Reviews (page 5 of 8)
I love Billy Bragg, I like Wilco so I had high hopes. So this was a huge disappointment. Really liked Way Over Yonder In A Minor Key and Birds and Ships but most of the rest is pretty meh.
Kinda fun. Irish folk esk but with a modern twist.
As a casual fan of both artists, i've not come across this record before so was very intrigued when it popped up. 'Walt Whitman's Niece' is a great upbeat opener from Bragg with a fun singalong section that sets you up nicely for the album, and California Stars is a lovely follow-up. Then, we go back to Billy Bragg for 'Way over Yonder in the Minor Key' and 'Birds and Ships', two beautiful tracks which both feature Nathalie Merchant. Then, 'Hoodoo Voodoo' kicks in with a catchy riff and it feels like we're back to a Wilco sound which left me questioning whether this was really a joint album, or a collection of tracks from two different artists? Having read into the background of the album it became clear it was in fact the latter, but all written using lyrics written in the 1950s by Woody Guthrie! A very cool and unique project which must have taken a lot of buy-in from different parties. After the strong first half, the album starts to feel more confused and the song quality dips, but it is well worth a couple of listens for the novelty alone. 6/10
A nice to listen to album, liked the folk influence and it's lyrics. You cam listen to this one anytime and it's a pleasant time.
"En el capítulo 3 de "Crónicas. Volumen 1", las memorias de Bob Dylan que parece que nunca tendrán volumen 2, titulado Tierra Perdida, el adusto rockero dedica sus últimas páginas a recordar una curiosa anécdota. La que explica como Woody Guthrie le contó en el sanatorio en el que estaba ingresado que en su casa de Coney Island había unas cuantas cajas de cuadernos con textos de canciones a las que nunca había puesto música. Imaginen cómo debieron abrirse los ojos de un jovencísimo Dylan, que no dudó en plantarse allí para conseguir tal tesoro. Con lo que no contaba Bob es con lo que iba a encontrarse allí. Margie, la mujer de Woody, había salido. En la casa solo estaba el pequeño Arlo, hijo el músico y todavía lejos de seguir los pasos de papá, con su cuidadora que, viendo las pintas que traía Dylan, no le dejó entrar. Con cierta acritud poco disimulada, la historia se finiquita con Dylan escribiendo que “cuarenta años después, esas letras caerían en manos de Billy Bragg y del grupo Wilco, que les pondrían melodía y les darían vida para grabarlas. Todo se llevó a cabo bajo la supervisión de Nora, la hija de Woody. Aquellos intérpretes quizá no habían nacido siquiera cuando realicé la expedición a Brooklyn”. Una coletilla final que no deja duda a la sensación que tenía Dylan de que él debía haber sido el elegido para tamaña aventura." https://www.mondosonoro.com/blog-musica/billy-bragg-wilco-mermaid-avenue/ Este artículo merece realmente la cada letra. Y el documental al que hace referencia también. Del álbum, no tan bueno como hubiera sido esperable, la mejor canción es California Stars de Tweedy. Otro clásico de Wilco es Hesitating Beauty. Bragg musicó 8 temas, con The Unwelcome Guest como cierre perfecto, Tweedy tres y con Bennet dos, el resto fueron cosa de los tres juntos como en la animada Hoodoo Voodoo. Los problemas de Benneth con Tweedy algo tendrían que ver en el resultado final. Way Over Yonder In THe Mirror Key cuenta con Natalie Merchant en los coros, luego es la voz de Birds And Ships. Los discos de Wilco, la última gran banda americana, están bien representados en esta lits. bragg también tiene alguno. ¿Qué aporta este álbum? Las letras de Woody y la actualización de su legado. Me alegro de que Dylan no hubiese insistido en meterle mano.
Curti
Pretty decent
Solid folky americana. Didn’t stand out but was pleasant
Rv
really liked some of the songs on here! specifically california stars. some of the other songs a bit dull though. may be a bit biased bc this got me into wilco, and i found foxtrot to be incredible
It’s like a Very Special Wilco album
Ihan ok, vaikken jaksanut kuunnella loppuun. 2,75/5.
Böyle tatlı da gibi ama çok ölmedim ilginçli
Meh
Knew two songs. Fan of both artists.but never gave the album full attention. Great Woodie project. Will listen again.
3.5
its ok.
That's not my taste in music - But ok
Sounded very country to me, but for country digestable. Not my thing but didnt explicitly hate it.
Not exceptionally memorable but a nice background listen
This album is the perfect litmus test for what average music is.
favorites: loved most
Encore du rock blues de cowboy, avec quelques originalités plus modernes
Sympa Mais je pense que c’est mieux en concert
Det her er sådan noget sydstats coyntry folk rock, det må det være. men ikke den type jeg kan lide, jeg kan sgu ikke forklare det. Fordi det er ikke fordi jeg ikke kan lide country folk, men der er bare noget jeg ikke kan lide. Jeg må lige prøve at dykke ned i hvad det er, men måske er det fordi der er så meget rent akustisk guitar og det er på den kedelige måde? jeg ved det sgu ikke helt præcist. Måske er det fordi jeg ikke læser teksterne? Jeg kan desuden også godt lide sydstats rock, for jeg kan godt lide Kings of Leon så det kan heller ikke være det. Måske er det dét rootsinspirerede med vokalerne og det instrumentale. Nå men historien er, at det åbenbart er et album som er blevet skrevet af en gut tidligere hvis datter så har spurgt andre kunstnere om de ikke ville nyfortolke dem ikke på en museums agtig måde men give dem nyt liv. Så det er jo en meget speciel måde at "kuratere" musik på, så tænker det også har noget at gøre med at det er med på listen. At det nærmest er sange som går i arv eller bliver holdt i live fremfor bare at ligge og samle støv. Det bliver ikke topkarakter for mig må jeg sige, det er bare sådan lidt hey det var godt osv. Ved ikke om det igen er noget med dagen at jeg ikke værdsætter det på, for jeg synes konceptet og historien er super cool så det burde være mega interessant.
#827. This playlist threw a lot of hipster folk at me in the beginning, but it's been a while since the last one. I kinda forgot how same all of it is. I actually think Way over Yonder in the Minor Key was pretty good, but the rest wasn't really doing it for me. 3/5: fine. Or fine-adjacent anyway.
clunky, nothing sticks. Very medium.
In my book, Billy Bragg is AOK, Wilco is great, and Woody Guthrie, whose lyrics are covered here? Love him. But here is the thing, all of these artists are known for their lovingly lo-fi approach to songwriting. This just sounded like bad pub rock, except for Way Over Wonder in the Minor Key (thanks to Natalie Merchant for backing vocals). I find it interesting that Dylan tried to get these lyrics in the 50s but the relevant people were “not at home” when he visited. He later commented on Mermaid Avenue “These performers probably weren't even born when I had made that trip to Brooklyn." Disappointed much? Well I sure was.
Good. Not super memorable but I enjoyed it
a breeze.
Never really 'got' Billy Bragg but this was OK
An interesting concept to the album, well executed. Would I listen again? Probably not but I can see why it's on the list.
i have no strong feelings about billy bragg or woody guthrie but i do like wilco. this is pleasant
Album #1,009 Better than the Wilco albums on this list. Folky and a little bluegrass sounding. I liked the song with Natalie Merchant.
Buen disco que tampoco me estaba flipando demasiado, hasta que llegó por el final el tema Eisler On The Go y casi me vengo abajo. Qué buen tema. El resto bien pero más sin más. Nunca había escuchado más Wilco que Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, y Billy Bragg cero, pero el que más me interesó con este disco fue Woody Guthrie, y me dediqué a escuchar más música suya durante el día. Bien pero no me volvió loco.
It was fine
The premise of this project is really cool and I respect that Billy Bragg and Wilco saw this thru, bringing Woody Guthrie’s words to life. California Stars is the obvious standout here, excellent song. There are some other decent tunes peppered throughout but it just doesn’t feel like a cohesive album overall. It’s worth listening to but I’m not gonna return to it. 3 stars
I feel like the best thing about Billy Bragg is when he sings in his strong accent, but I don't think he really does that here, unless the dude from Wilco sings a lot of the songs. There's a fair few more emotive country type songs, and I think Wilco being a more modern band, they feel quite good, like the most popular song, which might be the best. Favourite songs: California stars, birds and ships, she came along to me, at my window sad and lonely, eisler on the go. Overall around 6/10
Not really my cup of tea. Can see how it is a banger for some though
Mermaid Avenue - Len Houmous’ pet name for his 5th wives lady garden! 3.2 2/15 California Stars
Favorite track(s): California Stars, Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key, Christ for President
Better than I was expecting
3.5/5
A few stand out tunes. But otherwise not my favorite Wilco. 3.5
Fun, liked their vocals, great variety, the album wasn’t boring which is all I ask for. 3.4
Good ol fashioned folk. Not incredible, but not bad.
Me hearing every Wilco song: 😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘 Me hearing every Billy Bragg song: 😠😠😠😠😠😠😠😠 So basically not that good.
Enjoyed it. Makes sense since it is Woody Guthrie’s lyrics. Cool idea for an album. 3.5/5 Might listen again
3.5 (49:20, 15 tracks, 1998, compilation) Wilco and Billy Bragg split duties writing music for previously unheard lyrics by Woody Guthrie. Woody's daughter, Nora Guthrie, contact both to create Mermaid Avenue. A second volume of recordings, Mermaid Avenue Vol. II, followed in 2000. I love Wilco, like Bragg a lot (love some songs) and respect the hell out of Guthrie so I wanted to love this album but for me it's just OK. Beautiful in many ways but not an album I plan to put on frequent repeat. Best song - Songs in a Minor Key 1. Walt Whitman's Niece 3:53 - Bragg 2. California Stars 4:57 - Wilco 3. Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key 4:06 - Bragg 4. Birds and Ships 2:13 - Bragg 5. Hoodoo Voodoo 3:12 - Wilco 6. She Came Along to Me 3:26 - Bragg 7. At My Window Sad and Lonely 3:27 - Wilco 8. Ingrid Bergman 1:50 - Bragg 9. Christ for President 2:39 - Wilco 10. I Guess I Planted" (Music: 1997) 3:32 - Bragg 11. One by One 3:22 - Wilco 12. Eisler on the Go 2:56 - Bragg 13. Hesitating Beauty 3:04 - Wilco 14. Another Man's Done Gone 1:34 - Bragg 15. The Unwelcome Guest - 5:09 Bragg
I didn’t really connect with this. The other Billy Bragg album I really liked but here I think the instrumentation is distracting and the lyrics aren’t as good.
нормалек, негатива не испытал, позитива тоже особо, поэтому 3 очка.
decent country, still country
Couple of great songs, couple of trash ones
who knew wilco and billy bragg performing woody guthrie songs would be a good idea nice album she came along to me and eisler on the go are highlights
As a big fan of Wilco, I have to say that this album kind of bores me, as it is too slow alt country and I am not a big fan of Billy Bragg
3-4
I like this album more than others by Billy Bragg because there's more going on here. Some songs sound very American though which is not a surprise since they are all Woody Guthrie songs. I'm not sure that this concept is great and that Bragg could've done something better
Strange, don't know what to make of this, a perfect match or a weird and unnecessary project? The jury here is still out...
Classy durchschnittlichs 3 meerjungfraue album
Well made, well sung, well played, but doesn't really grab me. I find Wilco to be a good band, but their studio albums often feel a bit boring. I can't really find fault with the album, but I just don't have that much interest in a lot of the songs here. Still a really decent tribute to one of the greatest American songwriters out there. Wonder why we didn't get an album from Woody Guthrie himself though.
It starts out great with the there best songs on the album. Then Birds and Ships doesn’t quite hit the mark, and Hoodoo Voodoo misses it completely. From there on, only She Came Along to Me, Eisler on the Go and Hesitating Beauty get honorable mentions. The middle part of the album I could do without
Track 2 great. 3 good aswell. 5 bad, sorry. 7 is lovely. Two last songs are incredible. Lyrics especially. Loved that it finished on such a high note. One by one is my favorite so far. I absolutely get behind the lyrics of this songs, written by Woodie Guthrie. If that's the intention, it kind of does the job. I prefer wilco songs here over billy songs. They have more contrast and I find them more interesting here I have some problems, though. It's not perfect at all, but some songs here are beatles and opened me up for some great lyricism from Guthrie
7/10
Some great songs here
Didn't love the last album by him and didn't love this one either. Can't imagine I will be coming back to listen to it.
Mid et bkoo if sdjwzfvbopbvd
I liked this but theres at least 5 Wilco albums I like more. A good album? Yes. Must hear before you die? Only California Stars.
This was an interesting project and I liked the songs a lot. I like the idea of artists interpreting another artist's work like this.
Probably overplayed it so it’s lost its luster but some good tracks to revisit on this one. Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key is a good one.
Album 61/1001 🧜♀️ 🧜♀️ 🧜♀️
Started off feeling bland but by the end there were a few songs I liked.
Un peu trop country à mon goût. Quelques bonnes tounes. Musiciens compétents.
It feels wrong to compare this to yankee hotel foxtrot. This was worse
Decent country music. Best Wilco I've heard so far.
This album feels extremely average for me. The music is decent, the vocals are interesting, and the production/flow feels coherent and well polished. It's just a decent enough folk album. But like a lot of folk albums I just can't connect with it. Maybe it's just not my genre, but the entire listen feels very middle of the road, pleasant without making an impact. Having said that, California Stars is a great track and bumps the entire thing up from a 5/10 to a 6/10 on its own.
Pleasant enough
This has quite the unique backstory with the connection to Woody Guthrie's undiscovered lyrics. Not sure how he would have wanted them set to music but I have to think Bragg and Wilco did a very good job with what they had.
This falls right down the middle for me at 2.5 stars but I'll round up. Not bad, and I'll give it credit for the variety in genre/style but I probably wouldn't return to this album or artist.
Favorite Song: She Came Along to Me Overall This album sounds like the soundtrack to a 2007 indie stoner comedy. Maybe that’s why I like it, idk.
This is a pairing I never would have imagined. Think less chocolate and caramel, and more marzipan and sprinkles. quirky and eccentric, a interesting mix of folk and rock. Some good songs, and while it's nit a home run, Im glad it exists
A rather strange and disparate collection of songs, but decent enough. Not enough politics, mind.
I have enormous love and respect for Billy Bragg and I had a great time finally giving Wilco the time of day a few months ago on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, so I really wanted to like this more than I did. It took me a few goes through to really appreciate it but of course the key is the lyrics and I've never been one to really hone in on lyrics until I have been truly hooked by the music. It did get me in the end but I still just don't think I'll be putting it into regular rotation. What a lovely idea and well executed by some fine musicians but it's just outside the sphere of what I really enjoy listening to.
Love Billy, early stuff only though not a bad album
Decent folk-country.nVery chill and sleepy. Boring as well.
Nice Sunday music for pottering around
not my favourite billy but OK.
This is fine, not really my cup of tea, but there are some nice moments. A few songs really bothered me ("Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" was distressing in its repitition), but overall pleasant enough. I'm not much for lyrics, which are clearly the star of the show here, so without much in the way of musical interest, it's hard for me to get excited about this. Sonically speaking, pretty monotonous.
This record is a strong Alt Country showing. Folks who are into that style of music will probably connect to it much more than I did, and I wouldn't argue with a four or even five-star ratings for those who are into this genre. It has some excellent moments, but I don't plan to listen to it again. Three stars.
This was a pleasurable album to listen to not because it was revolutionary, but just solid songs, great production, and emotional fluctuations that keep the listener active. It was Americana at its best. One of the things I appreciated about it was the variation, including songs by Wilco and throwing a little Natalie Merchant in there as well. I could definitely come back to Mermaid Avenue. It’s a perfect chill kind of day.
* "And maybe we'll have all of the fascists out of the way by then" - I'm so sorry Woody. We're still working on it. * California Stars is one of the best songs and is one I've seen Wilco perform many times. Just an excellent song that is well done. * This was one of the first Wilco albums that I heard. However, it's not really a Wilco album even though they regularly play a few of the songs. * I dig these pick up old songs from famous songwriters (like the New Basement Tapes). These songwriters (woody and Dylan) left so much good stuff on the cutting floor. *This is pure Americana even if Billy Bragg is British.
The only time my ears perked up was for Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key. Otherwise this just washed over me.
A little long - but some good folk tunes throughout
I fell asleep.
One of the leads sounds OK, the other sounds like the times at a concert during the 2nd encore when the drummer takes a verse and everyone is amazed. Doesn't work well for a lead singer. That said, I enjoyed the upbeat songs. 3.4.
Americana folk, nothing else really to say.
Dragged a bit by the end, but a couple of good tracks near the start
это то как я шентиз представляю) но вообще довольно эклектично и не поняла кто их них Билли а кто Вилко, когда женщины поют
It was alright I guess
An odd mix of folk, country and rock. Have to admit to liking some of it whilst most of it was passable. Better than I expected.
I find this album fascinating after learning of it's creation. It's honestly a very interesting collaboration between Billy Bragg, Wilco and Woody Guthrie. I don't find all of the songs engaging, but I like the concept of tying contemporary (at the time) music to old lyrics and ideas. Best Songs: California Stars, I Guess I Planted, Another Man's Done Gone Worst Songs: Hoodoo Voodoo
an album full of woody guthrie lyrics performed with alt-country stalwarts wilco… what’s not to like?
Nice but never set my world on fire
What a bitter suprise this album was. I have heard 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' before, and I hope I'm not remembering it wrong, but it sounds way different than this album. From what I can recall, the country aspects of that album weren't even that palpable, and I thought this record was going to be similar. It seems I stand corrected, because this project bleeds from country influence. First of all, I found Billy Braggs singing to be incredibly tedious. Nine out of ten times I dislike country twangs, and Billy Braggs' is no exception. Thankfully, half of the songs are sang by him and the other by the singer of Wilco, which I found to be a lot more pleasent, even though his voice sounds very aphonic in the song 'Hoodoo Voodoo' to the point of even feeling painful to the listener. When it comes to the instrumentation, I have to said that this is what I liked about the album the most as it is what adds the variety it needed to not be just plain country. I also want to mention that I appreciated the political driven lyrics in the songs 'She Came Along to Me', 'I Guess I Planted' and 'The Unwelcome Guest', even though I didn't like at all their musicality. I guess I'll give 3 stars thanks to the instrumenation, which carried the whole album, but it is very close to be 2 stars.
Jeg var virkelig glad for både det sidste Billy Bragg og det sidste Wilco album vi havde, men synes umiddelbart de er bedre hver for sig. Lyder stadig godt!
Overrasket over lidt gimmicky det var. Konceptet lyder gimmicky, men pladen lyder bare som lækker indie country.
A couple of good songs but nothing to write home about. Most of them, although not bad, are forgettable. Overall, this album sounds pretty pleasant. I enjoyed it but can’t say much more. 7/10
3.5
I think this could have gone up to 4 if it had been a little bit tighter. Felt it dragged a bit.
the vibes are giving 3 not really any good song but no real bad song either
mellow
A strange selection. This is ostensibly a collaboration between Billy Bragg and Wilco, but it doesn't much sound like one. Rather, it is a bunch of Billy Bragg tunes and a bunch of Wilco tunes jammed together onto a single record, giving it a disconnected and weirdly uneven feel. The songs themselves are fine - sometimes quite strong as with Wilco's "California Stars" and Bragg's "Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key." But, on the whole, it amounts to a mediocre Wilco album randomly mashed with a mediocre Bragg album - each of these two artists has produced much better work. I imagine part of the appeal is the fact that these songs were built around discarded ideas from Woody Guthrie's archive. This makes it a bit more interesting, but one can't help wondering if the constraints of this format are part of the problem with the album.
5/10
Refreshingly original. Pretty good, dragged out a bit but overall ok
Smooth chill album. Started off with the fun Walt Whitman's Niece. California Stars and Way Over In The Minor Key were nice and chill. Hoodoo Voodoo was pretty fun. Great harmonica playing in She Came Along To Me. Christ For President was funny. Some more chill songs with One By One and Eisler On The Go. Hesitating Beauty was solid. And a nice chill ending with The Unwelcome Guest. A couple misses, but otherwise solid. Best song: Walt Whitman's Niece
There’s some nice songs.
Jag tror att det här är vad Gandalf lyssnade på när han var påväg till Fylke. Tror man behöver en flaska moonshine för att kunna uppskatta det på rätt sätt, men lite mys ändå
Sick start but it falls off for me quickly. Nothing wrong with anything after the 2nd song but its just not that memorable at that point. Still good music but I just have no connection. Just some good old indie folk type stuff. Worth a listen cause maybe you get more than me.
Has that east coast feeling to the whole album. But, definitely has a good old school country twang in there. Liked some of the songs in the album. But, not enough to listen to it front to back consistently. I would have to say my favourite song was, “Christ for president”.
There ain't nobody that can sing like me. I liked the variety in the songs amd pacing. This was pretty great for an album compossed of unwritten songs. I have no idea what the original artist sounded like, but these songs were sure written well.
Cool to hear Wilco like this. Woody Guthrie wrote some good songs it seems. Billy Bragg is good too I guess. Honestly I think I most enjoyed the Jeff Tweedy performances on here. Maybe I should just listen to a regular Wilco album.
Pretty good, but got boring at some point
Irgendwie schwer zu bewerten. Fand es ganz angenehm zu hören, zwischen 3 und 4 Sternen.
Me das un poco de ruido que parece campestre y a mí ya me gusta que quieren que les diga loco, me gustó la voz del tipo para el estilo que hace.
interesting but not for me
Folk/S-S/Country? Hörenswert.
Misma nota que con Libertines. Qué tiene de especial ésto? Osea todo suena fantástico pero donde está lo que lo catapulta a ésta lista? Nota: 2.7 Nota: 2
6.5/10 Didn’t know that this was an album of unrecorded Woodie Guthrie lyrics until after, so judged it purely on the tunes. They were decent - vibes and execution good, album got a little samey at points. Might have liked it more if it was 10 mins shorter. Best: Ingrid Bergman
Decent album. California Stars is a little gem.
Ideale timing, want ik ben momenteel bezig met de volledige discografie van Wilco door te gaan. Ik moet zeggen dat dit nu niet echt top was. Het was oké, maar het voelde wat sec aan. Misschien is Billy Bragg niet echt mijn ding. 2.5
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.
This album had a strange feel to it, I think it’s because I’ve heard Yankee foxtrot hotel from Wilco already and so going from indie rock into this was a bit unexpected and strange even though this actually came out 4 years before. The actual album itself was decent but nothing special for me, sounded like pretty generic country folk songs with a bit of a more modern twist, most notably on Wilco’s half of the songs, Billy Bragg makes it sound more like what Woody would have done if he made them. I do like the ideas of the album though, to bring more of his work to light from his vault of like a thousand songs or whatever. The lyrics were good and political as to be expected and had good meaning behind some songs, others were about generic “yearning for my lover” type storylines. Favourites: she came along to me and I guess I planted. I’m actually going to add a least favourite aswell which is hoodoo voodoo which had a good instrumental but the vocals actually hurt to listen to because he kept cracking his voice for some reason. Overall, 5/10.
Don't know about Wilco but it's a fun album and even more fun knowing that it was all lyric from the great woody guthrie. California stars is a great song. will be listening to more of their disco
Nice album
Never been too crazy for Wilco but this is probably my favorite I’ve heard from them, and I’ll probably have to check out Bragg as well since I can’t tell the difference from their contributions here.
Cool idea of setting unreleased Woodie Guthrie songs to new music. Always a tricky one to pull off as you wonder if the orginal songwriter would be happy or were they never finished for a reason. Deserves to be here as an interesting artefact
Like it 3/5
Good album.
Nice
Gotta say I expected more from this one. I’ve listened to Wilco here and there for a while now, and I listened to my first of Billy Bragg during this project a couple months ago. For both artists, I really liked what I already heard, so I figured it’d be a great combination. To me, it kinda fell flat. Bit too much country for my taste. The songs themselves were well produced, but I just wasn’t a fan of most of them.
A thoughtful and musically solid tribute to Woody Guthrie’s lost lyrics, 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘈𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 brings together the warmth of Americana with Guthrie’s poetic fragments. Wilco’s arrangements are rich and understated, while Billy Bragg brings a grounded, folk sensibility to the mix. And yet, despite the craftsmanship, little of it truly sticks with me. The songs are pleasant, even moving at times — but they rarely take root. Part of me can’t help but wonder: what would these words have sounded like in Woody’s own voice? Would they have carried more grit, more urgency, more soul? As it stands, 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘈𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘶𝘦 is a respectful and admirable project — but not a revelatory one.
This was cool. Billy Bragg & Wilco made a cool country album, this one will probably get some more listens from me.
01) Walt Whitman's Niece - 7,0 02) California Stars - 7,5 03) Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key - 7,0 04) Birds and Ships - 6,5 05) Hoodoo Voodoo - 7,0 06) She Came Along to Me - 7,0 07) At My Window Sad and Lonely - 6,5 08) Ingrid Bergman - 6,5 09) Christ for President - 7,5 10) I Guess I Planted - 7,0 11) One by One - 6,5 12) Eisler on the Go - 6,0 13) Hesitating Beauty - 7,0 14) Another Man's Done Gone - 6,5 15) The Unwelcome Guest - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,80 (68/100) Current ranking: 404/616
It was pretty decent, but felt a little scattered
A really meh Wilco album, or an ok Billy Bragg album. You decide. 6/10
Hard to rate this one. I loved some of the songs and hated some others. My stand outs were Birds and Ships and Hoodoo Voodoo.
This album is something. Woody Guthrie lyrics, Wilco playing and Bragg singing. It's not bad, it's not good, but it's not bad. It's a lot though. Kinda messy in my ears. This is one of those albums that you later listen to because it's one that just goes for it.
I liked it quite a bit. Doesn't feel super essential, but well worth a couple listens.
Soulful, significant and spirit-raising, all at the same time.
I love this album and it’s been a while since I heard it. California stars takes me back. Way over yonder is a song I hum to myself all the time.
It's Woodie Guthrie's lyrics, sung by Bragg, music by Bragg and Wilco. Even Guthrie's half finished cast offs are pretty good, and Bragg and Wilco do a good job with a modern recording that is still rooted in early folk. Brgg was a great choice for this, but I'm not familiar enough with Wilco to know how much of them is in this. All in all, it's good for what it is, and I'll probably give this more credit if I give it another listen.
# Playlist Track - Hoodoo Voodoo # Notes - Found the ballad-y tracks (especially "Birds and Ships") to be boring. - The tail end of the album just drags on forever. - An OK listen, but not one I'm dying to do again soon.
Good old folk, quite pleasant to listen to, not ground breaking though
I really liked Walt Whitmas Niece and Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key. I got into it whenever Billy Bragg was singing, cause his cockney knees up style is instantly fun. When the others took over singing it was a lot less interesting.
I appreciated this album more after reading about it. Was iffy at first, but these guys took a 50s country western singers poetry of unreleased songs, and crafted something modern from setting the lyrics to music. An interesting endeavor, and the music was good
This album was good! There were good songs and there were “meh” songs if I’m being honest. But, I can safely say that I didn’t hate this record, but I didn’t love it. That’s why the score is right in the middle.
It was fine.
It was fine. I’m tired of Wilco.
Trying a bit hard with the folky sing alongs. Ok in places
Nice but derivative this is more like a 2/3
After a rock-heavy few weeks, I'm enjoying getting some different genre exposure. With two old country albums and now something more folky, it feels like a palate cleanser of sorts. Luckily, I've also enjoyed the suggestions themselves. This was essentially an updated folk album, taking unused Woodie Guthrie lyrics and putting them over modern music compositions. The artists doing the music writing were a British folk singer and an American indie/folk rock band. Perhaps the most surprising thing about it is how seamlessly the project worked. Nothing seemed out of place or forced. Some tracks kept a strong folk feel, while others came across much more indie rock-like. Despite that, it was a little tedious. The album ran close to 50 minutes, which isn't overly long. But there wasn't a whole lot there to keep it engaging and distinct the whole way through. I realized I was zoning out a lot more for the second half than I did on the first, for whatever that's worth. This is another album I consider good and enjoyable, but didn't necessarily find better than that. Not sure it's something I'll listen to again in whole. I would revisit some of the songs, though. Overall: 3.25/5
Oh boy, two artists that I don't really care for that much, together at last! This is neither my first Billy Bragg experience nor is it my first Wilco experience. Starting with Billy, I remember being conflicted with his album on the list. I liked the messaging and instrumentation at points, but I really wasn't vibing with Bragg's singing. In hindsight, his vocals really aren't as goofy as I had once claimed them to be. Do I need to revisit Talking with the Taxman About Poetry? It has been like a year and a half. I haven't revisited it though, but now I'm considering it. You know what I did revisit? Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Yeah, me giving that album a 3 was kind of dumb considering I really didn't have any specific complaints. Do I still think the album's overrated? Yes. It is not the 10/10 masterpiece others have called it. But it's pretty good! Being There is okay. As a whole though, I never found myself super invested in either of these artists. I wasn't really expecting to be super invested in a collab album between them either. Was I right in this assumption? Kind of. I do think Mermaid Avenue is a good album. It's just not really my thing. I do have praise to give it though. The balance between the two features artists is good. They have lead vocals split roughly even which is nice. As stated earlier, I was way too harsh on Billy Bragg's vocals in the past. They're fine here. I don't love them, but I don't find them as goofy as I once had. Jeff Tweedy's still kind of just doing his thing. You know what? Good for him. The instrumentation here is solid. Kind of folky. The writing is pretty good, but it belongs to neither Billy Bragg nor Wilco. This ties into perhaps the most interesting thing about this album, that being the story behind it. These songs were actually written by folk legend and hater of fascists Woody Guthrie. So, is this just a cover album? Well, kind of. You see, none of these songs had been released or even recorded during Guthrie's life. All there were was words left to his family. So, for some reason, Guthrie's daughter Nora decided to get Billy Bragg and Wilco involved in an album to bring some of these lost words to life. That's kind of cool! I respect this album. It's good. Admittedly, there are plenty of other albums that I like more, but there's no denying that Mermaid Avenue's got things to like. Solid 3/5.
This was an ok light country album. I have a few Wilco songs saved from before but I’m not a big fan, I mostly like their covers. I thought the lyrics in this was quite good and it had some fun songs. Maybe the lyrics were good since Woodie Guthrie wrote some (all?) of it. My absolute favourite was “Way over Yonder in the Minor Key” with the great female vocals, too bad she didn’t return more. I also liked “Chirst for President” and “Ingrid Bergman”. I think Billy Braggs vocals in those 2 tracks shine and it feels like Guthrie wrote the lyrics in his typical style. It felt pretty generic late 90s indie country but had some good songs in it. It grew on me the more I listened to it. 3 stars.
Mermaid Avenue was a shockingly solid album. Apparently this album contains lyrics written by an old folk singer named Woody Guthrie but repurposed into actual songs by Billy Bragg and Wilco and i must say, they did a pretty good job here when it came to replicating that folkish feel that Guthrie appeared to be going for. Even without all that cool history, it's still a solid album. Most of the songs had a very relaxing feel to them which are perfect for just lounging around. Furthermore, the production was pretty great with the album sounding quite expensive. Even as a guy who isn't the biggest fan of folk or country music, i still found a fair bit to like here. Best Song: Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key Worst Song: California Stars
Seems a lot of people here really like this. I don't, don't hate it either to me it is just mostly meh. At least it ended on a relative high-note as I failed to like "The Unwelcome Guest" by just the tiniest margin.
Country? Folk? Takie bezpłciowe
Thoughts before listening: Wilco is one of my favorites, but I never really paid all that much attention to this album outside of "California Stars" which has become a staple of the band's live shows. What's the theme here? 80s British folk revivalist teams up with 90s/00s alt-country indie rockers to record Woody Guthrie songs....something like that? Seems like it should be up my alley. Review: So the songs on this album appear to be split between Wilco and Billy as to who takes the lead. In general, my preference is to the Wilco songs which makes sense....I'm a 20+ year Wilco fan while with Billy Bragg I have only listened through this project. He is fine, but his folky style doesn't immediately grab me like Wilco does. My favorite songs here are "California Stars", "One By One", and "Hesitating Beauty", all of which I recognize because of Wilco. This is 3-stars.
An interesting departure for Wilco. Almost a country album, but in a good way, similar to classic folk
Liked California Stars and Hoodoo Voodoo but the others were not my cup of tea
Lyrics understandably disjointed
Ihan menevää albumia hyvää kokonaisuutta
Quelques bons arrangements, mais sinon la vibe country moderne sur Woody Guthrie, pas ouf.
05/06/2025 It was okay at parts, boring at others.
Just folksy enough without being too goddamn country. If you’re gonna make a song called “Christ for President” at least make it musically interesting. And dammit, they did.
Ugh, another Billy Bragg album. I hate bagging on the guy because I would like to be in solidarity with union folks, but seriously cannot stand that dude's voice. The only tracks I liked on this album were always more heavy on the Jeff Tweedy / Wilco side. Those are the only reason this didn't score less
This is a pretty good folk-rock record. It is worth a second listen.
Sure, nothing wrong with this. Nothing earth shattering (though California Stars is a great song) but an enjoyable listen. 5.5/10 (2.75/5)
Had a good time with this enjoyed the contrast between the Bragg songs and Wilco songs a pleasant surprise
60/100
More country-ish than expected based on the artists. Had some good moments, but too twangy for my taste. 3* Highlights: california stars, birds and ships
we need another Woody Guthrie
3/5 folkish
Just cant get into these guys. Nothing sets them apart
I didn’t know it beforehand, but as I was listening I had the thought “hmmm, this sounds like it came from another era, like Woody Guthrie or something” which it is. Apparently it’s a number of unreleased songs, and like many unreleased stuff, it’s often unreleased for a reason. A few songs stood out based on the pathos and harmonies, but I can’t say I loved it.
Some decent songs in which is essentially a covers album
Not particularly memorable, but fine to listen to.
the first song was kinda painful, while most of the others were not really my sort of thing? Though at the same time i respect the style. The Unwelcome Guest was fairly powerful.
3,2/5
Previously unheard lyrics written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie, put to music written and performed by British singer Billy Bragg and the American band Wilco. Singer songwriter folk rock. Old-fashioned and simple.
3.5?
Interesting story behind it and makes you think about the lyrics more. First couple of songs are really nice, then a mixed bag.
Ended up really enjoying this one, despite the folky-ness of it. Definitely will listen again! Solid 3.5 - will round down.
This was pretty enjoyable. Easy listening and nice. Reminded me of Coney Island too which was nice.
Not bad. A little sleepy at times. I think I would prefer Wilco minus Billy Bragg. 3/5 52/1001
Not for me at all but clearly good for what it is.
This was an album of two halves - a great half and the fillers. First the great - I loved the loose call-response of Walt Whitman’s Niece, the laconic and hopeful California Stars (which I saw Wilco perform live at Moseley Folk to singalong impact) the tender Birds and Ships sung by Natalie Merchant, Bragg’s rendition of Way over Yonder…with Merchant was lovely and I replayed Wilco’s inspired One by One over and over. But too much was plodding and dull folk rock. I’m not convinced the man who wrote This Land is Your Land really meant for so many of his discarded poems/lyrics to be turned into songs - the nice if predictable lyric of At my window sad and lonely has been turned into a boring song when it might have been better left on the page; I didn’t like Hoodoo Voodoo at all, hated Christ for President, and Eisler on the Go was totally forgettable. I really didn’t enjoy Ingrid Bergman though have since read gushing reviews. I relistened as a result and still don’t get the love. On the plus side the vinyl cover is evocative and I might buy it just for that.
Not a bad album, it has an old vibe to it, even though it's from 1998. Nothing too exciting, but it was alright having in the background while I was doing stuff.
No more than fine
= the Beatles
I liked it, especially birds and ships with Natalie Merchant. For people who like folk music.
Wilco being apart of this album was a pleasant surprise. Definitely enjoyed their vibe on California Stars and Hoodoo Voodoo. Some of the songs later in the album were not my favorite, but overall I found this enjoyable to listen to. Solid-to-high 3.
Not really my usual jam but it was an easy enough listen that I couldn't hate it. Had some nice indie and country mix with some good singing. High 3
I can fuck with some Wilco though I prefer the more experimental stuff compared to their Americana/Country scene. Still assuming we're getting Yankee Hotel Foxtrot at some point. Interesting all these songs are written by Woody Guthrie but performed by Wilco and Billy Bragg. California Stars I've definitely heard this song is catchy as hell. Also really loving One by One. Was definitely more into the Wilco side of this, with most of their songs being a 4 and Braggs a 2. So we'll go with an even 3.
Oh last night I put this album on (I won’t say which album) and sure, I thought it started strongly (I won’t say how strongly) but then sure enough I started to lose interest (I won’t say which interest) until finally I read a Wikipedia page (I won’t say which Wikipedia page) and then I saw that this was the result of a project (I won’t say which project) that was bringing to life the works of famous songwriter (I won’t say which songwriter) who had died an untimely death (I won’t quite say how he died) and whose legacy deserves to draw fresh breath (I won’t say what kind of breath) and I realised this endeavour is the result of an awesome idea executed thoughtfully and with so much love – even if there’s only one song I actually really liked (I won’t say which song I liked).
This is fine. I didn't find the work to be very engaging, but the idea begind it is fun. Probably not going to revisit this one
I’m really not into this kind of music but I’d suggest this album to someone who was. I didn’t mind California Stars.
Really enjoyed this album. 3.5 stars
"Christ for President" just different in 2025 than in sure it did when it was written and recorded. 😬
Zderzenie country i Velvet Underground. Dziwny album, rozbity pomiędzy dwóch twórców o zupełnie różnych stylach, z tekstami napisanymi przez jeszcze kogoś zupełnie innego i zaadaptowanymi po śmierci autora. Teksty są zdecydowanie najciekawszą częścią albumu - przewrotne, soczyste, niektóre bardzo wyraziste. Ogólnie całkiem dobrze się tego słucha. Na początku nie byłem przekonany, ale przy drugim przesłuchaniu trochę zyskało. Takie 3,5/5.
Woody Guthrie is a towering figure in American music. Dylan. Copland. Gershwin. Porter. Brian Wilson. Smokey Robinson. Stevie Wonder. Bacharach. Chuck Berry. Goffin/King. Hank Williams . Willie Dixon. There are others. Those are the figures he stands with even if he’d reject all of them. So the lyrics donated by his daughter of unrecorded songs are hugely important. This is competent. But I feel Billy Bragg was the wrong choice. Why not Springsteen? Or Dylan. Or some other leftist American. Billy comes across like a young enthusiast who doesn’t really know this stuff but wants to learn. That’s ok. It’s a bit awkward though. And I note that the project stalls after this. Wilco is fine and thank god it wasn’t the grateful dead or its remnants. I think an American singer who had studied woody would have got it better. 3.5. Rounded down because it’s not a four star.
Like Billy wander over the minor e fantastic. Like his guitar plucking his voice his attitude regarding unions and his politics. this was however a little long and samey.
Great acoustic guitar
Fast jag inte ofta är en så stor fan av sån här musik så gilla ja det här. Catchy melodier och nice lyrics Stark 3
I have heard the name Billy Bragg before and Wilco seems familiar but I can't say I know if I have heard a single song by them. The songs are smooth and calm with a good tempo. After listening through the album I don't really know what to write. The album didn't really make me feel anything special or react in a certain way. I just leaned back and enjoyed the songs and a lot of the times that is exactly what you need from an album.
Interesting
This is cool. I don't know about Billy Bragg, or enough about Wilco, or even enough about Woody Guthrie to be over the moon, but it works. “California Stars” was such a hit that many people don’t realize it’s a posthumous collaboration with a man who died in 1967.
Great idea for an album. Some good songs, some not so good ones.
Seemed like they couldn’t quite agree what kind of music to make well, so they did an okay job or 4 or 5 genres.
You definitely know what era this is with this album.
This album brought old vibes to the table. I can't believe it was from the 90s.
Interesting album, as it's composites of lyrics from Woodie Guthrie that Billy Bragg & Wilco put to music. Some nice modern production boosts it a little bit, but I often find this genuine American folk to be a little boring. Because of the simplicity of it, I often find myself listening and thinking "is this song beautiful? Does it speak to me somehow?" because I don't really have a lot of elements to grab on to. With that being said, there's quite a few songs that are beautiful on this; "Birds and Ships (feat. Natalie Merchant)" is stunning, and "Way over Yonder in the Minor Key" is very nice as well.
3 stars
Feels a bit weird listening to Folk music from the UK, but hey, I didn’t hate it. Fav track was Hesitating Beauty
Wilco & BB doing Woody, but no Woody greatest hits. Woody's house on Mermaid was torn down long ago. The cover is of nearby houses. California Stars is one of my favorite tunes, ever. I just listened to Night at the Opera, I would rather listen to this then that again, and its one of the greatest, supposedly.
No es lo suficiente para mover las olas
- An interesting project and Guthrie's lyrics are the real standout. That being said, I wish they had been put to a more musically creative Americana...the choices here are fine, but all could be produced by any live band at any bar on a Saturday night. - "Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key" was the high point, but "Eisler On The Go" may be the most interesting. - Yeah...I will pass on "Hoodoo Voodoo," thank you.
Carried by the one song... but what a song.
I like early Billy Bragg. This album really didn't do much for me though.
A few great songs on here 3.5
Standout tracks: "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" "She Came Along to Me" "At My Window Sad and Lonely" "Hesitating Beauty" Worst tracks: "Hoodoo Voodoo" "Ingrid Bergman" "Christ for President"
Investing project but dragged on a little bit for me.
Folk-y music with a country twang, kind of reminiscent of Bob Dylan, especially when the harmonica breaks out. Not the kind of music I'm super into, but not bad. Some of the first music I ever knew were folk songs, those classics we all learned in school, so maybe the ubiquitousness of folk music and the way it's sort of a baseline for everything else makes me take it for granted as a genre. "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" was kind of repetitive, but it was probably my favorite song here for the harmonies, the sweet nostalgia and humor, and, well, the minor key. 3.5
It's Billy Bragg and Wilco putting unrecorded lyrics of folk-hero Woody Guthrie to music and committing them to tape. The album meets some level of "It's important" criteria by existing at all. It doesn't hurt that it's broadly listenable to the modern ear too. We have the expanded, complete sessions in the house somewhere and so listening to just this record is a welcome, focused revisiting. There's heartbreak and humor, up and down tempos, and some blue-collar, working class truths in here. Although, speaking of the truth, the record is not as singular and incandescent as the best work from any of the contributors. It's charming and okay. It's more like a middle American roadside diner than it wants to admit.
I like the sound of all three main constituent parts of this project, albeit the combination could risk becoming arse-clenchingly earnest. In the end, I think it walks that line really rather well, honouring Woody Guthrie without being too worthy.
Lo escuché hace como 4 horas y ya se me olvidó por completo. No fui muy fan, en general se me hizo algo repetitivo y no conecté con las canciones. No me lo pasé mal, pero se me olvidó rapidísimo.
Часть Wilco – нормально, партии Billy Bragg`а не впечатлили. Лучшая песня: California Stars
2.75
Right now I’m kinda into this type of music. I did enjoy it tbh.
3/5. A contemporary take on older lyrics written by Woody Guthrie. The lyrics contain themes of companionship, love, sarcasm, and politics, normal for Guthrie. Although some songs work, especially the more serious ones that they slow down, the faster paced ones do not hold up. There is a rawness missing of just a man and his guitar that these lyrics would thrive in. I think Billy was a good choice but the full band of Wilco feels out of place. To be fair, the album was a good listen but the lyrics do not match the vibe sometimes. Would be interested if they were redone in a bare bones style. Best Song: California Stars, The Unwelcome Guest, At My Window Sad And Lonely
Saai, 5/10
I like both artists individually - but something is missing here....is ok
I had never heard of this album before. I never previously warmed up to Wilco and I wouldn't say this album transformed me in any way but I do think it has it's moments.
I like the concept of the album, taking unheard Woody Guthrie songs and putting them to Billy Bragg/Wilco music. A couple tracks here really stood out (California Stars, Way Down Yonder in the Minor Key) but overall it didn't blow me away.
Folk is not necessarily the genre that I particularly like. The music didn't bother me, but it didn't excite me either. The album was playing in the background and it was only when Rufus Wainwright was mixed in that I became aware of it again. 3/5
Mwa ja, geen verkeerd album maar ik had het pas 1 keer geluisterd. Klinkt als barmuziek met teksten die vgm wel wat diepgang hebben, dus zal het nog eens luisteren. 3.5 ster omlaag afgerond omdat de potentie er wel is
Was entertaining maar herinner er nu niks meer van dus arguably forgetful
Good, very good, but I think i prefer both artists separately. It's a nice album, I could probably do with it being 40 mins, but it does what it does. Probably a grower
decent folk rock
Nothing to Bragg about with this album. It's just expensive coffee shop music, nothing more, nothing less. 5/10.
Decent enough songs, but I don't think this is an album you must listen to before you die
Ban all harmonicas. I get the value of this record. It’s an interesting project by very talented musicians. That said, I don’t enjoy listening to this and probably won’t ever listen to it again. 3/5 just for digging up Natalie Merchant.
Alun perusteella dumasin, mutta oli olihan siellä hyvääkin musiikkia.
I found this a pleasant album, one I may revisit in the future
One of the most hit or miss albums I’ve listened to in a while. I liked a lot of songs but also disliked a lot so I feel like a 3 is fair here. Felt like every time I liked one, I disliked the next one or two. But overall had a good time with it. Never heard of these guys beforehand.
Was really excited when I read about the concept of the album, but it ends up just being pretty meh.
I couldn't get myself to care too much about this.
Pretty Country & Western. A good mixture between Wilco and BB.
No. 273/1001 Walt Whitman's Niece 3/5 California Stars 3/5 Way Over Yonder In Minor Key 4/5 Birds And Ships 4/5 Hoodoo Voodoo 2/5 She Came Along To Me 4/5 At My Window Sad And Lonely 4/5 Ingrid Bergman 3/5 Christ For President 2/5 I Guess I Planted 4/5 One By One 4/5 Eisler On The Go 4/5 Hesitating Beauty 3/5 Another Man's Done Gone 2/5 The Unwelcome Guest 3/5 Average: 3,27 Interesting listen. Some songs more leaning towards country music.
Mermaid Avenue is interesting to me because I'm a little bit familiar with the project to bring loads of Woody Guthrie's work to life, Dropkick Murphys have done a couple of albums worth in the last few years, but I didn't realise how widespread it was or that it was going on for as long as it has been. Billy Bragg's a decent figure to try to do some of this, he's got that accessibly authentic style without actually being able to sing very well, it gives it a groundedness. The songs themselves are lyrically quite impressive, the compositions simple and never trying to dominate the content, it's not a remarkable album or anything but it's a fairly solid 3 (the DKM stuff is better but not spectacular either), not one I'd say you have to listen to but worthwhile anyway.
This is decent, if a little one-paced. Not a combination I would've thought of, but it works surprisingly well together. Not mind-blowing, lyrics are nice, arrangements are decent, singing voices are a little ropey (other than Natalie Merchant, the guest vocalist, who is great), a solid 3 but nothing more.
A Billy Bragg & Wilco crossover sounds like one of the most dull duos I can possibly imagine. Update: alright it wasn't dull but it still wasn't for me
Pretty solid album and was a little surprised how much I enjoyed this one considering I saw folk and singer/songwriter in the genre. The first half off the album was stronger than the 2nd, but overall was pretty good. Was nice to hear Natalie's voice. Several songs stood out to me including, Walt Whitman's Niece, California Stars, Hoodoo Voodoo, Birds & Ships, Way Over Yonder and Another Man's Done & Gone. Wilco and Billy make a good team. Seeing Woody Guthries's name reminded of Thanksgiving at Grandma Morrows. It use to be a big deal to play/listen to Alice's Restaurant after Thanksgiving dinner. Never really understood it then, but maybe we'll revisit this Thanksgiving im memory of the Morrows! Very good album and really enjoyed my listens. 3.5
3 The concept of this album is cool - Woody Guthrie’s daughter took a collection of her father’s lyrics that never found their way into his music and asked both Billy Bragg and Wilco to finish them, each with their own contemporary styles. In execution, this feels kind of lopsided to me - and heavily in Wilco’s direction. I don’t know much about Bragg, nor do I have anything against him, but I couldn’t really bring myself to give a crap about most of his stuff here. It seems he went fully in a country direction with Guthrie’s work, whereas Wilco seems to have captured the independent, folksy nature of his music much better - or at the very least, I just thought Wilco did a better job with the songwriting here (I also really dig Jeff Tweedy’s voice). California Stars is far and away the best song here by a mile, though Hoodoo Voodoo, One by One, and to Bragg’s credit, Eisler on the Go were all favorites as well (I really dig the Western vibes on that last one). I also had a bit of a soft spot for Hesitating Beauty, but I think that’s mostly because it reminded me a bit of Another Travelin’ Song by Bright Eyes. And then there’s Christ For President - look, I get what Guthrie was going for, but that one probably should have been left in the unused pile. I just don’t feel the track has held up super well, and it doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of the album. Overall, a net decent. Something about the album makes it feel longer than its 50-minute runtime would suggest, but I still think there are enough enjoyable moments to be found (mostly from Wilco), to keep this in the “good” category for me.
I saw the words 'country music' and sighed. I'm not a fan. Luckily though this is actually, more specifically, 'alt-country' which is less southern drawl and more just an alternative rock type sound with country elements. Plenty of catchy stuff to choose from here. 'Walt Whitman's Niece' is a solid opener and I liked the back and forth between Billy Bragg and the backing vocals. 'Christ For President' has a good foot tapping beat. 'I Guess I Planted' gives me strong The Beatles vibes. 'Eisler on the Go' is a lovely tune. In 'Way Over Yonder In The Minor Key' Billy Bragg sings "Ain't nobody that can sing like me" and I do think that's true. It's quite a unique voice, but I'm not a huge fan in all honesty. Not that every singer has to be able to belt, but I find it a little weak and not the most satisfying voice in the world. It's fine. It's serviceable. The absolute best song on this album is actually the only one where Billy Bragg doesn't sing. 'Birds and Ships' features Natalie Merchant on vocals and it's a really beautiful song and it's a damn shame it's only two minutes long. I don't know who Natalie Merchant is, but I'm now a fan. She has a really lovely voice. When I first listened, I gave it two stars. But I actually had time to give it a second listen and decided a three. Would maybe have been a four if I liked Bragg's voice.
Fascinating combination with Billy and Wilco. Enough variety to keep it interesting and some great songs at the start of the album. Welcome input from Natalie Merchant too.
3 stars. Some hidden gems. The complete sessions is miles better though (4 stars for the that one)
Maybe one day I’ll appreciate it more but I found it basically to be pretty dull
The story behind the album is interesting. The music itself is just ok. High 3.
Crossover episode. I wish this had more uplifting Billy Bragg songs and fewer depressing Wilco songs. Stand-out: Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key, California Stars
Old dust bowl ballads sprouting through contemporary cracks.
I always heard amazing things about Wilco but maybe this wasn’t the album to introduce me. Not bad by any means but it just didn’t work for me.
An interesting project that had its moments but can’t say that it did that much for me.
California Stars is a great song. Rest of the album of fine.
Americana. Next time I'm cruisin' and endlessly winding American Highway during the fall, I'll remember to put this on. 3/5
DEFINITLEY not my thing. nothing bad about it, i just dont really like country/folk if i'm being honest. i liked california stars though that track was kind of nice
Enjoy the songwriting here. For example, the opening song has a fun call and response structure. Overall a nice folksy country album.
Decent.
I used to own this album. Interesting album of lost Woody Guthrie lyrics. Great work by Wilco and Bragg to put then to contemporary music.
More enjoyable than I expected...solid 3.
Fine. Made me think I need to go pull out The Freewheeling Bob Dylan or Bringing It All Back Home
This was unimpressive and a little boring. I didn't have the urge to track over anything, so I guess that's something, but this just doesn't seen to be my thing.
I like the Wilco parts, but the rest doesn’t have much teeth.
Billy Bragg and Wilco are both artists I've only heard due to these 1001 albums, and to hear them work to create music to Woody Guthrie's unused lyrics is so cool. The sound isn't like Guthrie's exactly; I'd say it's reminiscent of his style but also incorporating a modern folk sound, even with this album's release in 1998. I won't pretend to know Guthrie's music to a T, but because of the modernity, there was a lot more bounce in what Bragg and Wilco created than in Guthrie's standards, at least. That made the album more fun than I expected, considering I anticipated this album would only revive the Guthrie sound without any artistic additions by Bragg and Wilco. The artists did a good job crafting the music as their own while using Guthrie's timeless lyrics. The little I know about Bragg is that he's very leftist oriented, and I wasn't surprised to hear Guthrie's line of "And maybe we'll have all of the fascists out of the way by then"--and neither was I surprised Bragg had used these lyrics specifically. I appreciate protest songs any way I can get them! 3.5
I love the story behind this album! In short, Nora Guthrie (daughter of Woody Guthrie) provided Billy Bragg with her father's lyrics for unreleased songs, and together Bragg and the band Wilco partnered to breathe life into these songs. Bragg and Wilco do a very good job, in my opinion, of honoring the spirit of Guthrie while also breathing their own unique life into these songs. Truly, Bragg made a good choice when he sought out Wilco to include on this album, as they were pioneers of the early 2000s indie sound, which was highly alt-folk driven (this album would arrive just a couple of years before their acclaimed Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, which really put them on the map). The idea of finding trusted people to continue a legacy is an interesting one, and in this case, I think it was well worth it; I believe Guthrie would have been proud of the work that Billy Bragg and Wilco did here!
A pleasant album. I chuckled listening to “Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key” where Bragg declares “ain’t nobody that can sing like me,” because at time he reminded me of Corb Lund, and at others like Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo.
I wouldn't think that Wilco adding Billy Bragg would be a positive and it isn't but this album is ok. really brings out the 'yeah it's fine I suppose' in Wilco. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
I like the parts of this more than I like the sum, but the sum is still a cool and neat project that I like to go back to every once in a while.
I can appreciate Woody Guthrie, I can appreciate Billy Bragg, I can definitely appreciate this.
started off great, tapered off but still good
The music is good and I enjoyed some of the songs. Kinda middle of the road for me. I'd probably give it a second listen.
Solid album. Good instrumental and lyrics. very old-timey which I was a big fan of. probably wont go out of my way to listen again
This album brings together some great storytelling with a folk-rock sound. Songs are can feel a bit repetitive. There are some OK tracks, but the energy dips in a few places.
Cool sound, didn't finish it. Maybe another day! :D
I enjoyed more than I would’ve expected. The songwriting is simple but I found several of the songs touching.
It never sunk in my memory that these were all Woodie Guthrie lyrics. Cool. The album has a refreshingly folksy feel overall, but there is certainly a rock influence that bubbles to the surface on a few. Good stuff. 3.8
It's a good album and Bragg & Wilco go together well. There are a few songs that could be tightened or trimmed, but overall enjoyable. 3.6
kind of a weird album, simultaneously all over the place and sticking to the same vibe. didn’t love it didn’t hate it
Billy Bragg & Wilco together initially made me want to vomit. But this was actually much better than I thought it would be, so I'm choosing to credit Woody Guthrie's lyrics for this instead. Favorite track: Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key
Cool concept, a smidge forgettable but I liked the vibe
love wilco never really got into billy bragg but this seems like a very good pairing.
There was a song I really liked, but I won't say which song.