Mermaid Avenue

Slow, almost to the point of sleepiness, but mostly a nice vibe. Vocals might not be to everyone's taste but I like the simplicity and gruffness. Contemplative and fittingly old-sounding. Weary more than dreary. Could be a 3 but I'm feeling generous. Best song: California Stars

Helt ok med diverse guldkorn. Tur att Billy var med.

I had to go back and relisten to this because my first listening experience was skewed by my wife complaining the entire time. During the second listen, I realized she didn't know the context of this album, which think is important to the enjoyment for me. Now, I don't know if that would have changed her opinion, but Woodie Guthrie lyrics put to music decades later is pretty cool.

I liked this much more than I expected to.

Its ok

Not for me, I'd have preferred to hear Woody Guthrie's versions, but interesting enough I guess. The catchiest song is probably Ingrid Bergman (the prototype for that Barbara Streisand song), but the one I liked best was probably Christ for president.

Solid collab

i didn’t even know this was a thing. pretty cool album

folksy and wistful, with a nice epic quality

This was a good folk album, though it’s not really to my taste. Fav: California Stars Least fav: Christ for President

Not bad, maybe lyrically a bit boring.

Pleasant

Pretty groovy 3.5

Didn’t listen to it but know California Stars is a worth atleast 3 to 4 stars

Good sounding alt rock/indie stuff. Admittedly was busy today so skipped around. Will definitely revisit this. Points for real guitar and drums as the kids say.

Nice concept. Not really familiar with Woodie Guthrie. I enjoyed Bird and Ships and fave would be One by One.

I like Billy Bragg. I like Wilco. I love Woody Guthries lyrics. And yet, this album does not feel like it's the sum of its parts. It's a good album, don't get me wrong, but I do think the album start dragging a bit after the first couple of songs.

This was a fun and folksy album. Many of the songs were different in style from one another and I enjoyed it. Good background music for a farm-to-table restaurant.

Their album with Bragg and Wilco was pretty cool. A different kind of vibe

Nothing on this album sounds particularly bad or good to me. In one ear, out the other. It sounds more like an album by two artists than like a cooperation because of the different vibe of the songs. Favorite song: Eisler on the go.

Mooi eerbetoon, maar niet zo mijn smaak

too country

This album will always be associated with a particular period of my life so it’s hard to hear it outside those associations. I’ve always thought it was a beautiful endeavor in concept and in spirit, even if I don’t personally love the more rock-y vibe that Wilco brings to Guthrie’s lyrics. I might prefer it all a bit more stripped down. That said, California Stars and Way Over Yonder are gems to be sure.

I enjoyed this album. A few songs stood out but I don't feel the need to listen to it again in its entirety.

First one I've pressed play on again. Fascinating collaboration.

Idk man. Mediocre country adjacent twang. No thanks.

Heh, kuulostaa ihan Rory Gilmoren musilta. Tästä huolimatta paikoittain oikein miellyttävää, paikoittain kyllä vähän tylsää.

Pari tosi kivaa biisiä ja mukavan rentoa noin muutenkin. Wilcon kädenjälki tuntui, mikä lämmitti mieltä.

Parempi kuin edellinen. Sanat ilmeisesti hyviä kun useampi harkinnut kyseisen levyn tekemistä, mutta enpä paljon tällä kertaa niistä kuullut. 3/5

Walt Whitman's Niece - first listen: 1.5/3 California Stars - fl: 1.5/3 Way over Yonder in the Minor Key - fl: 1.6/3 Birds and Ships [feat. Natalie Merchant] - fl: 1.7/3 Hoodoo Voodoo - fl: 1.4/3 She Came Along to Me - fl: 1.5/3 At My Window Sad and Lonely - fl: 1.5/3 Ingrid Bergman - fl: 1.6/3 Christ for President - fl: 1.5/3 I Guess I Planted - fl: 1.7/3 One by One - fl: 1.4/3 Eisler on the Go - fl: 1.5/3 Hesitating Beauty - fl: 1.5/3 Another Man's Done Gone - fl: 1.4/3 The Unwelcome Guest - fl: 1.5/3 Final Verdict: Natalie Merchant carried this project. I Guess I Planted is the only instrumental I fuck with. Overall not a bad album.

Mostly too country for me, but hell yes on the Woody Guthrie lyrics

Weird as shit country folk, kinda dug it 3.5

Country Stuff

Huge variety of styles

Not my fav

Good album but nothing special. Easy listening experience

Interesting to hear woodie Guthrie set to modern music. Bragg as dreary as ever. Both he and Guthrie I've felt I've had to like because of their politics but it's damn hard work. Sad to say I preferred the Waco tracks. The end result was middling indie with a few bright spots. Dylan would possibly have done it better if he found these tapes in the 60s but watcha gonna do

Cool album, appreciate it and style. The songs are very meaningfull and wholesome.

Unique listen for sure. The concept of taking Guthrie's lyrics to new music provided some interesting perspectives, and the guests here were unique as well.

Straightforwardly my thing, but left me oddly cold.

What a great and touching idea for an album. I’m not a huge fan of the genre or artists at play here, but Wilco definitely knows how to execute instrumentally and there were instances of songwriting that made me smile more often than not. Hearing Guthrie’s efforts brought to life posthumously is an exceptional artistic endeavor, so it’s easy to see why this one landed on the list.

Mad decent

Fine. Expect I should have listened to the lyrics.

Ok. Didn’t blow me away

actually quite pleasant, especially at the beginning its very country folk 3.5

Much respect for it. Nice sounds and great songwriting. I'd love to see this kind of music in bars etc. as live...it doesn't do much for me as an album as it's a bit of a drag and doesn't move as much as I want.

Un album très américain, dans le sens exécrable du terme. Wilco, qui nous avait régalé sur ses deux premiers albums, a fini par céder aux sirènes de la country, enfilant successivement un chapeau Stetson et des santiags. Il partira attraper des vaches au laceau et disparaîtra petit à petit à l'horizon, ignorant nos nombreux appels. Bien triste.

J'ai beaucoup aimé cet album de country larmoyant de Billy Bragg, accompagné dans le plus grand secret de Wilco (Robert n'a pas souhaité s'attirer les foudres de l'audimat générateurien en mentionnant une fois de plus le très controversé Wilco).

This album must have been an honor and a blast to make. The intrigue of the origins of the album make it a must listen, and, no doubt, there are great moments and good songs, though I feel the promise of this unique collaboration outshines the final product. The songs, almost every one of them, linger longer than they should, and the album loses traction as we get to the later numbers. So kudos to everyone involved (amazingly, the Natalie Merchant song is probably my favorite as it doesn't overstay its welcome), I'm sure this is a feather in the cap of Bragg, Tweedy, Bennett and the rest of the collaborators, but it was never my favorite listen.

Nothing special or notable.

Thought I'd dislike this quite a bit, and I ended up sorta liking it. I'm not sure I'd come back to it, but it was decent. 3.25/5

Calmo e sem muita relevância na minha audição.

Rentoa countryfolkkia. Kuuntele uudestaan kesällä

Not really into folk rock but thought this was decent. It has a relaxed sound to it and I enjoyed more of the songs than I thought I would. Highlights were "Hoodoo Voodoo", "California Starts" and "Christ for President".

Best Song: Birds and Ships. The female vocals served as a great counterpoint to the main male vocal track. Worst Song: Hoodoo Voodoo. Sounds inauthentically silly. Like irreverence cooked up in a board room. Overall: Subdued, bluegrass-y folk. The star here is the lyrics, which is not surprising given that they're apparently all old Woody Guthrie lyrics. The rest is not bad, country roads type music.

Really nice country album. I did not feel mentally well when I listened to this and it did not make it better. There's background to it that I only skimmed as of now that may affect my opinion of it so for now I can just say that it was very good.

Yeah

Nice album-I like a few tracks, with Natalie Merchant’s contribution a pleasant surprise.

p823. 1998. 3.5 stars. Woody Guthrie lyrics and Billy Bragg tunes. Well done, but feels a bit "worthy", and is not exceptional. Worth a listen.

I enjoyed the swagger on this one

Enjoyable enough, but Wilco did far better

I’m unsure if Billy Bragg & Wilco are two different artists or if they are one band. The names seem vaguely familiar, but I can’t place where from. I’m excited to hear something new! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Christ For President, Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key I did enjoy most of the songs on this album, and yet none of the songs stuck to the point where I’d be able to hum a chorus. The music is quite folky, with a dash of the blues for good measure. Google tells me that Billy Bragg is a British singer and Wilco is an American band that played the music. You wouldn’t be able to tell that this is a collaboration of two different artists as they do seem to work pretty seamlessly together. Overall, a good album. I’m glad I heard it, but it doesn’t make me want to keep it on repeat.

If you were going to get someone to do an album of unfinished Woody Guthrie works, Billy Bragg would be pretty high up that list. Wilco probably wouldn't be. But what a delightfully odd and successful pairing (a quick search tells me that Bragg approached Wilco, I'd like to know a bit more about what led to that phone call). Really good album, the star of the show is of course Guthrie's lyrics, which are strong throughout. It didn't rock my world, but I had a pleasant 50 odd minutes while listening to this.

Désolé Wilco mes frères de sang mais on peut pas être tout le temps au top

ok on est encore au far west

Two good artists. I think Wilco was the guitar of Dr. Feelgood.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would, but still only a 3

Nothing wrong with any of these, but I’m not sure how strong of an impression it would make without the origin story. But then I’m not a massive fan of Bragg or Wilco (though I’ve nothing against either). It was interesting how many of the songs played perfectly well as modern folkish pop - had I heard the without context I would have accepted them as contemporary lyrics without hesitation. There’s some serious writer’s chops in that.

Not too shabby

Not for me.

Folk rock tunes. New music written for Woody Guthrie lyrics.

“california stars is a good song”- Evie

any song with wilcos vocals were pretty good. most others made me feel violent. not a fan of that kind of folk, sorry billy. not bad overall but wouldn’t listen again

It was okay.

Zaten wat ok liedjes bij, maar in het algemeen weer wat saai.

Ok album, would give another listen as. I couldn’t pay full attention today but enjoyed some of what I heard

I could see listening again

Country or Americana is not my thing at all, but this is enjoyable and at least keeps me entertained. Really picks up in the second half. Favourite tracks: - One by One - California Stars - Eisler on the Go - I Guess I Planted Overall Grade: 7/10

I like billy bragg and wilco, though everything here is in their style but nothing seems to stand out. A fine album.

I rated this and somehow it went away. Blah. These songs seem so familiar but then if I was at a bar, I don’t think I’d be able to identify them. I liked Walt Whitmans niece the best

More melancholy than I anticipated. Sad songs for a sad mood so I liked it but not normally a fan of BB. Wilco made it and preferred songs with him leading.

Ja, zaten een paar lekkere nummers bij

Best ok om een keer te horen hoor, maar zoals bij 90% van de platen die hier voorbij komt, snap ik niet dat je dit gehoord moet hebben voordat je sterft. Enfin, ik wacht rustig af tot er een parel voorbij komt :)

Lagan i topao album, sviđa mi se cover albuma, imaju dobru kombinaciju Wilco i Billy. Nije mi kao neki čisti Wilcovi albumi, ali je također dobro. Mislim da kad bi zapeo za ovaj album, da bi mi baš fin bio. Ovako je 3,5 (RYM), a ovdje 3. Al nekak bi i 4 mogo dati, ovisi, jer mislim da bih se mogao čak vratiti ovom albumu....ne znam. Trojka it is, ali je bolje od toga.

nice wilco

Not bad, enjoyable, some good songs, but didn't make me want to explore the rest of his Discography

Good folk jam

I thought this was well done country. Quite funny.

At first it felt like yuppie bbq cookout music, but then the second half was more enjoyable. I liked it more after reading about the background of the album.

Good but kind of all over the place

Nothing typical of either artist, but nothing particularly memorable, either.

-Something a little spooky about low voice in "Way over Yonder in the Minor Key" -"Hoodoo Voodoo" gets some upbeat honky tonkin -"She Came Along to Me" -Something about "Christ For President"? -"I Guess I Planted" has some uniony stuff -Some nice tracks there, but overall not my style

I went back and forth on this one. At times, it felt like a 2-star album and, at other times, it felt like a 4-star album. There are songs like "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key" that are just great. But there are also songs like "Ingrid Bergman" which is... just stupid. You can't help but think that there's a reason Guthrie didn't bother to write music for some of these songs. I guess, on balance, it was a fun enough album that was recorded with enough passion and respect for the late, great Woody Guthrie that it deserves a passing grade.

Probably the most consistently good project both Wilco and Billy Bragg have been involved with.

Americana

A great collection of songs. Very easy to listen to although no real standout tracks.

Decent, but nothing special.

some nice songs, some country? interesting but im not exactly sure whats the genre here!

Not too special, good for working in the background

A grower, initially the Wilco-led songs are easier to get into but Billy's ones stand out and make the whole thing very enjoyable

Good effort Bill and Wilco and Natalie.

Very interesting listen with lots of variety!

A little too folky/country for my taste but I still enjoyed listening to it.

Didn't mind it but wouldn't put on again.

Nearly a 2 for me, but Hoodoo Voodoo saved it. Will not listen to it again (except maybe the aforementioned song).

A few good songs here and there, especially on Wilco's side, but I find most of the album to be pleasant but uneventful. The idea of giving old Guthrie songs to younger musicians is really great, and Wilco are obviously having fun with them, while Bragg mostly sticks to his usual serious "union on strike singer" delivery.

This is a good album, there's no doubt... But I find it hard to spend 50 minutes at the same tempo, with the same instruments playing the same mood and the voice giving off the same emotion, particularly in folk music. I enjoyed it, but I will not listen again.

“at my window…” is good,

California Stars!

Average.

this was entertaining, but I didn't get much more out of it than that. Not my bag,

I'm sure this is the kind of album that's a great discovery for fans of Bragg, Guthrie or Wilco (and a dream come true for anyone who's a fan of all three), but as the first album I've listened to by any of them it was probably not the best starting point. Good music I guess, but it didn't blow me away.

Enjoyed.

This is an album that is meant to be taken as is. From what I have read about Bragg & Wilco, their styles differ quite a lot in comparison to this album. Mermaid Avenue is really about bringing to life the lyrics of American folk singer Woody Guthrie. Personally I think what Bragg & Wilco were able to do with the limited references to the music stylings (Guthrie was really only a lyrics man) were quite remarkable, although not my favourite style of music I can appreciate what they have done. Best: California Stars Worst: Birds and Ships

Mermaid Avenue is apparently a road that connects the traditional folk rock sound and the contemporary colors of sounds brought by Bragg. The first half of it is fun. It shows how this avenue is full of colors. It's lively, yet it has a fair share of gloom. But Mermaid Avenue is just like any other avenue. Mostly uninteresting. But I guess seeing the way those traditional and contemporary sounds travel along the road is enough reason for some to include this in their must-visit-before-I-die list.

Interesting album from Billy Bragg and Wilco, feels like pub sing-along folky type music

I liked it. Wilco seem like a good pop band and I like their singing. Billy Bragg is a very likeable chap, but his singing sometimes gets a bit morbid.

Nice sounding folk rock album with some great tunes. Especially the slower acoustic songs. Starts off and closes great but falls off significantly around the halfway point. Suffers from a lack of continuity.

Unused lyrics from Woody Guthrie give Billy Bragg a chance to hang on the coattails of Wilco and Woody - two artists much better than him. Bragg struggles to keep up. An album of two halves. Best Tracks: California Stars; Ingrid Bergman; One By One

Decent album that is without real highlights nor low lights. Typical 3 stars

I'm only slightly familiar with Billy Bragg and Wilco, and didn't know they ever collaborated. Looking at the album cover and track list I'm expecting thoughtful possibly folksy songs. ...and yep, that's just what we've got, in a high quality form. Now reading the wikipedia article I see this album is also a collaboration with Woody Guthrie. A bold idea which seems to have born fruit. I tend to medium like this kind of music. But I'm liking these songs more than that. California Stars is beautiful. The female voice joining Way Over Yonder is a lovely surprise. I don't usually like Natalie Merchant much but I do here. Unfortunately the album doesn't maintain momentum all the way through and starts to drag on the second side. But I love the ambition and of the album and think it is, overall, quite successful.

Not another wilco album

It's OK, but I'm not the audience for this.

a real curates egg - some seem like proper songs (Minor Key) others like a mess of lyrics and jams (Ingrid Bergman). Overall the feel of a high class album where the albums gets everyone to cover an artists tracks, rather than a proper album.

Mildly enjoyable. Appreciated the backstory.

Frábær plata og mjög gott Woodie Guthrie vibe í gangi

Woody Guthrie is an interesting artist. He's certainly talented, but in my experience his melodies are lackluster, and his children's songs don't do anything for me. His biggest strength has always been his lyrics, so when Billy Bragg (never heard of him) and Wilco (heard of them, but never heard anything by them) set these quality lyrics to quality music, the outcome is a very solid collection of indie folk/alt country songs. Favorite Tracks: "Walt Whitman's Niece", "California Stars", "Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key", Birds and Ships", "One By One"

Good little folk album. Would play at a bonfire chillin

The best of this album IMO: - California Stars - One By One Not my style but enjoyable. I prefer the more country songs. I imagined myself listening to this album while chilling out under the sun in Sandy Shores. 2.8/5

I believe that I never will get the hype on Wilco, however, I should give some respect to them (with "Billy Bragg") for this album. I believe that any recovery from classical compositions deserves some respect, even in cases like this album where the result is a little bit repetitive. The Wikipedia page helps to understand who was Woody Guthrie and now I need to know all the other projects from "Mermaid Avenue". Great project, good album

Glaub das ist mein erstes country Album aber hab schon blöderweise gehört

Great songwriting by Guthrie all throughout. It's really interesting they got 3 different groups covering Guthrie's songs in contemporary writing, as you could really hear the dynamic contrast in style how they cover them. Love most of the Wilco songs. Hate Bragg's country ass voice and accompaniment. Merchant's a great voice, now I want to listen to 10000 Maniacs. Maybe I'm starting to appreciate Wilco more after listening to Being There and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot several times, but their songs stick out so much with ambitious sounds, and his voice is just so peculiar but soothing. Bragg isn't too bad, and his style actually feels faithful, but it's boring. I hear the 2nd volume is pretty good too. Favorites: California Stars, Hoodoo Voodoo, Hesitating Beauty

6/10? Might have been worth a 7, but kinda long and only a couple songs stood out

Uneventful. Never quite figured why I skew Calexico over Wilco so strongly.

Didn’t like Eisler On The Go but did like most of the album . First few songs were the best

Folky music? It was fine.

I know Billy Bragg a bit but Wilco and Woody Guthrie very little, and I definitely didn't know these albums existed. So this was an interesting little find. I really enjoyed a few tracks (mainly the Bragg compositions). Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key is my highlight.

Some solid tunes. Great mellow Friday vibes

3.4 - interesting as a concept but I had a hard time hearing it over the sound of my yawns.

Pretty chill. Not my kind of jam

Good easy listening.

Meh. It has some great songs, but generally sounds uninteresting. Maybe it's here for its lyrics or because it was actually unique when it came out, but for a new listener in 2021 it just sounds like many other albums we have already heard.

Bragg rates occasionally, but this odd collaboration with Wilco to record unreleased Woodie Guthrie songs works surprisingly well.

Country plus politics plus wilco - seems squared at winning a mercury

Interesting vocal / storytelling style...

I listened to Billy Bragg a little in college, but not very much. And for some reason, I completely missed Wilco, even though I heart about them quite often and several friends like them whose taste in music tends to overlap with mine. (Side note: this reminds me to listen to their own albums...seems like a band I might enjoy.) Anyway, this album specifically: I like it. The musicianship is fantastic; really great playing. Billy Bragg's voice when he goes full Billy Bragg can grate on me quickly; comes across as too shouty for me. On this album, however, he dials it down and that really helps. I still prefer the tracks on this album when he's not singing lead. And the couple tracks with Natalie Merchant stand out. Her voice is always rich, memorable, and mesmerizing. (I'm now imagining this whole album with her as lead vocalist, and that would've been amazing.) Overall, good stuff. Enjoyed it.

My problem is that it felt very...underwhelming. It didn't sound like it was any different from the other records in the genre. When the songs were great, they were GREAT. But some I would not voluntarily re-visit.

Decent but felt too long.

Was OK…. Like Natalie Merchant song

This album opens with a weird and wild song that I immediately liked but the rest of the album was a little forgettable. I loved the overall country type rock and it was enjoyable, but they just didn't hit the heights of that first song. I'd still call this a steady week, however, fingers crossed we keep it up!

Just some light-hearted folk rock. Like the Wilco album we had before, nothing super spectacular. Ingrid Bergman was a really nice track. Alex's favorite refrain: not a bad album, but is it worth a spot on a list of best albums ever? I'm not convinced. Still, I'm not mad at this. It just faded to the background for me. Favorite tracks: Ingrid Bergman, California Stars. Album art: Not much to say, just a picture of a street. Font is cool I guess? Is this Mermaid Avenue? At least it's not false advertising. 3/5

// Favs: California Stars Score: Light to Decent 3

Bon disc, tot i que amb molts altibaixos... 'California Stars' es podria comptar entre el millor de la discografia de Wilco, 'She Came Along to Me' és pura glòria en la veu de Bragg; gran part de la resta no és gaire memorable però, folk rock passable musicant les lletres perdudes de Woody Guthrie com a principal interés

Ok background music.

Doesn’t really all come together for me.

I think I would have expected a more collaborative approach to this album between Bragg and Wilco but the album seems pretty neatly split in half between Bragg arrangements and Tweedy arrangements and as it turns out exactly half the album is kind of awful. That said I've never listened to Bragg before and I will check him out more after this because he singlehandedly carries the good half of the album. I've hated Wilco's music for two decades and I guess that's not changing with this. Neat album concept though, it's cool it got made.

I’m not a fan of country or Billy Bragg but because it features Wilco I have it a go. Turns out it was a pleasant surprise. The background story of this album is quite interesting also. California Stars and song featuring Natalie Merchant were very nice.

There were a few really good songs. But sometimes a little to over -produced for a Woody Guthrie song. Think of a combo of Woody + the Beatles.

Interesting concept and thrilling to hear previously uncovered Woody Guthrie lyrics, but overall, this album runs a bit long and the modern heartland rock backing falls a bit flat after a while. Still a really cool album

Buen disco de una mezcla de country junto con algún otro estilo igualmente tranquilo. Inicialmente prometía algo más. Aun así, fácil de escuchar y de darle otra oportunidad

Best Song: Birds & Ships (ft. Natalie Merchant) Worst Song: Christ For President

Good listen. More of a modern folk rock. I think it was well done but didn't do a whole lot for me beyond that.

I mean, it's fine. Not really my jam, but certainly not "bad" enough to get a 2. Sounded a bit too much like modern country.

Really outside my comfort zone, and while I didn't care much for the music style the lyrics were amazing. Some really great lyrics in some of these songs.

Really cool concept- lyrics were originally written by Woody Guthrie but set to music by other composers, notably Billy Bragg (who I had never heard of before listening to this). I really like listening to folk music in the background so this was a nice album to hear while working.

Yeah I thought it was alright

Me dio vibras de peli de road trip o no sé, algo así bien cliché, sí saben!

3/5 i'd say that there were some interesting tracks, but nothing really stuck

Chilliä countryfolkkirokkia. Laulajalla miellyttävä ääni ja tulkintatyyli. Joskus unohtuu ehkä vertaamaan arvosteluissa saman genren levyjä ja ja arvosanoja keskenään, eikä yleisemmällä skaalalla. Mielestäni country-levyjen välisessä taistossa tämä oli nelosen levy, mutta yleisesti verraten kelpo 3.

Rauhallista musiikkia, uneliasta. Ajoittain tuli mieleen Beck, vaikken Beckin tuotantoa niin tarkkaan tunnekaan. Ja Bob Dylaniin verrattuna jonkin verran helpommin lähestyttävää folk-henkistä musaa. Yksittäiset biisit eivät jäänet niinkään mieleen, kun töiden taustalla kuuntelin.

Ok I guess.

Decent variety between rowdier stuff and sweet, quieter stuff, but overall too country for my taste. Plus a song or two for a little gross.

Bragg ok, Wilco nicht so meins

This was a pleasant surprise. Never heard of Billy Bragg but I kinda like it!

California stars is amazing!

While I normally love Wilco, and this is a solid album, it's a bit too country for my preferences

Nice vibe.

Tiene sus momentos

I think it's a decent album, and I said this about the last Wilco album too, but despite being a Wilco fan this album doesn't get me particularly excited. I like some Billy Bragg too (thanks to Jon) but this album is just ok to my ear. Rounding up to 3 stars.

Si me latieron algunas.

Great collaboration between these two incredible artists. I liked the variety from song to song, and they can really jam on some of the upbeat songs. Highlights: -California Stars -Birds and Ships -Hoodoo Voodoo -I Guess I Planted

7.5

First thought was "oh no is it Country?" but I see Wilco is on the album too so... maybe it's ok. Definitely have heard "California Stars", it's very nice. Apparently "Mermaid Avenue is a 1998 album of 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." I wouldn't say anything in here did a ton for me though. It was not-offensive but this style of folk rock is maybe not my fav.

No songs sound the same but all equally beautiful

Pretty decent. Some good tracks.

Little bit too much country for me, but a few nice songs.

Pretty good folk rock album. Not sure if this would become a favorite. Definitely enjoyed California Stars.

California Stars was a great song

I didn’t love this

Not the best era Billy; but a good album nonetheless

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.

eh

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...

Never heard about. After listening I understand why

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

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

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

Really not my thing

Ugh. The songs were so repetitive.

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.

dit s echt vage country

# 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

I don't get it

Another country album, great

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

Occasionally beautiful but dumb as hell

++: 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.

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 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.

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.

Niets bijzonders, klonk prima op achtergrond

Not great.

Forgettable

заебало фолкокантри

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

duró demasiado o soy yo?

4/10. Fav Track - Walt Whitman's Niece Enjoyable at times however quite dull at others.

It seems like an earnest and worthy project. I couldn't get into the combination of American Folk with Billy's very British accent. It didn't work for me, maybe I just wasn't in the mood.

idk I struggled with this one more than I expected

Mwa, beetje protest rock op een klassieke manier. Best saai

..

California Stars... Couldn't save the album from being kinda borin/depressing.

2.5 stars It’s not bad, but I’ve never been crazy about it. It’s an interesting concept and they did a good job turning lyrics into songs, but perhaps those limits kept them from making it more interesting? It just kind of happens. Wilco has better albums that aren’t on this list.

Definitivamente no es mi estilo de música pero siempre mola descubrir cosas nuevas

Rather uninventive

Pretty dull

Sort of decent

This was a tough listen. This is like who Jools Holland says is a big star and he’s super excited to have on the show and it’s billy bragg singing a weird combination of over exaggerated lyrics and a folk based guitar while the audience stand in silence around him. But jools is loving it so that’s all that matters x

Not sure about the hard panning on 'California Stars', found it a bit distracting. Why does everything rhyme so much?

I feel like albums that are too big just keeps flinging stuff to see what sticks. There's no cohesion in the album to tie things together. Either way, I didn't really liked any of them.

not my favorite

I gave this two listens. An intimate 1am spin on a good set of noise cancelling earbuds, and a clean midday jam on my portable speakers. The difference in the sound is enough to recognize quality production. I can also admire the talent, it's folk-country heading into the pop-rock world and they blend it into something that sits well after you've finished it. I like how it can be admired beyond its target audience. That being said, in order to make it work it had to be just a few extra dashes too pop, and too overproduced for my liking. I'm also not generally a huge fan of the Americana-forward musical energy, but if I were to get into it, I suppose this is the type of effort that would take me there. It feels genuine, crafted with love. Still not something I'd look forward to putting on. 2.3/5

Sorry Billy en Jeff, maar dit is niks; 2.5 sterren afgerond naar beneden

Ik had gehoopt dit wat leuker te vinden, maar vond het echt oersaai en eigenlijk ook best wat nummers een beetje kut. Niet het kutste album, op zich nog wel wat losse okay dingen, maar in het algemeen niet echt een toffe plaat

Didn’t like

Billy Bragg & Wilco – Mermaid Avenue (1998) On Day 61, Mermaid Avenue turned out to be a total snooze fest. To be honest, the vocals just weren't there for me. It felt like Billy Bragg was just "Bragging" without delivering the vocal quality or the "triumphant" energy I look for in a project. The only thing that prevented this from being a 1-star disaster was "California Stars," which stood out as a decent track and the backstory behind the LP which I found touching. Other than that, the album lacked any real soul or momentum to keep me engaged. A disappointing 2/5.

Honestly, it is not bad, but it is also not really that special. You listen to it and the songs go on and on, and you don't really love any of them, but also don't really hate the album, kinda meh.

Not unlistenable, but pretty boring and forgettable.

So I love Wilco but I was really bored with this one. I also just found out that this is a woody Guthrie covers album, so it makes sense why it feels so traditional. Traditional songs+90’s production is a no for me. However, this does have one of my favorite Wilco songs ever on it (California stars) I also really enjoy “one by one” and “at my window” 1001 has a lot of mid tier albums, and I’ve got to break the spell of 3’s. This is a sold 2.5 for me. Don't see myself revisiting other than for those 3 tracks.

If I wanted to listen to Guthrie, I’d listen to Guthrie

A decent experience, unlike most other country music out there.

Listening session: february 11th, while commuting to internship Listened to before: no Thoughts: this is definitely not my preferred genre because everything just sounds bland to me but it was nice that they put a female singer on this as well because she sounds nice Favourite tracks: Birds and Ships & Another Man’s Done Gone

I got a few tracks in but wasn't that fussed on it. I liked the female singer, not so much fussed on Wilco

I promised myself when I started this 34 albums ago that I would listen to each album in full as part of the project…. But apparently sometimes I just can’t. Only giving it 2 because HooDoo VooDoo was okay.

Boring yank bollocks

I truly did not enjoy this very much.

Wilco made this album very monotone and uninteresting. Billy Bragg singing wasn't necessary in any way. Some projects are better left on paper.

snooze fest

This is so far away from tje music I was listening to in 1998… I didn’t hate it, but unlikely to listen again

Another day another UK singer/songwriter. Dit keer meer aan de country side, wat niet echt in mijn straatje ligt. Ik zou de songwriting waarschijnlijk wel kunnen waarderen als ik het wat vaker en aandachtiger luister, maar daar heb ik eerlijk gezegd geen zin in 😂. Er is niet veel dat me naarbinnen trekt, maar opzich zit het prima in elkaar.

Torturous at times to listen to. God awful terrible music. I can’t believe this was made in the 90s??

the definition of nothing burger music I couldn't remember how the music sounded less than an hour after listening

Didn't love this one, just a bit too folksy and substanceless for me. I don't think it helped that it took me the whole day to get through the album because I kept having to stop as the entire thing was plainly dull and unenjoyable.

Performative millennial liberal slop

Quelques chansons sympa mais globalement la vibe country c'est pas trop mon truc

I think this is a decent album, there's just a few moments that go a bit too folksy for me. Maybe I'll change my opinion on another listen through, which I'd like to do sometime

Interesting.

Not bad, but a bit boring. Wilco’s here which I think you can really tell from the first song. My heart wasn’t really in it, maybe because it was a little to traditional for me

Wilco was the first band I ever saw live when they opened for REM when I was around 10 years old. Unfortunately they still sound as boring as I remember. Some decent lyrics though! 2.5 -> 2/5

It was Ok, but forgettable.

Eh. I enjoy Wilco but this just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Not for me!!

Und da hani scho ghofft gha, dass mir scho all country Albe dure hend. Leide ned, da het sich no eis inegschliche. Veränderet het sich nüd, finds immerno schrecklich. 2 speuzer in Spucknapf

I think the idea of creating new music from old lyrics is really interesting. Not really my vibe though. Best song: California Stars

Very folksy. Not folk. Folksy. A kind of Americana that I struggle to get behind. That snare is dry as yer maws Sunday roast. The acoustic stuff was better than the full band. Went on too long. I think they stoned and having a good time but as a sober listener, didn't float my boat.

I do like some Wilco, but this one I gave away - much to John Green's disapproval.

Opening track must be a joke. Generic folk updated for a modern audience. Hoodoo Voodoo is just juvenile. Overproduced drivel.

Yeah not for me. Sorry. I am just not a country/folk listener. Some folk I can attach to but this is doesn't do it for me. Sorry.

Not my style, but I enjoyed parts. ★★

Moram lupit jednu ličnu anegdoticu. Probudim se jutros, promijenila se ova vremenska zona. Sva pogubljena, gledam šta je na generatoru. A reko otkud Billy Bragg s dosadnim Wilcom. Kad skontam da razmišljam o Billyu Oceanu. Hiljadu puta zanimljivija priča nego album. Billy Bragg je bolji čovjek nego muzičar pa nek se drži toga. Wilco opet, ne mogu da vjerujem.

I like Wilco, but this collaboration falls on the weaker side for me. Trying to create music in another artist's style seems to have dampened the creativity Wilco and Bragg somewhat. It's not a terrible album, but it could have been a lot more. Favorite track: "California Stars"

Well, this is nice enough (I do like some of Billy Bragg's albums), but really I don't see this as being especially influential as it's mostly about resurrecting Woody Guthrie's unused lyrics. Good Lord, Qobuz cued up the full 47 track boxed set! That's too much for me.

I thought this was nice enough in places but I got pretty bored too, a lot of nice lines clearly as the whole album is based on Guthries lyrics but rockabilly isn’t really my thing and I lost interest a lot can’t say I agree this should make the 1001 albums personally…

A cool story behind how this album came to pass, but when you start to get into the music it’s clear that it’s a pretty nothing album, and that’s all I really have to say on it

I was wildly surprised by Bragg's "Talking with the Taxman About Poetry", an album from this list that's really stuck with me. This one didn't do it for me. What I’ve heard from Wilco has never done it for me, just a personal preference thing. What carries this album is its charm, like the line about maybe having all the fascists gone in the future in “She Came Along To Me”, or the whole idea of the song “Christ For President”. Still, I don’t feel impacted by much of what I hear, specifically sonically and compositionally. Strong 2/5

Ok I had no idea Billy Bragg and Wilco did a Woody Guthrie album? And my main takeaway from it is that Bragg and Merchant > Wilco. Bragg makes perfect sense for the album but Wilco just doesn't fit here, they make the songs they sing on sound goofy. Maybe this album deserves even a 3/5 but something about Wilco pisses me off so, lower rating 2/5

I like the concept behind this album to celebrate a great like Woody Guthrie. Haven’t checked the list but this is perhaps the only way to get Woody on the list and who can’t argue that he should be on a list? The same can be said to a lesser extent about Billy Bragg (who does have an another album on the list) and Wilco. Unfortunately that’s as far as I can go in praising this album. The style and substance of it does not resonate with me at all. Billy and Wilco seem to be having a fab time singing these songs so good luck to them and all who like this type of music but it’s not for me. 2/5 12/10/25

What a strange concept for an album. Give a bunch of unrecorded song lyrics of a revered folk singer to professional whingebag Billy Bragg and dullsters Wilco to write some songs with. What do you get, hey presto, you get a middle of the road Country tinged Billy Bragg and Wilco album. The only song I liked was the Ingrid Bergman one, and that’s probably because it was delivered in a Woodie Guthrie style. Which I think is telling in itself. Do we think Woodie Guthrie fans are listening to this album thinking, wow, this is what he’d sound like if he were recording now. I very much doubt it. What a weird idea, they’d have been better off giving the lyrics to some older folk artists to honour his style.

Not in the mood for this one

Over this scene

Flops between terrible and mid. This is the straw that broke the camel's back for me on folk. Favourite Song: Hoodoo Voodoo

its not bad but i just found it so difficult to get through. could just be not what im wanting to hear rn, might have to come back and give it another chance

It's an interesting concept. I like the idea of having two very different musical points of view crafting vehicles for the lyrics. But I don't get any cohesion from the final product.The first two songs are each great. There are other moments, but they're too few and scattered too widely among a collection of forgettable tracks. No knock on either Billy or Jeff; writing 7-8 good songs from someone else's lyrics is a helluva challenge. By Unwelcome Guest I was pretty eager to move on with my day.

No thanks. It's got Hoodoo Voodoo which is a fun song, the rest are meh at best.

Meh. I liked a couple songs but nothing really grabbed me

Not much to brag about

Ah verdomme, Wilco... De band met een naam die zo mogelijk nog saaier klinkt dan dat ze zijn En geloof me, dit is een saaie band hoor, dus het is werkelijk waar een godswonder dat ze deze naam hebben gekozen. Maar goed, er is nu een andere zanger bij, dat helpt al wel een beetje! Mwah, dit is voor mij een typisch Wilco album - het ene oor in, het andere oor uit. Nooit vervelend, maar zo spannend als een glas water. Het helpt wel echt dat er een andere zanger op staan. Billy voegt wel echt iets toe aan deze muziek, maar nog altijd is er geen moment waarop ik echt blij ben dat ik naar een Wilco album aan het luisteren ben. Ik kom uit op 2 sterren, ik had nog een ander nummer dat ik wel leuk vond, maar kwam er achter dat ik het gewoon niet meer wist nadat het was afgelopen. Dat is denk ik de Wilco kwaliteitsstempel. ALlemaal prima, nooit echt iets bijzonders. FAVO: Way over yonder in the minor key,

Country isn’t bad but the album felt samey and just wasn’t up my alley.

Not really my cup of tea. No hate to those who enjoy it though.

No retuve nada del disco

A cool idea here, resurrecting Woodie Guthrie songs and giving them to new artists. The trouble is in the execution. Part of the problem here is that I don't really like Wilco. Billy Bragg is alright, but most of these songs just don't hit me. 2/5

I know many people who are big Wilco fans, but I've never been a big fan of Country-Alternative Rock, so they never really did anything for me. Can't say I had ever listened to Billy Bragg before. This album didn't win me over for either of them. It's pretty boring and monotonous, if I'm being honest.

Zzzz

passed by without making an impression - nothing to see here

As a project, it is interesting. Billy Bragg and Wilco were hand-picked to give life to Guthrie's words, and they did a good job. I just didn't particularly enjoy it.

I love Billy Bragg, am indifferent to Wilco. I wanted to like this but some lyrics stay unmade into songs for a reason.