Reviews (page 4 of 8)
I liked it. Red eye and blue. Far far away. Got you. Misunderstood. Sunken Treasure. All good. Many emo tracks.. loved them. He can sing. Not the most technically talented vocal, but he deliveries loads of emotions very naturally in his own unique way. This only problem is double album doesn’t really work for me. Why double album.. it makes it very long and diminish the fun.
i wasn't expecting much from this, but i walked away pretty underwhelmed. it wasn't really my cup of tea. i found that it was just a bit slow... and like nothing really ever stood out. sorry Wilco, but its a 2
I always had this preconceived notion that people that liked Wilco were part of the older crowd and that it wasn’t current enough to warrant my attention. I’m not sure why I ever thought that. But it looks like I’m part of the older crowd because I’m definitely a fan of Wilco after my first listen. It being fall probably helped with the vibes but I’m not complaining. Other than the length, I thought it was a great intro to the band and made me want to dive into more of their albums.
It was perfectly fine. I bet if I listened to this album a bunch I would really start to like it and learn the lyrics. For a one time listen it was enjoyable, but not really memorable.
Overall inoffensive, but not really my cup of tea unfortunately!
I find this a really hard to judge album. Some of it is good has meaning clever musicality and then others don't and can maybe be the problem with such a long album. I question is it trying to be too Radiohead? It's just a bit all over the play no direction and just boring.
Two whole discs of these dweebs. Ugh.
I liked it. Not for me, but good music.
Classic, nearly as good as YHF
Liked this one
Wasn’t really in the mood for this.
I love Wilco, they are one of my favourite bands, but this is not even in my five favourite albums of theirs. I'm on the opinion that they only truly found their voice with Summerteeth. These are still great songs performed extremely well, it's just that they have better albums than this.
This has some all-time classic Wilco tracks, especially on side A (see “Misunderstood”, “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” and “Forget The Flowers” but the LP is overly long and drags in spots. They have better albums to come but a solid effort.
Alternative country style, but still country.
1. mizunderztood - 1 2. far -1.5 3. monday - 0 4. Mind - 0 5. Flowers -1 6. Red -1 7. You - 0 8. Store - 1 9. Arizona - 1 10. Miss - 1.5 11. Treasure -2 12. Someday -1.5 13. Mind -1 14. Someone - 1.5 15. Kingpin - 0 16. Dreams - 0 17. Live - 1 18. Lonely -2.5 19. Dreamer - 0
Very average album No songs particularly memorable. Flow of the album feels like the band cannot decide on a genre. 2.5⭐️
Kind of weird album in that it seems like they just chucked everything they'd done recently on the same album. If they had trimmed a lot of the more average tracks off it could have been pretty good. As it is, its ok - some good stuff but weighted down by the excessive length and some pretty average songs mixed in.
It was ok. I would start to like it then it would become a bit to noisy or discordant. And it was too long and no particular track really jumped out at me.
My second Wilco album. This one was enjoyable- I felt like it had a more raw sound. An interesting mix of rock with folksy/indie vibes, before that trend took off in popular music. Overall- good album
- Wilco is a new group for me, and though it isn't my favorite and not many of the tracks were memorable, this album wasn't unpleasant - the only thing that really makes this stand out is the timbre of Jeff Tweedy's voice, which sounds more like it belongs in a post-hardcore group. I imagine that's the draw of the whole band, mixing an indie/borderline emo feel with country instrumentals (esp in the first track and its accompanying #deep lyrics) - I'm not inspired to listen to the rest of Wilco's discography, but I wouldn't ask someone to change the radio station if a song from this album came on
Of the Uncle Tupelo/Wilco/Son Volt triumvirate, Wilco is actually by far my least favorite. So of course, they're the only one represented on the list, and they've got three different albums on here. I actually liked this one fine, though! It's at least closer to the alt-country I wanted than YHF ever gets. Still got a problem with it being 80 minutes long though...
This is what I get for saying Wilco never did it for me on yesterday’s album huh. Well I can’t say much changed with this record either. Signs of ambition in a few of the instrumentals, and I liked “Forget The Flowers” a good bit, but that’s it. I don’t find much in Jeff Tweedy’s voice, it’s bland at best. 2/5
Quite an enjoyable album. First song is simple great.
Classic Wilco album
…I’m not even sure how I first came across Wilco. I remember downloading track after track on Napster back in the day just to burn the album, ending up with multiple versions of “Outtamind (Outtasight).” I listened to it then, but at the time, it just felt too country. Back then, it wasn’t “cool” to like anything that leaned toward bluegrass or Americana (a mindset I’m very glad I grew out of). Wilco is kind of magical. Being There feels like the spark that lit the folk-Americana revival so many later bands tried to capture. It’s like country music for those who were tired of what “pop country” had become in the ’90s - no offense, Shania Twain (I’ll always love you). This album is pure, simple enjoyment. Like sipping iced tea on a hot summer afternoon, sitting on the porch, letting life slow down for a bit.
Being a white dude born in the 80s, I’m required to appreciate Wilco. Luckily they make it easy. I really appreciate the effort at mixing their experimental pop with classic honky tonk sounds. Probably could have used some trimming for some sleepy tracks, but great concept.
The experimentation, the classic rock the country, the bar band all mix together to make an album that’s sounds fresh still today
Nothing I didn't like, but some tracks felt safe and inoffensive and so didn't leave much of an impression on me. Second half picked up slightly. One track reminded me a lot of Primal Scream, and I could also hear Bob Dylan and Velvet Underground (as well as American country in general).
An American musical smorgasbord, loved the folk and country, steel guitar was a real treat. I've never heard of Wilko but it didn't surprise me they were from Chicago. Lots of familiar elements that made it feel slightly nostalgic even on a first listen. 4
Slightly over long album. Strong alt country rock
Competent crossover country rock album.
Wilco spans a mad number of country sub-genres across this record. I most enjoy the songs at the beginning which sound like emo alt country. The big band Bruce Springsteen bits are less my thing. The majority though is a more straightforward gentle approach. It’s sweet and pleasant. I won’t regret any time spent on this record but as it’s very long I won’t be rushing back to it in a hurry.
Wilco was a low to solid 4 for me too, it is a little long but mostly earns that. Turns out Wilco were a huge piece of the Alt-Country puzzle missing for me, I keep going on about loving Alt-Country with punk and emo tinges and it’s literally all here. I officially love Alt-country!
Weirdly dont feel like ive heard heard of wilco even though i know they're really famous. I couldnt name a single fact abt them. starting off very dissonant and crazy like sonic youth but in a less likeable way. hes got a certain stephen malkmus face the truth qualit
Me encanta, muy americano, de los 90's / 00's
Groupe inconnu. Ah non en fait, le générateur m'a proposé 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' il y a 5 jours, que je n'avais pas apprécié (noté 2/5) mais ... je l'avais déjà oublié ! Heureusement qu'on peut consulter son historique. Ce second album est un concentré d'ennui profond, il ne présente absolument rien d'original. Le tout sur plus d'1 heure 15 ! Je n'ai pas pu aller au bout. J'ai compris assez vite pourquoi la maison de disque l'a proposé à moitié prix : c'était le seul moyen de le vendre ! Jamais plus. =>1/5
Uncle Tupelo var verkligen fina, i synnerhet deras sista album. När dom splittrades var man tvungen att välja sida. 95% valde lättälskade Tweedy och därmed Wilco. Jag hörde till dom kärva andra 5% som valde Jay Farrar och hans Son Volt. Inget fel i det valet egentligen, Son Volts tre första album är smått lysande, om än inte några stora kommersiellt gångbara alster. Detta medförde i alla fall att jag aldrig tagit mig an Wilco. Det första jag lyssnade på med Wilco var Billy Bragg-skivorna, under förevändning att det var Bragg snarare än Tweedy jag lyssnade på. Det har dykt upp en och annan trevlig Wilco-låt sen dess men jag har fortfarande aldrig tagit till mig Wilco. Det här är första hela plattan jag lyssnar på (förutom Bragg-albumen då). Det är en dubbel, det är mycket musik, alldeles för mycket. Det är väl aldrig dåligt. Men det är å andra sidan bara ytterst glimtvis bra och i den stora mängden musik försvinner dom glimtarna som en piss i Missisippi. Den här plattan blir snabbt ganska tråkig och anonym lyssning, några Stones-patischer, lite lättköpt standard americana och nåt alt-country flörtande. - Jaha, man rycker på axlarna, det låter och väl genomfört men berör inte det minsta. Finns ingen riktig spänst eller tillräckligt bra låtar. Jag tror switchar över till Son Volts "Straightaways" eller Wilcos första Billy Bragg samarbete istället. Knappt godkänt
Wilco ör ett av alla de där banden på andra sidan Atlanten som plöjer i ungefär samma fåra. Americana, altcountry, alternativrock eller vad man vill kalla det. Det är inte dåligt, och inte jättebra. Funkar som förströelse med en och annan låt som höjer sig ur mängden. Dock blir en dubbel-CD med 19 låtar för mastigt och gör att trean faller ner till en tvåa.
Här händer det sannerligen inte mycket. Det bara pågår i en mindre evighet (less is more, när ska de lära sig). Det är väl inte direkt dåligt, men inte heller bra. Ett album som är glömt samma sekund det tar slut.
Inte dåligt men heller inte fantastiskt på något vis. Stabil rock med en fot i den amerikanska myllan. Husmanskost, och det blir man ju snabbt mätt på. En dubbel är för mycket. Vem orkar med deluxe-utgåvan över fem skivor?
Pretty nice tbh nice little indie rock type of vibe with references to classics but still comfortably its own thing
This album is a lot like a stick of gum, it just doesn’t have the flavor to go the distance or 75 minute product.
I feel like I've slowly come to appreciate Wilco more after mildly enjoying Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as album #60 on my journey. Going further back to their second record, I found more immediate appreciation for Being There. This album is rooted in the foundation of singer-songwriter Jeff Tweedy's former alternative country group, Uncle Tupelo, while incorporating more psychedelia and stylistic influences from other bands. From the gritty crescendo of "Misunderstood", to the rocking Rolling Stones number "Monday", to the pedal steel rollick of "Forget the Flowers", to the piano-led slow burner of "Red-Eyed and Blue", to the electronic flourishes that open "I Got You (At the End of the Century)", the experimentation on this record is vast such that it kept engaging for most of the runtime. Pair that with the skilled musicianship on display, crisp production, and Jeff's touching lyrics centered around the notion of the tortured artist, and the result was a gripping experience. Sure, this album does run rather long at over 76 minutes, and perhaps the genre-hopping experimentation comes off as a bit unfocused. But I still felt like I had an overall fun time listening to Being There, to the point where I may have to re-evaluate my feelings towards Yankee Hotel Foxtrot a lot sooner than I thought.
So apparently indie country is a thing - wish it wasn't...
This alt rock record is a mixed bag of styles, some of which work a lot better than others. The uptempo tracks sound like kind of stuff The Replacements did back in their heyday, but out of these only a handful of songs really stand out. The slow-tempo country-flavored numbers are routine and/or sleepy. Only the weirdo cuts like "Misunderstood" and "Red-Eyed And Blue" are truly interesting. What's frustrating about this album is that the offbeat tracks show that Jeff Tweedy is capable of pushing his songwriting in innovative directions but for most of this record he sticks to pretty conventional forms.
A few great songs in a sea of middling-at-best rock. Can't really see why this is on the list.
It was not anything notable.
A little too pop country for me. There were a couple songs that I liked but nothing really grabbed my attention and the album is too long.
Still shades of country, double album for single price Misunderstood Monday Don't forget the flowers
Could have been an excellent single album. Too many undercooked songs as a double album 3.5
On paper, meaning in a review, this is just the kind of thing I like. In reality, not so much. I loved the freshness of Uncle Tupelo and the drone of Son Volt but Wilco has rarely moved me.
I really don't get the popularity of this band. Snooze.
This is like one of those all-over-the-place Beatles albums with four different songwriters, except that there's just the one. I'm sure I liked this album a lot until the next two came along, and it still has some fine moments, especially on disc 1.
There is a four-and-a-half-star album hidden inside this bloated record. Lots of filler songs that drag the listening experience for waaaay too long...
Alternative, psychedelic, country 1996. Way more country than I expected. Simple, but it had soul. Someone said it was like a bunch of college kids and it is- it has the energy. Nothing stood out too much but perhaps if I return to it :)
19 songs is just way too long for an album like this.
I enjoyed it and will listen again
Très agréable surprise sur ce rock varié aux accents country Un album cohérent et bien construit
Un album que je réécouterai et c’est pas peu dire
J’ai été étonnement surpris, en particulier le début de l’album avec le mélange entre les parties Rock et les parties plu folk. Apres quand ça part plus vers de la country je suis perdu
Meh
1001 Albums Challenge (18/1001) 1. Misunderstood (4/5) 2. Far, Far Away (5/5) 3. Monday (5/5) 4. Outtasite (Outta Mind) (5/5) 5. Forget The Flowers (5/5) 6. Red-Eyed And Blue (5/5) 7. I Got You (At The End Of The Century) (5/5) 8. What's The World Got In Store (5/5) 9. Hotel Arizona (5/5) 10. Say You Miss Me (5/5) 11. Sunken Treasure (5/5) 12. Someday Soon (5/5) 13. Outta Mind (Outta Sight) (5/5) 14. Someone Else's Song (4/5) 15. Kingpin (5/5) 16. (Was I) In Your Dreams (5/5) 17. Why Would You Wanna Live (5/5) 18. The Lonely 1 (5/5) 19. Dreamer In My Dreams (5/5) Total (5/5)
Pretty boring honestly. Couple good bits in there but it's just too long. 1 feels slightly unfair though.
slid over me. will prob like on a relisten
Enjoyable enough, but nothing in particular stood out about this album.
Good album. Some good songs, but album is a little too long. Overall, enjoyed it. 3/5 Might listen again
Oh yeah!
Ok
4-
Incredible album. Wilco's blend of alternative, indie, country styles flow seamlessly through this album. 4/5
Really good album. It dragged slightly towards the end. Knock 3-4 songs off this and it’s definitely 5 stars
Tried over three occasions to get through is and I know it's cool to like Wilco but it was a fucking slog.
Honestly, pretty great
Lovely, dreamy album. Yes it’s long and some of it sounds similar, but still, very nice. It does fade into the background though. 3/5
Absolutely skilled musicians, but what a drag of an album. I love all the genres these guys are influenced by and a lot of bands that have been influenced by them, but they make such boring music to me.
Maybe it’s genius and I’m just too lowbrow to get it, but I found these songs incredibly boring. Getting through this album felt like a chore. Not for me.
Honestly not bad. Listened at work and kinda zoned out so good work music
I have never heard of this album or this artist, but I REALLY liked it. This album was raw, the vocals were fun, and I kinda enjoyed how the songs were different throughout. Definitely wasn't the most cohesive album overall, but it was great! Liked Songs: "Misunderstood" , "Far, Far Away" , "Monday" , "I Got You (At the End of the Century)" , "What's the World Got in Store" , "Say You Miss Me" , "Someday Soon" , "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)" , "Kingpin" , "(Was I) In Your Dreams" , "Why Would You Wanna Live" , "The Lonely 1" , "Dreamer in My Dreams"
Meh 2.5
Though technically good, I personally didn't have any strong feelings about this one.
Great
Never heard of Wilco but this was alright. Not sure I really NEEDED to hear this but am happy that I have. Bit long but not too long.
This is so much more pub rock than what was on YHF - not so much my vibe sadly, but I'll ask my Dad what he thinks of it I guess
Decent music, did not inspire me, but did not annoy me.
Best Song: Someone Else's Song. This has a nice, Johnny Cash quality to it. Sparse yet thoughtful. Worst Song: Sunken Treasure. What a cacophonous and ugly outro. Overall: A relatively ordinary album that's overly long. I liked some of their more creative songs, but too many just floated in this vague, uninteresting middle-space between country and alt-rock.
Not the greatest Wilco record but not bad at all.
Solid album by a band having an identity crisis. Are they rock? Grunge? Folk? Country? Yes.
I want to balk at the usual suspects - the length, the ploys at psychedelia. It turns out I remain charmed by Jeff Tweedy all the same.
I would have rated it higher if it wasn’t so long. The lyrics still hit me pretty hard. 7/10
Enjoyed this one a lot I like Wilco in general. No songs I would single out but would like to listen again. 4
Good to remember these guys always had it. I really do love Wilco and I’m glad Jeff Tweedy’s around. Serious dad rock, but I love it.
This album came up on the perfect day. This hit me in exactly the right way
There is no reason for this list to have three (THREE) Wilco albums on it. This one is inessential and overly long.
Good country rock record
great
tidy rock record, but long but i liked some tracks
3 Stars (8/15)
Ég bjóst við einhverju allt öðru og það skemmdi kannski upplifunina en mér fannst söngurinn ekki passa eins og það væri verið að rembast of mikið við að búa til eitthvað meistaraverk sem það varð ekki. Gleymist fljótt en ég gef samt þrjár því þetta var ekki slæmt.
4/5
Favorite tracks: Far, Far Away, Hotel Arizona
75+ minutes of mid
Fine. Some really solid tracks that’s I’ll come back to. Album just too long and so it started to sound monotonous. Not sure I’d want to relisten to full album again
Wilco is one of those bands I know about, I like, I just don't listen to them often enough... But I do like them
Misunderstood is a beautiful understated intro to an album. In particular i love the sections of feedback and drums. The song builds to a great crescendo of noise towards the end before it just expires in your ears either a final death rattle. This makes the jangly ‘Far, far away’ an interesting change of pace and one that works well. The increase in pace continues with ‘monday’ which properly rocks out and appears to feature a mouth harp (cant remember the proper name). The more acoustic led ‘sunken’ treasure a delightfully dreamy break before the banjo plucking highlights of ‘someday soon’ and ‘outta mind’, although the start of the latter reminded me of Sesame street.
I’ve come to review this album and realised that I remember very little about it, which is not a good sign. It didn’t keep my attention, other than to frequently wonder how much longer I had to listen to it. It was all just dull and not to my taste.
I had a brief period of my late teens/early 20s when I listened to a lot of Wilco, but only specific albums, and mostly the first two Billy Bragg/Woodie Guthrie Mermaid Avenue records. This was not one of the albums (it's weird to remember a time where, if you discovered an artist you really liked, checking out their back catalogue generally meant spending a whole lot of money on something you might hate or infecting your computer with multiple viruses). I loved Monday - the brass, the vocals, the upbeatness (I don't care that's not a word), the handclaps, the fact it all sort of falls apart at the end. It's my type of song. Red-eyed and Blue is another high point for me (whistle solo!) and I Got You (At The End of The Century). I'll basically always prefer a tight 40-50 minute album rather than this 1 hour 15 minutes, but reading that the band recorded too many tracks and, knowing it would mean an expensive double album, negotiated it being priced as a single record with their label, losing their share of the album royalties in the deal, makes me love it a little bit. Still, I think this would be much better at 50 minutes as it's a little uneven. This would be a 3.5, but I like it too much to be a 3, so 4/5
Not bad, not good either. Weird pace and song order choices.
Love me some Wilco! Great variety and touched on a ton of genres that all flowed great
This is one of those bands that I've tried to like before... for all intents and purposes, should like, but it always turns out to be more twangy than I expect or like.
GOOD STUFF
Definitely a cool vibe and fitting a certain nostalgia/ melancholy mood. I didn’t realize going in that it was a double album. What starts out as a cool vibe, just ends up dragging by the end.
Not for me
The other Wilco stuff I’ve heard has grown on me, I imagine this one might as well. For now, first listen it’s a solid 3+ stars, but not enough to round up.
Some decent stuff on here. Probably worth a relisten, but not anytime soon.
boring.....just boring.....
What a debut album from this Alt country wizards. A little long but for the most part this album slaps
A double album.... unfortunately only managed a couple of listens through (and it probably needs a few more). Enjoyed it - but nothing really jumped out and grabbed me but equally nothing repelled me. So I guess that makes it a solid 3. If it was not so long and I had more time to listen a few more times it may have crept up to a 4 as enjoyed the sound.
Better than expected. Not just bog-standard American 90s rock. Some nuance and different styles. Not bad.
Easy to listen to mellow rock with a country vibe. Not bad but I'm not sure it's really my thing. Some nice beats and the vocals are nice but it doesn't really strike me as something that I am into. I wouldn't seek it out but I don't regret listening. These songs would be great to add to a chill music mix.
Great one
good album
Bisschen lash nicht mein ding
Oh great, I thought, when this album popped up. Wilco Johnson. I don’t recognise this solo album but today looks like being a good day. Imagine my disappointment when I realise that it wasn’t “the” Wilco, but some other bunch of Americans I’d never heard of. But hey! It’s not at all bad. Possibly not quite as good as an unknown album by “the” Wilco would be. But today wasn't too bad after all (just a bit long).
p781. 1996. 3 stars. Alt-country rock. It's a double album, so one point immediately deducted for outstaying its welcome. Bit of a shame really, as there are some great songs on here. A bit of judicious editing and this could easily be a 4.
Depressing but musically astute album. I found it enjoyable. The opening was incredible. 3.5/5
This would be three star album but there is no justification whatsoever for music that is this average going on for this long.
didn't listen alllllll the way through...
Listened to the whole thing, but feel like my rating is more for disc 1. Disc 2 kinda dragged & wasn't as good. Anyways, pleasantly surprised by the 1st half.
I wish I had more thumbs so I could give this album 4 thumbs down
This wasnt great. We stopped at about 3 songs in, too whiney and we werent in the mood for it.
Too long, not good. Pushes past the melancholy charm of Wilco straight into being annoying. Not a fan of this one.
Forget the Flowers is excellent.
Better than Coldplay
Late 90s indie rock. Strummy folk songs, then suddenly heavy guitars. Enjoyable. Long. Country tracks.
Life is like a box of genres; you never know what you're gonna get. The album overstayed its welcome, but if nothing else, it was a mixture of Alternative Rock, Country, and Punk Rock. Favorite Track: "Dreamer In My Dreams".
I like Wilco enough but they are pretty pedestrian
Just okay.
Yeah pretty much too sad for me to listen to all the way through, really bummed me out and was not the vibe I needed.
I like Wilco as much as the next guy but a double album.... that's a lot of the same. Despite this, it was still decent. Solid 3.
Nice
It's okay but too long.
ok
I like what I hear on this album. Although I've only listened to half of it, I've enjoyed the variety of styles across the tracks. A pleasant change after yesterday's monotony.
A bit too 'guitar, drums and bass' for my taste I think. Enjoyed the folkier numbers.
Mid 2 best song: sunken treasure Default post beatles music. Strum the chord pattern, plod the drums, why not a bit of piano, backing vocals etc
This isn’t their masterpiece, but all the elements are there. The fusion of rock and country, the beautiful melodies, and the thoughtful lyrics. It’s a look at a band on the path to greatness
Lazy album and dire lyrics.
Oh man this was an awesome album! I had a great time listening to it and I love Wilco! No song was really bad or boring, but it was good to hear the difference between the albums I have heard and the older ones!
A couple songs from disc2 were pretty good. But mostly just fine. Nothing more, nothing less
I was dreading this day after listening to their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot mess of a record (which I think has been my least favorite album thus far [139 down]) about 80 or so albums ago. And then I see that it is 77 minutes long..... ugh fuck me. Welp here goes nothing, be back in what presumably will feel like a fortnight. Well, it was far better than the last album of their I listened too, but that was a pretty low bar to clear. They clearly have an eclectic sound that covers a range from country, indie, pop, shoe gazed and even a pinch of grunge. They don't do any particularly well and there were several moment where I sighed in annoyance of the lyrics and vocals. The music was rather boring, even when it had some energy behind it. Overall, Wilco sounds like a talentless, soulless version of Modest Mouse. I don't get how they have an ablum on this list, let alone 3. I can't see a scenario where this is a must hear album, unless it is a lesson on what audio version of watching paint dry is, and how to avoid making such music. 3.1/10 140/1001
Not bad
Frühe Großtat, bevor sie durch die Decke gingen. Allein schon der Anfang mit "misunderstood" und "far, far away" ist großartig. Die Rocker senken teilweise das Niveau, dennoch tolles Album.4/4
I didn’t dislike it. Like when someone shows me pictures of their cat. But as music. Just completely indifferent. It’s session music. Rolling Stones B-sides. Probably great to listen to at a local festival in the sun with a cold beer. But not while I’m cleaning the kitchen.
Don't know what it is about them, I just don't like 'em.
Good decent straight forward 90’s garage rock. Not exception, but solid.
Long americana, alt-rock, country record that has its moments. Monday, outtasite, hotel arizona and kingpin stuck with me. But given its length it lacks more highlights like this. For my taste it would have been better to make one album out of this material by cutting a few tracks and not a double lp. Solid record tho that could be a nice roadtrip soundtrack.
Jangly, Country noise crossed with alt rock sensibilities.
I decided to listen to this in my morning run. It outlasted the run. Then I kept listening to it during my drive to work. It outlasted that as well. Then I had to drive product to a client. I put on random shuffle instead of this because anything is better than continuing through the 57 flavors of beige.
I've heard some of Wilco's other albums, but somehow missed this one. It was great!
This was a really pleasant album. Initially, it reminded me of Superman by Lazlo Bane because of the pop-rock mixed with the banjo playing. As it continued, it reminded me more of The Thrills, which is definitely a high praise as I love that band. Although, of course, Wilco were around long before The Thrills. This gets rockier as times, but generally stays in that cosy pop-rock area. I wouldn’t say it goes as far as country music, but there is a lot of banjo here. This is a good one.
Widermal klassische "Das Album het mich uf keinere wiis gstört und au ned bsunders abgholt" 3 Gitarre Siite Zupft.
willy wilco ha di nöd möge lose, zu lame cöntry gsi. 2 cervelats für dich
I like it, although I don't know why it's here
I actually owned this album as a teen. It's good, but it’s long. Trim it to one disc and it might’ve been better. As is, it’s a strong, sprawling, slightly exhausting ride. Spins: 2 Playlist Additions: - Monday - Outtasite (Outta Mind) - Forget the Flowers
Honestly, this is pretty crazy, and a little all over the place, musically. They do a really good job of not letting it get really out of hand. I don't think that they really have a solid identity, though, and to me, their best sounding songs are the ones that lean towards the alt/indie sound and away from the more country influenced sounds. I am a slut for steel guitar though. They are clearly influential, a lot of music across all of the genres they touch on pull from some of the sounds of this album. Which is pretty incredible and almost certainly why this is on this list. As a listener, though, I don't know who they influenced with this album just from listening to it. So, in that regard, this is just a fine album. The wide range of styles hurts it just as much as it helps it, in this case. And without any songs that feel like bonafide hits, the songs that aren't as good seem to stand out a bit more. Favorite Song(s): Sunken Treasure, Someone Else's Song, The Lonely 1
Love Wilco and love this album
Fucking love Wilco. Think their slow instrumental folky sad stuff is sooo good but maybe they should stick to that
This was fine. Pleasant enough but entirely forgettable. I can’t remember a single song or refrain that I just listened to
Too long, didn’t connect. 2.5 rounding up
So many different genre influences in this album. It’s one of those albums that I think needs a few listen throughs, especially with the length of the album. I had surprisingly never heard of them but am definitely interested now!
This was an interesting one. Never heard Wilco before. Was put off by the first song of the album, but the rest is full of moments of brilliance that make me really want to come back and listen to this a second time. No big hits jumped out at me, but this is the first double album from the list that hasn't made me wish it were at least 20 minutes shorter. So it gets a 4.
Beast of an album with how many tracks there are on this guy! Genuine "liked it" rating, would probably fit within the 3.5 star rating scale comfortably as well. The vocals do a considerable amount of the legwork on this album in my opinion. On the folksier side, they're comforting rather than grating as other contemporaries can be. On the alternative side, it meshes just as well as any other band of its time. This isn't my bread and butter for music I'd usually listen to, but I could see myself coming back, pulling a couple tracks into a few playlists, and rating this a 4 on another listen.
It was ok. Jangly americana noise folk that was way too long and mostly just "there" instead of intensely melodic
Soft songs with short titles - but just not interesting to me.
This was an interesting listen and I did enjoy it, but I guess the Americana genre really isn't my favorite. I did find that a lot of songs reminded me strongly of Cracker (of which I've heard (and liked) a lot), to the point where I even looked up whether Wilco and Cracker shared any members over the years (they didn't), so that was cool. All told, it was a lot of music that kinda had the same "feel" to it, and after a while I kinda got tired of it. Three stars.
varies unexpectedly sort of but i liked it overall. good background music
Didn’t listen as close as I could have but this was good. Bonus points for making this album in 1996, 3.5
Uncle Tupelo begat Son Volt and Wilco. Son Volt had a great debut record and Wilco's was good but kind of lightweight. This one caught people by surprise and belongs in the hall of very good
3.5 rounded up fun!! long tho ….. shoutout to psych for putting this one on my radar. shawn spencer u will always be famous highlights: misunderstood, outtasite (outta mind), red-eyed and blue, sunken treasure, dreamer in my dreams (sep 4 2024)
no esta mal pero es country
No strong feelings but enjoyed it.
Please shut up and leave me alone. No, seriously, SHUT UP. I don't know what you think went wrong in your life but it's just not all that interesting. And yes, every song sounds exactly like something I've heard before a long time a go. Now please shut up.
= the Beatles
The first half of this was a no-skips masterpiece, but it turns out that they just shifted a bunch of the skips toward the end. I think with some editing this could be a 5-star album. As is, it's still amazing. Hope to return to it often.
Plus rock classique que je ne m’y attendais ; se prend un peu au sérieux, mais tout le monde qui était avec moi a bien aimé
Yes, i still like rock & roll jeff tweedy
I’ve listened to Wilco before but never this album. And what a great listen it is. I can’t reason with the one star reviews but of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion. The record is a double but doesn’t feel like it to me, a good mix of songs that doesn’t feel boring over the hour mark.
Normalmente los albumes dobles suelen hacerse algo pesados ( os estoy mirando a vosotros Outkast ) pero este es disfrutable de principio a fin. Mientras lo escuchaba me ha dado por pensar que quizá Quique Gonzalez tenga a Wilco como una de sus influencias, y efectivamente, así es. Contiene temas desde lo mas folk y tranquilo al rock mas distorsionado. Ma gustao
This is a good album, but not my favorite from wilco. Maybe I am just not feeling it today.
Fine
Not sure. Maybe not for me
Wilco is an underrated band. I wonder why the Old 97s aren't more famous, they have a definite Wilco vibe. I like Wilco better too though so I guess I'm part of the problem. Good first album of a double album set. It's a lot of Wilco and it's probably a little unfair that I took a break in the middle. Sunken Treasure is a great way to kick off the second album.
Correcto
incroyable
Utter turd
A beautiful album from an all round beautiful band. Like all Wilco, it's slightly too lo fi and slight to be one of the true greats - it just drifts a touch too much - but its still really lovely to listen to, and a good reminder of their sheer longevity.
A deft blend of country folk rock. Lyrically, melodically, and sonically there’s always some interesting choice made that keeps each track from being an easily categorized genre. Alt rock drumming choices in a bouncy country jangle (Dreamer in my Dreams) or some unique steel guitar usage that doesn’t quite feel country for example. I’ll be revisiting it. My standouts: Red-Eyed and Blue Sunken Treasure Dreamer in my Dreams
Boring and entirely too long.
This was just terrible.
This starts off promising, but quickly deteriorates into a confused mash of a bunch of different styles that I mostly hate (putting these kind of vocals atop banal Americana is an abomimation). I can see why it's on here though - aspects of this seem to have become the blueprint for a lot of indie music that would come out in the ensuing 15 years. In fact, I had to check that vocalist and chief songwriter Jeff Tweedy wasn't quietly fronting all those bands too. But no, I guess this was just influential. It's not horrible. High 2.
The favourite album of that devout Christian kid in your class who - in an act of extreme rebellion - secretly bought a Wilco record after school with the money intended for whatever God-rock slop was topping the billboard country music charts that week. All of which is not to say that Wilco’s Being There suffers for all of the reasons that make those other genres a tough sell. Only, these songs lack such an edge that one could easily mistake Wilco for being totally void of anything interesting to say here. Which may be unfair, but I’m not exactly eager to shell out passes to bands that insist their output is refined or interesting enough to justify a full length double album for their sophomore effort. Better times are ahead for Wilco, but this left me feeling quite bored outside of a couple of well-composed highlights.
I realize why I’m supposed to like it but it is just boring
3.5 stars. Alt country with some steel guitar and mostly down-tempo. Feels close enough to rock to balance well. Standout is "Red-Eyed and Blue".
5/10
Who knew these guys were around (and really good) in 1996?
Wilco is one of those bands, like Radiohead, that lives in their very own space in the same way Pink Floyd does. You either dig them or you don't. They are an amazing band. Well worth a deep dive.
I have been listening to Wilco, FOR SEVENTY SIX MINUTES!!!!!!!!!!!
There were some decent songs and think some could grow on me but by and large this wasn't really my thing. It was long but didn't feel as long as I thought it would. Also the backstory on making it a double album was pretty cool. Rating: 2.5
Brilliant.
Was over it about halfway through disc one, and disc two did nothing to reel me back in
Average. Forgettable...
I didn't know this; and was pleasantly surprised for the most part. I think it would've made an amazing single album, but that is something I feel about most double LPs. A comfortable 4 star listen..
этот альбом не говно, в отличии от того что уже я слушал в рамках данного списка
Wilco shows their country roots and almost makes me like it. Mercifully little steel guitar.
This is my favorite Wilco album and only one of a few of theirs I like, because I don't like when they go too polished and too poppy - but this album is a little more subdued and raw, closer to Tweedy's alt-country roots. I also think some of the more uptempo songs have a bit more of a 70's rock sound, which I like. I think it should have been 1 disc, distilled, and it may have been a 4.5 for me. However, at its length, I think it has some duller moments and is a good 4.
I'm a Wilco fan but this was a bit much for me at the moment. On the first listen there seems to be quite a few solid songs on this but its gonna require some extra pruning through. Favorite track: Someday Soon 3.5/5
I need to stop giving albums five stars but today isn't going to be the day that happens. Normally double albums are overlong and strictly for dedicated fans but this is the album where Wilco really came into their own. Nearly 30 years later I still find something new to love about this album when I listen to it.
This is Jeff Tweedy pouring everything out that he has. It's solid alt-country, at times overly melodramatic, with tricks and licks similar to the Rolling Stones in the early 70s. There are some interesting instrumental choices, but mostly it's good old-fashioned Americana and straightforward songwriting. I look at this more as Wilco coming into their own and showing what they've got, rather than breaking any boundaries or doing anything innovative. It's also a bit long. It's not that some songs aren't good enough for release, but I wonder if it could've been split into two records.
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot might be considered their magnum opus, but in my mind Wilco never topped the alt-country/indie rock balance, mood, and sheer variety on offer on this one. Just a great album from (an admittedly elongated*) beginning to end. Tweedy gave up most of his royalties to get the record company to price this double-album as a single, and I respect that.
I always kinda groan when I come upon a new double album, because if it doesn't connect with me then it's a real slog to get through. This, though? A real treat. Plenty of nuggets of goodness on here. Love the energy of this thing and very glad it was being there, in my ears.
Rather long and not really capturing their experimentation. The opening song, "Misunderstood" has some edge to it. Not a bad album but not the one that should be on a list like this.
Easy listening, but nothing special in my opinion. Wilco does a good job of blending and bending genres
You know what? Better than the last Wilco album I got. Nowhere near as boring... But still no cohesion for me.
A bit long, but enjoyed this even more than I thought! Slap like a 3.5 on this
These guys are so catered to me yet I just find them pretty bland. Easy to listen to but never exciting
wilco is really easy to listen to but im not sure if they're good yet or not
First impression pre listen: An hour and 17 minutes of Wilco? That's a lot to ask. They've always struck me as a bit of a mixed bag, either hitting in some powerful places, or being extremely boring with little in between. Never been that into them as I've always viewed them as a bit of a hipster band. I'm honestly a bit intimidated by this album. Don't know if I have the patience for it. Individual track notes: Misunderstood I like the dark and intimidating noise of the intro. Don't love the subtle vocal effect. I really enjoy how it builds up with both the drums and the guitar. The vocalist's voice changes dynamically to fit the more distorted sound. Decent. 3.5/5 Far, far away Deep and layered sound. Very sweet sounding. The steel guitar adds a certain atmosphere to the track. I like the understated and casual vocal performance. Suits the lyrical themes well. Good. 4/5 Monday Dad rock adjacent guitar riff. Don't love the energy of the chorus. Cliche horns. Does nothing for me. Hate the claps. Dislike. 2/5 Outtasite (Outta Mind) Unremarkable 90s rock song. Doesn't exactly do anything wrong. Even has some sections that are pretty cool, with both the drums and the guitar creating some decent energy. However its not particularly exciting in a sea of similiar songs. Average. 2.5/5 Forget the Flowers Cute instrumental, love the country influences, great twang. Memorable lyrics. Overall sweet and nostalgic sounding. Decent. 3.5/5 Red-Eyed and Blue Has a sort of campfire energy to it at times. I like the vocal performance here. The instrumental section at the end with the whistling is pretty evocative. Fine. 3/5 I Got You (At the End of the Century) Very standard sounding rock track, sounds kinda 1970's. I get that they're going for a throwback sound, but honestly it just ends up sounding kinda average. Annoying lyrics. Alright guitar playing. Average. 2.5/5 What the World's Got in Store Got an bit of whiplash coming into this from the previous track. I appreciate the toned down more personal production in the beginning. I like how the track builds on itself with the added instrumentation. Love the organ solo. Cute evocative lyrics. Good. 4/5 Hotel Arizona A decent continuation of the sound from the album so far. Great instrumental break, really powerful. Decent. 3.5/5 Say You Miss Me There's something slightly off about the instrumental. Sounds kinda mushy. Solid chorus, I like the backing vocals. Melancholic. Decent. 3.5/5 Sunken Treasure Sparse yet emotional songwriting. The distorted and ominous sounding instrumental section really fits the pacing of the song. Honestly a bit boring outside the noisier chaotic segments. I'm sure it's pretty meaningful, but I lost patience with it after a while. Has some good ideas though. Fine. 3/5 Someday Soon Another twangy country inspired track. Has some nostalgic sounding atmosphere to it, but is otherwise sort of forgettable. Average. 2.5/5 Outta Mind (Outta Sight) A parallell to a previous song on the album. Decent idea, ties together the experience pretty well. Average. 2.5/5 Someone Else's Song Sweet simple and stripped back. Has some subtle support from a bit of sparse background instrumentation whic works really well. Enjoyable lyrics. Decent. 3.5/5 Kingpin I appreciate the very different sounding instrumental. Lacks any sort of energy. End up kind of flat and boring. Can't really think of any memorable moment. It's long and repetitive. Dislike. 2/5 (Was I) In Your Dreams Solid interplay between the piano and the guitar. Has a bit of a wayward atmosphere to it. I like the subtle chaos that hides in there. Fine. 3/5 Why Would You Want To Live Depressing and melancholic. Kinda contrasts to the twangy guitar and the violin. Oddly soothing. Fine. 3/5 The Lonely 1 Beautiful intro. Attention grabbing lyrics. Calming and spacey instrumental. I really like how it enhances the storytelling in the lyrics. Good. 4/5 Dreamer in My Dreams Don't love the rock n roll aesthetic here. His voice sounds really strained and weak. Solid violin. Cute lyrics. I appreciate that they're ending the album with a higher energy track. A bit drawn out. Fine. 3/5 Final review: What is it to say about this album other than it's... fine? Nothing here hurts to listen to, there's nothing offensive or abrasive about it. It's just for the most part solid if not a bit standard. I wouldn't call it exactly inspiring, but there are a few genuinely beautiful or intriguing moments on here that make me think "hey it's staring to click", but the enchantment is quickly dispersed and transforms into quiet contentness. Yeah, sure it's a bit long, but honestly that didn't bother me that much as it was consistently pleasant to listen to with just enough variety to keep it from being entirely boring. There's a lot of genre exploration on here that makes it at least a tiny bit unpredictable. The genre switches are done gracefully without losing sight on the goal, upholding the quality of the song. It never feels like they're forcing an idea into a genre, writing in such a way that it sounds natural. This is mostly what keeps the album from being a snoozefest. Which along with the at times thoughtful, enjoyable and thematic lyrics had me interested enough to wonder what the next song would be like. Would definitely be something I'd need to listen to again, should I want to grasp it completely. As I'd probably enjoy it more if I had a broader understanding of the lyrics. However I struggle to see when I'd have the patience to do a full relisten of this. For a first listen it's again, just fine. 3/5
I want to smack the shit out of 2023 me for giving Yankee Hotel Foxtrot a 3. This is not quite as excellent as that one is and I would say this is a little more straightforward. It’s also very long, but it’s also enjoyable in the way that leaving the radio on in the background is. Favorite songs were Far, Far Away, Monday, Outtasite, Say You Miss Me, Outta Mind, and Dreamer In My Dreams.
A harbinger of what was to come and a beautiful transition from Uncle Tupelo & AM to the amazing albums that followed.
Americana meets Power Pop. Two of the best rock genres. 10/10
pmo so bad sorry
Meh!
Way way too long and boring. It jumped styles a lot and not to my taste and I guess I don't really like the vocals. I own YHF from Wilco but that is a lot more experimental I think. Definitely skipped many tracks on here and was annoyed by it by the end.
157/1089 - It's almost listenable but his voice sucks too much. Flat and monotonous. The instrumentals also aren't nearly as interesting as on the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album. Very forgettable. Thankfully there's only one more album with them and it's with that country guy with the strong accent so it might sound a bit different. Non-list recommendation: Jamiroquai - Traveling Without Moving (1996) The last of the initial acid jazz/nu-disco sound of Jamiroquai (Toby Smith and Stuart Zender are largely integral to this) with great hits like "Virtual Insanity" and "Cosmic Girl."
Is that the fucking meet the engineer song?
This was a good album 3.5 wasnt as out there as some of thier other stuff i think
Great for a deep and long moment of thought
Gear: Focalman Cleardara Artwork: 🎸🖐️❄️ Production: 🙄🤔🤷 Music: 🎧⏳😖⌛🚫 Rating: 💤(💤)/5
I'm gonna give it a 4 because it's a pretty tight album. But agree with the masses - it's a little long. Make 2 records out of this and double the money. 19 songs - you can totally make that work. Might not be the Tweedy way though. Jeff's a fantastic songwriter - there's no two ways about it. Should be regarded as one of the modern greats - but I actually think he's over diluted his music so you don't really appreciate everything we've had. But this is really great Indie music that I aspire to write. It's all my vibe
3/5. The songs are nice and the aesthetic is a soft rock/country one with sad and self-deprecating lyrics. The issue seems to be the length of the album, after a while it does seem to just be alterations on the same theme, with little variety in instrumentation as well. I think Jeff can have a nice voice if he wants but the lack of effort in some songs is a good choice up to a point. There is a good balance for the most part but it can get annoying, especially when you know he can sing if he wants to. The album was enjoyable but a little too long and similar throughout. Best Song: Say You Miss Me, Misunderstood, Forget The Flowers
There is some sophistication in this music but it is too whiny for me
my driving time to work is what I consider a perfect LP length, 40-45min. now, I'll have to touch my in-dash halfway and switch to today's generated LP. wilco, wilco...making me feel unsafe on the road. 2/5
I quite enjoyed the album. I wouldn't necessarily put it on again soon; however, it was easy listening and enjoyable in a similar way I see the Beatles and velvet underground, a bit lacking in substance but pleasant. I liked when the songs exhibited a more country feel rather than Beatles Esque, however I couldn't name any specific songs I liked without looking back through the album.
Never heard this album before. Enjoyed most of it. At other times, kind of bored with it. It was just ok.
Trevligt, men alldeles för mycket. Fin rock med toch av doula och country. En enkel-lp hade varit nog.
Finally a double album which doesn't feel filled with slop songs! I quite like the mix of acoustic stuff, country and blues rock, as they are mixed quite equally, and work very well together. I like the creative and soulful acoustic songs on here, the lyrics and stuff are generally very creative. I also like the mix of loads of different types of instruments, keyboards and banjos and stuff, the later which I probably wouldn't like too much if if wasn't quite subtly done, which it is here. Some of the blues stuff feels a bit outdated and stale, but that's no too many of the songs. Favourite songs: Misunderstoon, far, far away, outtasite (outta mind), red-eyed and blue, I got you (at the end of the century), what's the world got in store, Hotel Arizona, Sunken treasure, someday soon, Outta mind (outta sight), someone else's song, The lonely 1. Overall around 8/10
Interesting album. Very enjoyable and didn't feel too long, despite what the general opinion is. I liked the alt elements way more than country elements, but as I said - it was an interesting experience.
meh at best
This is the Wilco record I think of when I think of Wilco records.
Нейтральная музыка, в своем стиле группа, но меня не особо цепляет
heel nice
A lot of people complain it's long, and it's also their first exposure to Wilco. I think this is definitely an essential album for someone who wants to get into Wilco, but is it essential for the rest of us? It's pretty early in the arc of Wilco's body of work to call this their "Exile On Main Street". It's a long album, with a variety of sounds and moods, just like Exile, but I don't think it rises to that level. Maybe more Wilco's "Rubber Soul." What makes this interesting is that Tweedy is stepping away from his Neil Young And Crazy Horse comfort zone and playing more with song structures, tonal qualities beyond a fuzzed out Les Paul, and leaning more towards an outre pop music. This is thanks to the arrival of Jay Bennett, and I don't think he gets nearly enough credit. More of his pop sensibilities will be evident on Summerteeth, which I consider a more filled-out album. Essential? Well, essential for a Wilco afficionado. A worthwhile hour for others.
Quite good. Not sure I'd go wild and listen again or regularly.
first song was biffy vibes then goes into a more singersongwriter / country sound. enjoyed
10/10 not their best album, but that’s really not saying much considering how incredible their discography is
он норм, но меня отвлекли пастбища позеленее
I always felt like this album allowed you to experience a band finding themselves in real time - each track an exploration of who they are and what they have to share. Endlessly creative. A classic, even if not as focused as what would come after this.
Honestly, just boring
high 4, almost 5 but some of the songs are too predictable and boring and not my style but very good
Pre-listening thoughts: wilco more like who-co cause who is this group ha ha ha Post/during listening thoughts: This was good, but I listened to it twice and still never felt anything on it really grab my attention except for the rhyming of "alcohol/cotton ball". I wanted to like this, like I know this could be a grower if I sat down and listened to it like two more times with more attention given to it. But for now, it's a 6/10. DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no Fav tracks: Monday, I Got You Least fav tracks: I didn't dislike any of this but it was mushy
Cool record!
Great album. Masters of subtlety.
Great
Hit and miss album for me. Wilco has better like Summerteeth and YHF
Decent, but nothing too memorable across its (overly long) runtime.
A little rough around the edges, but you can see signs of where they were headed.
Sure it's pretty lengthy, but when the music is great that's not an issue.
Volvemos al ruedo con esta banda bellísima, que me recuerda a amores pasados, complejos, problemáticos, pero amores al fin. Segunda recomendación de éste reto de un disco de Wilco (tan mal no venimos de gustos y consumos musicales, entonces). Gran álbum de una banda bellísima. Introspectivo. Colgado. Ideal para acompañar una mañana. See you tomorrow
way too long
Love it. Top Alt effort from a Man from Uncle. This morning I learned my cousin died. He was the same age, and we were close growing up. We spent far less time together as adults, living far apart, with vastly different lifestyle choices. But he was kind and generous, and quick with smile and hug. He was the last of his immediate family, having all been taken too early. Cigarettes killed them all. Somehow I think he would’ve liked this album, though I have no idea if he ever listened. I thought of him while listening today, and will now associate this album with him for the rest of my time. I think that’s good. Rest in Peace Kirk. Say hi to your brother and folks for me.
Weirdly enough, I’ve heard every Wilco album at least once but for whatever reason this one never got in my ears. After a couple runs thru it, I’d slot it right up there with their best, alongside Summerteeth, YHFT, Sky Blue Sky and A Ghost is Born. Tweedy’s songwriting abilities are on full display on this beefy release and he flexes hard off the hope on Misunderstood, which is such a jam. Forget the Flowers immediately becomes an alt-country classic for me. Yea; it could possibly be trimmed a bit but there’s not a bad tune on here. Great stuff. 4 stars
It’s fine, I’ve never really been a Wilco girl and this didn’t change my mind
What a great album. One of the few from Wilco’s collection that I don’t own a physical copy of, though I did have a digital copy on my old IPod courtesy of the Indianapolis Public Library. I tend to lean more towards their indie/experimental stuff (Summerteeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, The Whole Love…not you, A Ghost Is Born😒) than their alt country tunes, personally, but I still really enjoyed this. Doesn’t linger for a double. Every song belongs. All killer. No filler. 4.5 ⭐️
Fantastic album, just slightly bloated. 4.5 stars because I didn't totally want to hit play again right after it wrapped.
Started with a total dud. Misunderstood had noisy music and the singer sounded like he was just crying throughout the whole thing (which can work for some songs, but it didn't work here). I was thinking, a whole double album of this? This is going to be painful. Far Far Away was better, but only marginally. But it started to pick up from there. Monday was moving along nicely. And then Outtasite Outta Mind really broke this album loose. Forget The Flowers was a killer track, the banjos had me smiling throughout. The rest of side one was solid. Side 2 started out with Sunken Treasure, another dud. Seriously, these guys need to reorder their albums, would make it so much better. But then Someday Soon brought it right back up with more fun banjo. Someone Else's Song had slightly Dylan-esque vibes. They obviously don't have the vocal skills of Bob Dylan, but this was a good song in his style. And then came Kingpin. Wow, I had such a blast with this one, the country sound was pure fun. The rest of the album rocked along nicely. Dreamer In My Dreams was a good ending, with some fun harmonica. Wilco should have really been a country band, their country is much better than their rock. With a few of the songs cut, this could easily have been a 4. Best song: Kingpin
Fav: Outtasite (Outta Mind) Least Fav: Forget The Flowers Currently adding Wilco to my list of artists to properly get into, there stuff in this list has been nothing short of incredible. It’s so varied for country rock
You know this was a perfectly nice album. I preferred the first half, which was a bit more upbeat and had me tapping along with it a lot more. The second half felt more sombre, and was less engaging, but still fine enough. Overall it was quite easy going. 3.5 rounded down.
The first minute of the first song - Misunderstood - was absolutely amazing. It was dynamic and interesting, and then it kinda deflated. The rest of the song was alright, and then the rest of the album was another whatever album for me sadly. 2/5 stars.
An hour and a quarter of unmemorable blandrock.
Pleasant enough. Nothing stands out.
Another Wilco album, the second one, that sounds like most Uncle Tupelo albums.
Definitely sounds like a stop on the highway somewhere between Anodyne and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. This might even be the quintessential Wilco album.
Wilco feels like quality music but I just don't like the genre and therefore don't enjoy it. Rating: 2
This album is just honestly way too long. With that being said, it inspired most of my favorite musicians (Eric Church, Turnpike Troubadours, Jason Isbell, and many others in the country and Americana scene).
I like Being There lots more than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but considering how many garbage sounds on that album, Being There could only improve my opinion of Wilco. This album is a weird mish-mash: the first half is alternative and rock, and the second is folk and country. Cohesive is not the word I'd describe this double album. Being There came across as fairly bland, and most songs didn't stand out. And I'm still not into the lead singer's vocals. 2.5
I actually forgot to write a review for this album, so that ought to tell you how I felt about it. Honestly though, it was okay. It was a bit too long and none of it was particularly memorable. I will say, these guys were bringing the 2000s indies vibe way before the 2000s. This album definitely has similarities to "Yankee Foxtrot Hotel", their 2001 indie hit that would not come out for another 5 years. So these guys were definitely pioneers of the sound! A high 2, probably, but not really enough to make it a 3.
An album as a portrait of a new band coming into its own despite the ashes of another. Tweedy struggles with the breakup with his past and forging a new path ahead. It could have been a single album that cut ties with all things Uncle Tupelo. But he fought to keep it a double album that was a full picture of the musician he was. You can hear it all: country twang, punk roots, and the drone and discontent of everything Wilco would become. After A.M., this one really is a big bang for Jeff and the boys. Great snapshot of time and place.
I had a really great eviscerating review going when my computer crashed, so I'll try to retype it, but it won't be the same. *clears throat* Ahem... There was absolutely no reason this needed to be a double album. It contains some of the most sophomoric lyrics I've ever heard, and the musicianship and production aren't particularly good either. If you add "The Lonely1" to the first album, it would actually be decent. "Say You Miss Me" is a strong ending to the album, and overall it would be a solid 3 stars. Nothing groundbreaking and boring at times, but good enough and enjoyable for 90s alternative. But then we get to the second album, and it's a mess. And boring. I've already listened to like 40 minutes of Wilco at this point, and the second album doesn't tell me anything I don't already know. Plus it's country for seemingly no reason? I don't hate country, but it's almost like they just mashed two completely separate albums together because they thought the world needed to hear it. But we didn't. There's no story or overarching thread that justifies putting together two seemingly random albums that go on for a combined 80 minutes. Unless whiny white boy songs with basic ass lyrics is considered a concept. There's better 90s alternative. There's better country rock. There's just better. The second album really drags whatever they were trying to do on Being There down, and if I was just rating that, it would probably get 1 star. I'm giving this 2 stars, though, because there were a few things I enjoyed about the first album, but the second almost dragged this whole thing down with it. This generator has proved that certain artists are just not for me, and Wilco is one of them.
10/10
9/10
Previously rated: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2/5) ******************************* Better than YTF. Starts slow, has some country sounding tunes. Still kind of generic. They saved their best until the last track which sounds like an old Rod Stewart song.
An important Wilco and 90s record. I'm more of a basic Wilco fan (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, etc.) again, always intrigued by the records right before the mainstream breakthrough.
Wow. How have I missed this album all my life. It’s soulful, angry, bitter and full of love and care. This is now on my list of desert island albums.
similar to their Yankee Hotel Foxtrot album, I just don't find this band very interesting.
I liked it more than the last Wilco album. But it was a bit long of the same stuff.
Good
This is a really solid album. I don't think it's quite 5/5, but it's really close. This may sound like a weird pull, but this particular Wilco album reminds me a lot of early Adam Green. Worth a listen.
(32 known/67 new)
Good album, some great ballads along with some alt country and a little experimentation mixed in. Showcases the direction Wilco would start to take after this record.
Their first great record and an incredible mix of alt country rave-ups, psych rock (love "Misunderstood" and "Sunken Treasure"), and I had forgotten how great the slower, acoustic songs are. Jay Bennett's contributions to this album were essential.