I get tired of them. The lead vocals is pretty much shared by Billy Bragg and Jeff Tweedy. The best song though is the one sung by Natalie Merchant… Favourites: Birds and Ships

Wow. Nice!

cool …if your 75 years old

8.5/10

Wonderfull …

Like this more for the spirit of Woody Guthrie’s lyrics and wit than the actual execution of them behind it. Ah well.

The story behind this album re Woody Guthrie lyrics might be the coolest thing I’ve heard music wise in a long time. And I don’t hate Natalie Merchant’s contribution

Enjoyed this more than I thought. The tunes were very 90s, but nice to hear. 3.5

1. niece - 0 2. ztarz - 1 3. minor - 2 4. birdz - 2 5. vodoo - 0 6. came - 1 7. zad - 2 8. ingrid - 2 9. chrizt - 0 10. guezz - 0 11. one - 1 12. go - 2 13. beauty - 0 14. another - 1 15. guezt - 1

Such a lovely tribute to Woody Guthrie. Both Wilco and Bragg sound great here and both have their times to shine. Favorite track: California Stars

Not bad, kind of has a folk vibe to it with a bit of rock.

A very uneven album with a lot of highs and lows. Bragg is incredible as always, but he alone can't counter how awful Wilco sounds on the songs they take lead. There's a commercial sound Wilco brings that really cheapens the lyrics in their focal songs. Unfortunately, and would be a 5/5 if it was a Bragg solo album. Top tracks: California Stars, Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key, Birds and Ships

Good lyrics smooth sounds not a bad package overall

not a big fan of country, but i really love the lyrics and instrumentals Favorite Songs: Walt Whitman's Niece, California Stars, Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key, Hoodoo Voodoo, Ingrid Bergman, Christ for President, One by One, Hesitating Beauty, Another Man's Done Gone, The Unwelcome Guest

This is so cool! I like the idea of modernizing old song ideas. I think if some of the songs went in different directions, I would have loved it.

Kinda melancholy. California Stars was my favorite. And the song One By One. 5.7/10

a good album for long car trips. nostalgic and easy. jury's still out on whether billy bragg can actually sing but he makes good music nonetheless.

I’ve been unfair to both Billy Bragg and Wilco on this list, in retrospect, so it’s nice for them to return together in such good spirits. A cheerful record in execution, even the sombre tracks are soufflé.

I feared this would be a pretty dry wholegrain vegan affair, but it turned plesantly into a real grower. Initially the Wilco-led songs were easier to get into but eventually Billy's ones stood out and the whole thing was pretty enjoyable. Sounds like everyone had fun with the material without being too serious.

I feel that I should like Billy Bragg more than I do. I don't know if it's his singing style, or the music he makes, but it never hits quite as well as I hope it will. Sorry Billy. This album in particular is good, I can't deny it, but just not great.

Great poet

Favorite Tracks: Walt Whitman’s Niece Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key I broke my rule and added two songs to the playlist today!

no suena mal pero no es mi estilo de musica medio yankee aburrido 6/10

++: California Stars, Hoodoo Voodoo, Ingrid Bergman, Christ for President, I Guess I Planted +: Walt Whitman's Niece, One by One +-: She Came Along to Me, At My Window Sad and Lonely, Eisler on the Go, Hesistating Beauty, Another Man's Done Gone, The Unwelcome Guest -: Birds and Ships, She Came Along to Me --: Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key 4,2/10

This is #day624 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… honestly, I've got no idea why you must hear this before you die. This record is nothing more than a pre-'00s alt-country/folk rock with little value. I get it, it's an album composed of unused lyrics by..., but it's still country anyway. Need I say more, given the list of my worst genres on this journey? This is a low 2 out of 5. Looking forward to #day625.

No fav song

Just a 2 or maybe 3 for me, but California Stars is phenomenally great tune, so it elevates it to a 4.

Woody? Billy? Wilco? This is so far up my alley it's unbelievable. And true to form, I really enjoyed it. I admired the way that Wilco had managed to make the music sound like them while still retaining that simplicity and down-at-homeness that Woody Guthrie would have intended. And I really do think that Billy Bragg puts in some of his best performances on here. Finally, what a treat to have a bit of Natalie Marchant on here - her voice is so beautiful and melds really nicely with the instrumentation on her track.

A 2 for me likely means the album was a guest that outstayed its welcome - grateful I met it, a little annoyed I had to listen as long as I did, and beyond happy to move on

I guess I need to rethink my “I hate all country music” attitude

great album

This was cute. Im not mad that I wasn’t on the initial Wilco bandwagon. They’re fine and this was fine

I liked this one even though the first 5 songs were so different.

A bit of a slog in a few places, but mostly rather enjoyable.

Great concept for an album. I'm a Wilco fan and hadn't realized California Stars came out of this Collab. A slice of Americana and country that sits well with me.

I wouldn't be Bragging

Good

I loved this a lot. It made me quite sad but also felt very familiar and lovely and i really enjoyed reading about the album and woody and how it all came about. ‘Way over yonder in the minor key’ is just such a good lyric.

This one washed over me, no complaints but nothing I feel called to particularly comment one, except I mistook the northern uk accent on the first song as distinctly Australian so that got a second play

Yeah wow. As a big fan of Woody Guthrie, I found this to be a really touching way to honour his work. Additionally, I just loved the sound of the album. Way over Yonder in the Minor Key was far and away my favourite (mayhaps because it felt the most traditionally folky to me) but Natalie Merchant’s vocals were the highlight for me.

I was excited because I love Billy Bragg (another top played artist in my household growing up) but then realised I didn't know any of the songs from this album and also it was stylistically not at all what I was expecting. Which is obviously the Wilco collab aspect (I am very aware of them and Pitchfork's historic love for them without ever hearing one of their songs) and the Woody Guthrie lyrics tribute concept. Which I think is cool! But not really the sound I would go for

I love this album. It’s beautiful. Hoodoo Voodoo is the only out of place song on a side one that is otherwise just great song after great song. Natalie Merchant does a fantastic job with her guest vocals. Billy Bragg’s contributions are overall better in my opinion, but California Stars is the apex of this record.

It had a lot of variety and some tracks I really liked while others really weren't my style. I don't think I will listen to this again, but I didn't mind my listen too much.

A bit of a slog to get through. It had a lot of variety though, which is hard for a folk album, but it's just not my thing.

Great. Love the songs. Memories

An interesting concept. Quite listenable but nothing to really stand out or stay in mind. Weak three stars. 2,5

This one really deserves another listen. I really enjoyed Guthrie’s lyrics with Bragg and Wilco’s interpretation.

I didn’t really get this one at first then looked at some of the info about this album. The change in perspective did wonders

I ended up giving up on this as I wasn’t enjoying it. I like some of Billy Bragg’s own material but guess I’m not a fan of him doing covers. I don’t know, this just didn’t work for me.

I really liked a couple of the tracks but most of it is very much not my thing. I feel bad giving it a 2 somehow.

Never heard of Wilco before and enjoyed Billy Bragg with an American twang - good stuff

I was really excited about this, but it just kinda passed me by. It was a really busy work day whilst listening so it didn't get proper attention, and I think it is likely an album that wants some attention to lyrics etc. I will return.

Did I need to listen to this? no. But I enjoyed my time with it and will 100% forget it in about an hour Best Song: California Stars Rating: 6.5/10 Stars: 3

Niets bijzonders, klonk prima op achtergrond

Don't really have much to say on this one. I think both Wilco and Billy Bragg have done much better work than this.

This was great. A pleasant surprise

Not great.

It doesn't matter how good the lyrics are when the music is boring and the singer is whiny

Voisi ajatella, että en pitäisi tällaisesta musasta Jostain syystä kuitenkin pidon tästä todella paljon. Perinteistä Amerikan meininkiä mutta jotenkin poikkeuksellisen hyvin tehtyä. Erityismaininta biisiparille One by one ja Eisler on the Go. 5/5

mooie samenwerking met Wilco en wijlen Woody Guthrie... goeie teksten, goeie muziek...

My familiarity with Wilco is solely based on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which I consider of the finest records of this century so far. Curiously, I never sought out any more of their music until today the gods of randomness blessed me with Mermaid Avenue. At first I was hesitant, but it quickly became apparent that I was enjoying each song more than the last. My rating system starts with an expectation. I expected an above average score, but it kept growing. I don’t think I can give the highest rating, but I will almost certainly listen again and maybe even consider it the equal of YHF. 4 (abd a half) stars.

Forgettable

заебало фолкокантри

Didn’t enjoy this album. Was folk music that I didn’t connect with

Nothing wrong with this, just kind of boring. I'm not really into the indie sound. This feels like a spiritual ancestor to the stomp clap thing that I really hate.

Lo escuché mientras me bañaba

Not really my thing, One by One was pretty good though.

Kind of a fascnating experiment, especially coming as Wilco was still finding its footing (and two albums before Yankee Hotel Foxtrot). The songs work well, and the lyrics are suprisingly timeless given when Woody Gutherie would have written them.

I do like Wilco a lot! And Billy Bragg is a person as well.

duró demasiado o soy yo?

It's ok. I've listened to some Wilco before and I think they got some good songs. I'm not too crazy on this album though.

I want to like WILCO more than I do. They are raw and simple musically while still being good. They are honest but almost overly so and feels sometimes like it's ironic. 3.

3.5ish, leaning more into the 4 than the 3, though.

Стихи послушали

I can't help but feel like this is on the list to make sure Woody Guthrie was included somewhere. I do think it's a shame his "Dust Bowl Ballads" isn't placed here. He is, without a doubt, one of the most important folk songwriters, whose body of work would influence the political folk singer-songwriters of the sixties. His lyrics are what stand out on this album—the music itself is fine, but nothing to write home about. As a preservation of lyrics that would have otherwise been forgotten in his archives, it's a worthwhile venture, and I don't regret hearing it. As a work of art, I wasn't particularly impressed.

Consistent and enjoyable throughout but never connected on a hit.

This is a great concept and I really enjoyed several of the songs.

I really didn't like this :(

1.5 - Bad