Being There

Never could really immerse myself in Wilco, but I do find it enjoyable. It doesn’t really fill a niche that I’m absent of. It is rocking, has great lyrics, and jumps into the indie folk routine quite well. It just doesn’t quite scratch the itch.

4/10…fast ein Song wie der andere im Country/Indie Stil

Enjoyed this album, relaxing songs.

The only other Wilco song I know is Jesus, Inc., which I like. This album was different than that song, but still enjoyable and something I'll give another listen to.

Liked it.

I liked this one more than the more recent (2004?, the one with a white egg on white background) Wilco album I was more familiar with. This band has always been a bit outside what I want to listen to at any given moment, but they are starting to grow on me more and more. I'll go back to this one again.

3/5 decent music not my style but still enjoyed it. not bad :)

It’s a nce album but if they had picked the best songs and kept it single they could really have had something. As it is there’s too much drift.

Y e s i t ' s a l o n g (double) a l b u m b u t i t ' s a l s o f i l l e d t o t h e b r i m w i t h g e m s Gems including "Hotel Arizona" and "Outtasite (Outta Mind)"--great cuts which nicely split the difference between indie-rock and classic rock ; or the *Exile On Main Street*-era Rolling Stones homage that "Monday", "I Got You (At The End Of The Century) and closer "Dreamer In My Dream" are ; or nice winks to the late-sixties / early seventies Beach Boys through "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)"--"Outtasite (Outta Mind)" 's alternative version)--and also "Red-Eyed And Blue" ; or delicate and heartbreaking folk ballads "The Lonely 1" and "Someone Else's Song" ; or, finally, admittedly quaint but also quite moody alt-country cuts "Far, Far Away", "Say You Miss Me" and "Someday Soon"--sometimes infused with chamber pop, like "Why Would You Wanna Live"... Besides, the two sonically-rowdy-yet-also-incredibly melancholic tracks opening each disc alone could warrant a place for this double album on the list. The expansive "Misunderstood" and "Sunken Treasure" indeed point the way to the noisier, more abrasive experiments Wilco will be known for at the turn of the next decade (and century)--with band members even swapping their instruments during the course of the first song (and playing on one they were not necessarily used to), so as to create a brutalist wall of sound nicely mirroring the existential torments expressed in the lyrics... and with a similar climactic, tense and dissonant bridge for the second disc's opener, even sadder than "Misunderstood" was. Those two cuts are cinematic, evocative and profound in their intentions. And they give a timeless feel to a record that's otherwise very reverent to the past (probably to a fault at times). This last remark is only a very minor gripe of mine. I have tried to find a bad song in this double album and I have come up rather shorthanded. "Kingpin", right in the middle of the second disc, is an overlong bluesy jam dirge that's too mundane and a little pointless to stand up to the many highlights of *Being There*. But when you want to create a double album, there's always gonna be at least a couple of songs some listeners won't find to their taste, so it goes with the territory here. It is said that Wilco recorded around 30 tracks for this project. I don't always say this for long records, but in this case, I'm glad the self-editing process didn't go too far. Jeff Tweedy was right to give us so much stuff. And the fact that he was adamant the two discs should be sold at half the normal price (thereby paying for the difference out of his pocket) is a testament to his intelligence, and dedication to his art. I have only discovered *Being There* quite recently, through my--also-recent--growing appreciation of Wilco's later LPs *Yankee Foxtrot Hotel*, *A Ghost Is Born* or their latest release *Cousin*. So this is not nostalgia talking here. Before the 21st century, I had never even heard of Wilco were. Yet retrospectively, I now know they're an important band that actually foretold many later developments of indie-pop, indie-rock and even rock in general (for better or for worse). So surely, there must be some room available for at least a couple of albums by them in a list such as this one... h e a r t f e l t t h a n k s t o t h e t o p r e v i e w e r w h o i n s p i r e d m e f o r t h e b e g i n n i n g a n d c o n c l u s i o n o f m y o w n r e v i e w . n e x t t i m e , t r y t o f o c u s m o r e o n t h e a l b u m i t s e l f a n d l e s s o n s o m e t y p o g r a p h i c a l s h e n a n i g a n s s o a s t o g e t n o t i c e d o n t h i s a p p . : ) 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 5. 9.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 115 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 387 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 226 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 284

Such a fucking boring album.

Very enjoyable

Has some decent songs, but the entire album is far too long.

As someone from Illinois it is surprising I didn't catch much local buzz from them. Granted I didn't live there 10 years before or after this album came out, so there's that. This being a double album ended up clogging up my 1001 list for quite a while. Had a lot of things going on and didn't get to my normal listening times. But it was still a good listen. Lots of variety to where I wouldn't necessarily know I'm listening to the same artist all week. There were traditional indie elements I've heard in Death Cab, then other sprinkles of several others such as Radiohead, the Flaming Lips, rod Stewart, and then even some country flair as well. However, not many tracks caught my attention. I do think the consistency and agreeableness of the record is a net positive. Nearly 20 tracks without a skip. But I really need to come back and focus a bit more to really dig in and build an appreciation to see if there is anything special here. Good album, deserves a second listen for sure. Favorite track "Dreamer in my Dreams" 3.3/5

I didn’t get into Wilco until YHF and I never went back to their earlier stuff, thinking it would be too alt-country for me. So this was a nice surprise! Wilco just sounding like Wilco. Clearly they are doing more than just repeating themselves; I’m not suggesting everything sounds the same (though they do have a distinct sound), just noting that if you like other Wilco albums you will probably like this. Also, every single time I have tried to write “Wilco” I’ve written “Wico” and is that just me?

I’ve never really listened to Wilco before, but thanks to 1001 Albums generator I now know they are completely shit.

An ambitious work, it is not as beautiful as some later albums but looking back at this you can see how this points to those works.

4/5

Good album

Each half would get a 3 by itself, but combined it's so damn long it gets a 2.

This is trying really hard to be something - but unfortunately that something isn't particularly enjoyable or memorable.

Not being familiar with this band, I was quite looking forward to this album. Indeed, I rather liked the opening track, but as the album proceeded I was less and less enthused. I dislike country music and any such influences, and this was rolling in them. And it went on rather too long, being a double album. Rather average, I thought, but I guess that reflects my taste.

Indiscriminate economy pack of Americana. Lost a star for going on too long.

There's outstaying your welcome, and then there's this

Starts with a good song with multiple changes of pace in 'Misunderstood'. The rest of the album passes in one boring blur.

Pleasant folk/country with mellow vibes and some interesting turns. It's an album to get lost in one hazy afternoon.

What the!

Not given Wilco a proper listen before, yeah like this quite a lot. Worth listening again for sure

A pleasurable album, but not really my thing. The singer seemed to spend a lot of time around and over his vocal range. I always thought Wilco was one person, like Nico, who popped up walking on other people's records... Huh.

Far too long. I kept losing track of how I was or what I was listening to. Individually, many of the songs are decent enough, but I just got bored of the album, it all felt a bit too beige.

Mellow. Relaxing. Some good songs. Nothing great though.

Hyvä folkahtava rokkilevy. Ei sellainen genre jota rakastan mutta hyvin menee taustalla. 3/5

Tykkäsin kyl tästä, vaikka vähän pitkä näin tuplalevynä.

Not as seminal as the reviews would suggest

It's long. Some of the songs are pretty good, but overall it feels pretty mid.

Mein erstes Mal Wilco. War zuerst abgeschreckt wegen der Länge des Albums, wurde aber positiv überrascht. Entspannter Country Rock 👍

It’s been a good week of albums!

I believe this is my first 5 star rating other than albums I’ve known and loved and rated 5 in my mind (most of the time) before listening. This was lovely throughout, with great melodies, arrangements, lyrics, musicianship and Tweedy’s vocals were just wonderful. Enjoyed this a lot more than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and this makes me want to listen to more of their stuff (or at least maybe the 35 track deluxe version of this album). Nicely done, gentleman.

I might give this four stars without adding a song to my playlist. Just good vibes. (Well, bleak, depressing vibes, but they sound nice.) update: I did add a few.

Great record for guitar lovers. Features talent showcasing a number of different styles of music. And the guitar is not overdubbed or put into a bunch of effects pedals etc. Good music. A+

Day181 - listening to whole albums is the best way to take in wilco. i knew a few songs before this list but now after my second album i can see why wilco is on here.

I can't finish this one. It's just... no.

Not for me, not a bad album, just not my thing.

I dont know. Ok, but nothing great. 2.5

a few good tracks but overall kinda boring. 2.5 rounded down

While there are hints of something, I can't really find much that stands out. The first song was cool but then the rest of the album was just... Meh?

listened to in the car with jeannie didnt keep track of what i liked or didnt. dont remember liking it much

It was alright, but didn't speak to me

Lil angsty at times, but in a good way.

This is so sad. I can see why some people would like this but it just makes me want to bridge jump. 2 stars. I stopped at the first disk cause it was just gonna be more of the same.

Its ok? A bit of a drag

I forgot this was a double album. Takes me back to college, when I discovered Wilco.

I love Wilco but its still rare that I put on Being There over other albums. A great showcase for his songwriting but a bit long. Not the one I'd recommend for someone I'm trying to get into Wilco but still great to me

Of all the boring bands Wilco is one of the boringest

For ages I had Wilco and Wilko Johnson confused, and wondered why so many Americans were excited about a legendary pub rock guitarist from Canvey Island. Today I found out that they are actually an amiable alt-rock band with country leanings and they were generous enough to put out this double album at the regular price. This didn’t set my world on fire, but it was a good way to spend an hour or so.

I loved the intro, that made me expect something else... in the end I am not so disappointed, it's a decent alt/soft rock album. A bit too long though, and a few songs are a bit too cheesy to my taste.

I love early Wilco, very good album. The only real issue is perhaps a little long and could have dropped a song or two, minor complaints.

Wilco is excellent. Always. A.M was great and picked a nice path after Uncle Tupelo split. Moving forward without abandoning their alt-country roots.

Another great Wilco album. More upbeat then YHF.

Man, Wilco is pretty awesome, right? This one might be a tad on the long side, find that to be true for most double albums. I still think YHF is my favorite, but this one is way up there, too.

This album is good but it’s not Summerteeth or YHF so. That’s a bummer. But it is still good. Long, but good. It’s honestly like a 4.75

One time, a long time ago, one of my brothers got mad at me after he played a live version of Misunderstood and I told him I thought Wilco was overrated. Wilco is one of those perpetually 3.5 groups for me, I'm between liking them and really liking them. I'll be generous today because I wound up seeing them years later and it was a pretty good show and this album has some good tunes I had forgotten about.

I mean it was ok, then it just kept going!? way too long for this kind of music soz

Too long. Not bad, tho. I just got a bit bored. Which is a shame because there are some good tracks. They just get a bit buried in the many miles of sand, and have to be dug up like treasure. Some beautiful guitar throughout. And interesting lyrics. And maybe more listens would gain another star: I don't think a double album can be taken in all at once. But why a double album?! Favourite tracks: Forget the Flowers and The Lonely 1

Two Wilco albums in the first 27, what are the chances? Glad I like them! Wilco make country rock sound brilliantly different. Imaginative, unpredictable, melodic, emotional and beautiful - uniquely them. So many great songs, I could listen to this all day. Misunderstood, Far, Far Away, Kingpin, The Lonely 1 and Dreamer in My Dreams all stood out and got second and third plays.

Maybe I have a negative bias having heard Wilco not long ago, but this just felt more flat and undeserving of being on this list. Just nothing much to report really, felt like more of the same and didn’t need to be a whole double album!

I liked Yankee Hotel Foxtrot but this was significantly worse. The songs aren’t as strong and it sticks around long enough to become boring. Last track sounds like I Saw Her Standing There except it tails off into nonsense for 3 minutes after the song’s natural conclusion. Watered down snooze-fest 🥱

Great album!

A no skips double album that cemented Wilco as one of the greatest alt-country acts of all time. Shades of experimentation and some punk edge in the Peter Laughlin referencing opener Misunderstood, one Wilco’s best live songs. From the start, Tweedy makes it clear this is not another Uncle Tupelo-esque retread a la A.M. Jay Bennett’s songwriting contributions and Bob Egan’s lovely pedal steel place this album somewhere between standard alt-country and the lush orchestral/power pop of Summerteeth. It is the record in which Wilco first showed signs of greatness.

Being a double album automatically puts any record on shaky ground, and this is no different. It's very hit and miss. The misses are forgettable. The hits, though? Soft, introspective alt-country with lovely melodies supplemented by Jeff Tweedy's voice which hits you just right. There's a beautiful sense of yearning and melancholy that you get while listening to this. A lot of emotion is packed into the simplicity of the music. Wilco has been a familiar name for a long time, and now I understand why they always seem to pop up in music conversations. Standouts are Outtasite (Outta Mind), I Got You, Say You Miss Me, Sunken Treasure, and Kingpin.

4.5 - This was just pure songwriting for me at it's best. So much talent and it was such a ride a long the way. Simple but diverse with a lot of depth

Pretty good album, but doesn't feel like anything groundbreaking, hence I do question its inclusion. YHF is obviously on the list and is clearly the more influential and interesting Wilco album. Fave Tracks: I Got You (At the End of the Century), Hotel Arizona 3.6/5

..

It’s a 4.5 star album

Nothing really wrong with it, pleasant in the background. But also nothing that grabs your attention. Like finding $10, a good thing for sure, but whether it happened or not, whether it is in my life now or not, it makes no real difference. all too safe for my taste. Music to take out the garbage, do your taxes and mow the lawn.

I was not looking forward to this album one bit. Of all the artists I've gotten albums for already, Wilco was certainly not on the list of artists that I'd want to listen to for 76 minutes straight. I thought that their so-called magnum opus, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, was pretty good, but not great, and I definitely don't think they need three albums on here (one of which is with another artist that I don't care for, Billy Bragg). However, this album pleasantly surprised me. I mean, at least the album's 76 minutes of songs that actually stand out from one another rather than 76 minutes of pure boring garbage (I'm looking at you Haunted Dancehall). The praise I gave to YHF still applies here, but with a much longer runtime. The singing, writing, and instrumental sound are all solid. I respect alternative country for doing its own thing and not blending in with the modern corporate country that I loathe so much. Overall, I don't want to listen to this again, but I may have to revisit Yankee Hotel Foxtrot as I can clearly see that Wilco isn't a bad band at all. 3/5.

Too gentle, but good

I own this album, but I've listened to it only a handful of times. After listening to it through this time, I see both why I don't listen often, and why I return to it to try again every year or so.

nice country

Good listen

Eh, nothing really stood out here.

4.5!

Heard it lots. Awesome to revisit. So many songs I forgot. One of the better double records.

Rock, with a touch of country influence

I never knew about Wilco until around 2010. I was not into their style. I loved my music hard back then. Years have softened me, apparently, so now I can enjoy this vibe. "Being There" is a 1996 double album with almost 20 folky songs. "Space" comes to mind as I go through the album. Space as in time: the band takes its time to build on emotions and connect with me, with my current state of mind Space as in physical space while I enjoy the production: how instruments were recorded, the mixing, the pace of each song (look at the previous point above). I like "Being There" 9/10

Ganska tråkigt album. Tacka vet jag när de samarbetar med Billy Bragg.

Good

Tror den var chill

Would be a 3 if this was shorter

Chill and enjoyable. 3.4.

Personal enjoyment: 4/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

Never heard of Wilco. I kind of liked the country feel of this, I think if it weren't my third kind of mellow rock album in a row I'd have rated it higher, just wasn't what I was feeling today.

Schöner Gitarrenrock. Melodisch gut anzuhören. Auch ein wenig Indipendent

Very good, but extremely long. I prefered the faster and upbeat songs to the more mushy ones, but they weren't bad either. 8/10 Would I listen again? Probably

Stirring album that evokes the kind of melancholy that only country music can. Expands the genre to be accessible to those who've never owned a gun or a pick-up truck

I don’t think I “get” Wilco. It’s not like I hate anything on this record. It’s pleasant enough. I wouldn’t turn it off if someone started playing it. But nothing grabbed me either. It just felt like background music. 3/5

Going with a 2, because I can't give this a 2.5, and 3 would be too generous. This really is as average as it gets. The fact I know they have at least another album on this list is disappointing to say the least.

Better than the last wilco album, still slightly lazy vocals bit quite enjoyable

Not bad I'll give it another listen someday. I may like it better then Yankee Hotel Foxtrot we'll see how a second listen goes

This was the darling band of a lot of my friends growing up. And while I agree that this is Wilco's best, the album really could've done with some culling of the lesser gods on this release.

Loved this album. Romantic, nostalgic, fun. Definitely could have been shorter, but I enjoyed myself. I loved that the album ended on Dreamer in My Dreams.

Nah. Not for me. It wasn't really getting somewhere.

A lot of good songs! Too long.

I like this for the most part but it felt a little samey by the end. Like they made the same album twice

I don't know why I find neotraditionalist Americana to be so boring. I love all of the genres it borrows from, old country, blues, garage, folk. But I end up feeling like these bands just rotate the same three songs between them. It sounds like Exile on Main Street being played underwater, like if The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion was too depressed to roll off the couch. I've read a lot about how Jeff Tweedy is such a great song writer. Ok, but the vocals are buried under layers of haze, like they are too shy to come out to play. It sounds good, but it fails to grab my interest. Three stars

Alt-country, country rock. I was only a little familiar with Wilco. I had only ever heard YHF before this and it's one of my favorite albums, so I was eager to get into this one, especially since it's a double album. I was definitely not let down by this album. It had what I expected and then some. The overall vibe is much like YHF in that its laden with bittersweet and longing lyrics and vocals. I love the acoustic guitar and piano and love when it breaks out electric ever once in a while. The brass instruments on some of these songs were not expected but were amazing. Incredible songwriting at play on the whole album, so many catchy tunes I could easily see myself singing along to if I knew them a bit better. I think my one gripe with this album is the length. While I believe every song on Being There is fantastic, I don't know if they all needed to be on there. It doesn't feel bloated but it could use a bit of a trim I think. But that's just my opinion after listening once. Overall beautiful album, loved every minute. Will have to revisit for sure. 4.5/5

Consistently good but too long and not ever amazing.

I like Wilco but this album is a bit of a snore fest

This album is not good enough to be this long. Some nice songs but it all gets kind of boring

Solid. 4.5

at some point the boring starts to outweigh the good

Generic sounding to me as no tracks stood out. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a much better record by this band imo

This was my first time ever hearing Wilco. Very unique sound and a very smooth listen.

I should be listening to more Wilco.

cool

Damn this album is good.

It’s fine

3.5

I was kind of close to giving this a 2 because of its length and because it was a bit boring (I don’t really like Wilco that much in general) but I thought it picked up a bit as it went on. Still, I don’t really have anything else to say about it.

Boring

It had some moments. It's too long though. Could be condensed to be much better. Will I listen to again: 10%

Listened to the whole thing, can't recall a single word.

A perfect alt country album with lots of sonic variation.

The album was a bit long to listen to all at once, but I think I'd really enjoy these songs if I listened to them individually in the future.

1.5 - I already didn't care about the good Wilco album, or at least the only one I ever hear about, so I wasn't excited for this one. Maybe a 2 would be okay if the album was much shorter, but damn, this one is long and really fizzles out what little it had by the end. Some songs were okay and/or had little parts that I liked, but a lot of it was boring or nothing.

Not a bad album, just nothing stand out for me. Good musicianship and song writing. This style is a blindspot for me and I have avoided Wilco for a long time due to preconceived notions of Jeff Tweedy.

Solid record except the second half which was a bit of a let down . Loved the guitar works and the instrumentation.

Was ok, not much stood out but wasn't bad. Easily could have been halved in length

Oh I do not like double albums at all. They always feel like such bloated, self-indulgent and unnecessarily protracted outings for the artists. Like they just think their shit is THAT good, straight fire that cannot be contained or condensed. Ugh. Well, I'm happy to report that in this case, I fucking LOVE this double album! I was a bit worried it'd be too long-winding and brooding; one ceaselessly navel-gazing whinge. But there is so much fun to be had here! Lots of uptempo tracks and rocking guitar to get into. This is a great vibe. I knew a little of Wilco before this, but always kept them at arm's length. This is the most accessible they've ever been to me. Really love this album, looping it several times today.

I've had a few albums that suffer from the same this as this one does. The musicianship is great, I love the vocalist, and the songwriting is amazing. But it's just so long. If it were about half the length I could see myself giving this a 4, maybe even a 5. But it simply overstays its welcome far too much for a score that high.

Gram parsons era Stones. Great album.

Not bad

Dullsville.

Boring whiny shite.

Really liked this - it reminded me of LCD Soundsystem at points. That said - I wasn't crazy about some of the country elements.

American version of Blue Rodeo (Or is Blue Rodeo the Canadian version of Wilco?!) I've always heard about this group, but never really listened before. A few songs that caught my ear: Forget The Flowers Red-Eyed and Blue Why Would You Wanna Live.

One of the Wilco albums I’m not super familiar. Can’t say I love it yet as I typically need to listen a number of times to really appreciate.

felt like there wasn't a cohesive sound on this album. a couple songs stood out.

Actually pretty good, but really long. Nice 90s light rock with a little southern Americana sprinkled in

I think I would’ve connected to this more when I was younger. Pleasant enough, but frankly kind of boring and far too long. Not interesting enough to warrant such a long runtime. Started at a 3, went down to a 2 by the end for being so egregiously long

I have a friend who used to LOVE Wilco. And I can see why. It's supposed to be a country mix. But I can't see it, even with the steel guitars. I really like far far away. Outta Mind is great as well.

Certainly longer than most, and took a few times to get through. I definitely begins to pay off more on repeat listens... it has the singer-songwriter/rock vibe that I also get from Paul Westerberg. I like that the music isn't afraid to get noisy/challenging, though I believe it pays off much better on Misunderstood than with Sunken Treasure. There are a bunch of really strong songs including Far, Far Away, Monday, Say You Miss Me, that make it compelling. Though it begins to drag a bit, there's nothing that is bad here.

01) Misunderstood - 7,5 02) Far, Far Away - 8,5 03) Monday - 7,5 04) Outtasite (Outta Mind) - 7,5 05) Forget the Flowers - 8,0 06) Red-Eyed and Blue - 8,0 07) I Got You (At the End of the Century) - 7,5 08) What's the World Got in Store - 7,0 09) Hotel Arizona - 7,0 10) Say You Miss Me - 7,0 11) Sunken Treasure - 7,5 12) Someday Soon - 7,0 13) Outta Mind (Outta Sight) - 7,0 14) Someone Else's Song - 6,5 15) Kingpin - 7,0 16) (Was I) In Your Dreams - 7,0 17) Why Would You Wanna Live - 7,0 18) The Lonely 1 - 7,0 19) Dreamer in My Dreams - 6,5 TOTAL: 7,26 (73/100) It's way too long. It's getting boring. The marks are getting lower and lower with each passing song. It would be 4 stars if it was just CD 1, but this will probably end up with 3 stars because it's not that interesting, especially towards the end.

“Sunken Treasure” and “The Lonely 1” are brilliant tracks. Sedately pleasant.

Hardly anything special or noteworthy about this album.

Rating: 7.5/10 Very good album overall. Really enjoyed the melodies, passionate singing, and use of a variety of different instruments. The implementation of country elements was very well done, it complemented the singing extremely well and the other genres (mostly rock) that they used. As good as a lot of this album is, it is too long. Especially in the second half the songs start to drag more and are not as interesting as the songs on the first half; definitely would have benefitted from being one disc. Favorite songs: Misunderstood, Far Far Away, Monday, Outtasite (Outta Mind), I Got You (At The End Of The Century), What's the World Got in Store, Someday Soon, Kingpin, Dreamer in My Dreams. Worst songs: Someone Else's Song, Why Would You Wanna Live.

you may say i'm a dreamer

Apparently I had like Forget the Flowers before. Its nice but not too biting.

Wilco reminds me of The Lemonheads. If you don’t know who they are then how about Bright Eyes with less lyrical genius behind them? If you still don’t know, give this a listen on a low key day. It’s not a bad album. It kept me teetering on “do I skip this song or keep listening?” I may not listen to Wilco again but I’ve officially taken a far step away from my original belief that Wilco sucked. Choice cut: Misunderstood

okay to listen to

One of the best alt country albums created…thank you tweedy and co

For years, I just assumed Wilco was a twangy country band that tapped into rootsy Americana in a way that made Pitchfork writers give them too many flowers. A friend recently corrected me, saying they're a lot more indie rock than I was imagining, and insisted I should give them a listen. Well, this is serendipitous. And I don't know if that was a good thing. Sometimes, you hear an album and you know it's very good. But you also know it's not totally for you. That's exactly how I feel about this album. Sure, it's a lot more indie – a lot more alt-rock – than I assumed, but it's also very folksy, very twangy, and my Northeastern ass has a hard time with those sounds. And the rock/indie textures here is also something I traditional don't adore, either. Still, there are a lot more moments that I liked than I assumed there'd be, and it's more than half the record. But that's my other issue, too. This is soooo long, it becomes exhausting. And it's exhausting and feels long because it's all over the place. I feel like the best critique of this album is that it could've been a solid 5 stars if it was half the length, and cut down to 10 songs. I have a thing for short albums (maybe punk culture; maybe ADHD), but this throws way too much at me. The issue is that I'm unsure what to cut. I personally prefer the barn burners, but I'm sure a lot of Wilco fans prefer the slow burns. If you cut half this album, do you cut it 50/50, or according to texture? Because 50/50 is the same results to me, and otherwise one is a classic and the other is a bland album I would never revisit. Clearly, I have struggled with conceptualizing this album in my head. I think Wilco's a cool band, I think there's an album by them I may like in the future. Hell, I think some of these songs will end up on a future playlist for me. But in its entirety, I'm not here for Being There, but I'm glad other people are in attendance.

Sunken Treasure of course very good. I like Wilco trying to rip off Big Star's Kangaroo quite a bit. Strum some melancholy chords, let a rumble of electric guitar threaten to take over, great formula. I don't like Wilco jamming on rockin' tunes, or on country/blues, for the most part. It's probably a Good Time if you're a dad looking for good time music. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Wilco easily has two 5 star records (three, if live ones count). This one sounds like a soon-to-be 5 star band finding its footing.

Really great early album by Wilco that fleshes out their sound a lot more than their debut, AM. Lots of great songs, many of which became staples of their live shows for decades after this. Not their best work, but some wonderful, classic alt-country style Wilco 4/5

Don't really get the reverence for Wilco. There are other bands that have done the same thing better, and Jeff Tweedy's voice is middling at best. There's some decent tunes on "Being There", but there's nothing nothing special about any of it.

Another album that I'm not sure how it made this list. It was fine. Nothing memorable or noteworthy, personally. No genre defining, trend breaking, just decent music.

It was apparently great background music because I do not remember it at all

Great album

You know those in-game radio stations in GTA? Listening to this album feels like I've tuned into a sad-alt-country-rock one. Not particularly bad, just interminably long and better as background music.

Sad one, but got some bright moments

This is a personal all time favourite. It was my introduction to Wilco all those years ago. Having read some other reviews on here calling it too long and kind of boring makes me pause and think about all the records I said something similar about. That’s the risk with the one listen approach required when doing a challenge like this. For me the album could go on forever and I’d be happy with that. Not a week track in the group.

Good

I was not expecting much from this album, but it really surprised me. Being There has a relaxed, confident feel to it. It blends alternative rock with Americana in a way that feels natural and unforced. There is variety across the record, yet it still hangs together well as a complete piece. Monday is a great tune. Catchy, upbeat and instantly likeable. Outtasite Outta Mind has real energy as well and adds a bit of punch to the album. There is a warmth to the songwriting that makes it easy to keep listening. Favourite songs: Monday and Outtasite Outta Mind Least favourite song: None that stood out negatively Album artwork: Simple and understated. It suits the laid back tone of the music perfectly

Better than the last entry I listen to by Wilco with some good tracks but still pretty run of the mill

Lowkey not it.

Nice.

This was so inoffensive that I would feel bad giving it any rating other than 3 stars. It was pretty forgettable, but it didn't grate in the slightest and I could even say I quite enjoyed having it playing in the background. I was expecting it to start to drag, but before I knew it, the last track was winding down and it was done. I now have zero interest in ever listening to it again.

Never really got into them, but theyre coop enough

Yeah it's alright. Gets boring after 5 or 6 tracks though, and by the end I was completely over it. Too long with too little variation, sounds like any cookie-cutter country/blues/rock album that many others before have done better. It's the McDonalds of rock albums.

they can play....he can't sing..

Nothing special here.

Pretty solid blend of genres, at some points reminiscent of LCD Soundystem, then moments of country, then some pretty banging alt-rock An album that feels like it was alot of fun at the time for the band but perhaps results in an uneven mix of songs that feel personal and intimate, and those that feel short and basic

This wasn't bad, but I can't honestly imagine ever wanting to listen to it again. It's just... not bad. That's it.

This album had some good songs, but was also quite bloated. It felt like there was quite a bit filler. Despite that, this is still an album that I want to return to at some point. I like Wilco but am unfamiliar with some of their early stuff. 3/5

Good music, and good lyrics, wasted on a soulless, lifeless, monotonous vocalist. You’d be happy if you walked into a bar and this were the house band, but if you paid for this you’d want your money back.

So I've decided that my opinion of this band is probably just that they're OK. I completely forgot that I had already reviewed an album by this band on this website before -- I've listened to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, and I rated it 4 stars. And yet, despite that above average rating, I remember absolutely nothing from that album. Similarly, with this album, though I am able to recognize that this is probably above average music, with above average songwriting and production and the like, it is simply very forgettable to me. Also -- this is a double album. Albums that have a run-time of over an hour are always a struggle for me to get through. Too long.

Quite passive, didn’t really jump out and grab me with anythin..

Lots of variability. Some good some bad. Not my thing.

Ok background music. A bit forgettable but it is calming, nice guitar.

This does nothing for me. There are a few decent songs on it, and the rest are unobjectionable, but it doesn't stir me in any way

Wilco was the cool indie band to like when I was in grad school. I didn't particularly enjoy what I heard then but that wasn't this album. I initially didn't enjoy this (when I was actively listening while driving to work). I felt that the music/instrumentation was good but that the vocal was mediocre. Specifically I thought the songs would be better without the vocals. I listened to most of the double album twice and I progressively liked it more and more and the vocal weren't as grating. That being said, the vocals are clearly the weakest component of the music. This is a great passive listen but I don't know if I'll ever choose to listen to it (actively).

Never really understood the Wilco hype earlier, but this was a really pleasant listen. Guess I’m getting old!

I liked the first track a lot, I liked the feed back and I thought the quiet parts were nice. After that was a nice acoustic song which was fine. But then it started to sound like a Disney Channel original movie soundtrack where the band gets back together after learning the meaning of friendship. And then they started playing country 🤮 🤮 🤮. There were a few songs here and there that were good, but most of them were forgettable. I can see why some one would like this, but it just isn't for me. 2.5

Absolutely loved this. Every song is a different flavor of country-tinged alt rock, all perfectly executed, from the noisy opener, to the Stones-sounding “Monday”, as well as several great ballads. 5/5 all day!

Really enjoyed that second half of this 19-track album. I heard some definite Tom Petty, John Mayer, Jack Johnson, and Rod Stewart in this music. I would want to hear more

Enjoyable but not a standout.

2/6/24. I’ve slept on Wilco for awhile. For a double album in length, each song brought a unique experience and kept me engage throughout. I need to listen some more.

A bit long but super chill

There is no reason to make an album this long, especially when you only have a handful of memorable songs on the entire album. Take on your own ego and admit that you didn't write 19 songs worthy of making the album. Do some editing, hire a producer that will challenge you in the studio, do some reflecting. All that said, I generally like Wilco, just not 19 straight Wiclo songs.

A little to diverse (or disparate) to form any kind of common thread. Not bad, not great either.

A couple of good songs on there. But generic 90s guitar rock that seems pretty uninspired for the most part

I mean, yes, fine. Good old '90s acoustic/alt sound, which I like, but after a while this album gets pretty long and the songs all start to sound similar.

An artist I have never heard and he was excellent

Big fan of Wilco, but they could have cut a few songs out of the album.

First two songs are an absolute bore. Monday is a "Springsteen" song Red-Eyed and Blue has the first interesting melody.

Great!

Not my vibe but I know it's well loved

Wow, this was a slog! Its not that is was an awful album or a genre that I don’t like, it was just such a vanilla, boring album! This should be right in my wheelhouse, guitar based rock, but it was such a boring album. Sorry, it might be amazing, but it was lost on me. Vanilla shite

I'm writing this review before I've finished the album which I don't normally do, but I can already tell at the end of first disk that I'm just not feeling it and this is pretty lame. I probably should like it more than I do, mid 90s alternative, guitar heavy - my favourite genres/time! But it's just boring, meandering, weird in places (but not in a good way), and has a twangy country bend to it - it is all over the place. Maybe it could have been something if they'd had a better producer who could have edited back a bit better and thrown the banjo in the bin? Dunno - I guess theres a reason I've never heard of them Finished it, it didn't improve

Not bad, didn't mind listening to this one.

13 in een dozijn folkrock.

Very dull.

Listenable. But not raveable.

Better than I thought I would like it.

Atmospheric, road trip vibes. Calming-energetic

Contemplative, reflective album

Alt-Country: If you like Whiskeytown, you'll like Wilco. You can tell that the primary songwriter/lead singer started out in Rockabilly.

It's very country sounding. Not a fan.

first time i’ve ever heard about alternative country. this album starts off nice. mellow, melancholic, brings up memories i’ve never had. an interesting mix between country-esque and alternative rock. definitely not my usual but i like it.

Kinda bland

Favorite: Misunderstood

Didn’t know what to expect from Wilco - figured just another indie 90s band. I really like this album. I will listen to this one often. That said it’s bloated - cut the filller and it would be awesome. Too long.

Hadn't given these guys the time they deserved before this listen through. It's a vibe. Melancholic. Enjoyed it and was definitely impressed by how much they must have inspired many of the bands I like that came after.

There is so much about this that I love. The long distance yearning (far far away) struck a chord when i heard it 30 yrs ago. It still does. You feel like your along for the ride in Hotel Arizona. Far, far away from those city lights They might be shining on you tonight Far, far away from you On the dark side of the room

Inconsistent at best. The rockers are decent but there are too many country tinged songs that bring the album down. Also, completely unnecessary for it to be a double album. But hipsters are pretentious and full of themselves.

This one felt very alternative country, a lot of alt rock angst and distortion in parts but also quite a lot of twangy guitar moments. The music feels interesting the way it changes song by song, the vocal delivery feels very introspective and enjoyable, feels like a record I'd come back to frequently tbh, enjoyed it

So middle of the road you can easily forget it’s even playing. Just listen to Eels - you’ll have a much better time 1.9

Seichter alternative Country.

Wilco - another American band with no clear direction (country - rock - balads?). Not really remarkable.

Mixed bag. Far Far Away is very pretty. Forget the Flowers good too. More country than I expected, though there's variety here. Sunken Treasure strong start to disc 2. I also like The Lonely 1. There's a **** album in here somewhere.

Didn’t know Wilco had that sound early on.

A modest 4 rating for me. It's a good album with the band stretching their legs and finding a sound even if they seem to fumble around a bit.

love these guys

I think I get Wilco now. Album is a bit too long though. 4.5/5

First time listening to Wilco. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it

I was looking forward to this, I love Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. I realised I prefer later Wilco though who lean more into the indie rock sound. This was a bit long and dragged slightly.

I had no idea what to expect. I heard the band's name mentioned but never heard their music. I did not care for it at first but it grew on me. Surprisingly good.

4+

I enjoyed this so much more than I thought. Second time a country album surprised me but I enjoyed the rock oriented songs much more than the country ones. Will definitely grow on me. 3.5/5

I used to have Yankee Hotel Foxtrot on my iPod and used to like it but that was all the Wilco I knew. Really into the steel guitar on this. Like Ali and Nick probably won't go into rotation but very decent listen

I love this sound, rootsy, affable power pop with earnest, relatable lyrics and hints of psychedelia. Shades of the Replacements and the Stones. Really enjoyable. Fave Songs: Far, Far Away; Say You Miss Me; Outtasite (Outta Mind); Red-Eyed and Blue; Someday Soon; Sunken Treasure; Hotel Arizona; The Lonely 1; Monday

Have heard Wilco before but never listened to an album through. Thoroughly enjoyable!

I've never listened to Wilco much, and following suggestions from the likes of this list and a recent interest in classic and alternative Country, I've been listening to some Wilco. After spinning 'Being There', I think I'm beginning to 'get' Wilco and will look more into their catalog for more examples like this enjoyable listen. 4/5.

An enjoyable album by a band that put out one of my favorite albums. I prefer their later sound but this was still a very strong set

Liked the country sound of the last few tracks...efen though I am not a country music fan. The rest was just bland for me.

3.8

Perfect background music for coffeeshops. Well played, varied alt country, with a voice that suits the music. Probably a highlight in the genre. However, it doesn't resonate with me at all. On the contrary. When I feel like this music, I'd rather play something to snap me out of it. And despite the variety, it bores me. Favorite song: outtasite

This album was ok, it went on a bit too long. I quite like Wilco without being overly keen, a bit like Arcade Fire - can take it or leave it.

I am not sure there is an album more vital and crucial to influential on musical tastes than this one. From the moment I heard this when I was 16, it totally altered the trajectory of what I was interested in. It's absolutely part of my DNA at this point.

Рок-н-ролл... Хороший, но мне запомнился только парой песен. Возможно, он популярен за счёт специфики американской культуры, смешанной с щепоткой инди-музыки.

Good album not the best of Wilco, from my point of view, but this is certainly in the their top 5.

Nice slow song in there but the rest didn’t float my boat.

Plenty nice chilled out Americana rock and roll! Not their best stuff, but by no means is it bad! Enjoyable but doesn’t light any fires in me.

Прилично гађа мој укус. Мало мекши звук, микс жанрова, али занимљиво. 8/10

Every song superbly crafted, every note felt. There is a sense of full presence and musicianship I find hard to express.

4.5

I can see why people would like this, it’s just not for me

Its not a bad album, but I dont think that its an album that belongs on a list of the thousand greatest albums of all time. 3/5

Boiler plate indie folk and alt rock, there's literally nothing special or interesting about Wilco, and I'm already dreading the time I'll have to listen to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot again because of this god forsaken list.

humanmusic.mp3

Not so much for me. Had some good points and I will give it three stars because I heard a banjo.

Very mundane

Since 1995, when they released their debut album, AM, Wilco has produced some consistently good music, to much critical acclaim and have even been recognized by the mainstream with Grammy nominations and wins. I would only consider two of Wilco's albums as essential, 2001's classic, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and the epic, Being There. Though it didn't win any Grammys (which is a good thing!) it's jam packed with songs that have become mainstays on the band's live setlists and really highlighted Jeff Tweedy's strong songwriting. I would consider this their most important record showcasing their earlier alt-country rock roots, as well as genres in folk, rock and more experimental sounds that would later evolve Wilco's sound on later records. It's a sprawling record that is considered a double album (priced as a single CD in it's day) and if I had to criticize the album is that it's maybe a tad too long. There's too much good material for a single album, but towards the mid-point of disc two, it drags a bit and runs out of steam. Disc one might be the best 40 minutes of songs in their career!

This is the first Wilco album I've ever listened to. The long runtime initially concerned me, but a few songs into the first half and I was hooked, especially when the rock influence turned up. The chord progressions? General musicianship? The lyricism? This may be my favorite record that this generator has introduced me to so far.

Der var gang i den på det her album, og det jeg forventede var mere noget stille akustisk musik, men det var også en del rock hvilket jo heller ikke er skidt. Vil gerne lytte mere til denne.

I really liked this album, actually. It felt slow and understated but its impact built for me over time. Kingpin was the standout song for me.

Steady for Wilco, but not my favorite album from them.

В основном ждал, пока закончится

These are really great songs for those who yearn for a past romance.

Wilco is one of those bands that I feel like I ought to like, and I’ve meant to try out. I have and like Uncle Tupelo’s Anodyne, so that’s a good sign. It is also almost 77 minutes, which is a bit long. I actually split this listen into 2 sessions. I really like the sound, very clean and open, lots of acoustic guitar, piano, banjo, etc. call it alt country, indie, whatever; it’s a style I like. This would be an high 4 if some of the fat were trimmed, maybe a 5. As it is, it it’s barely a 4. But still a solid effort, I’ll listen to this again. 4/5

Well this is fantastic

Lowkey whiney, did like the cta song though 2/5

wish you were here instead of me

Second try at these guys after being mean to *Yankee Hotel Foxtrot*, this time I'll write while listening. ...Plonky plonk style indie rock. Good for a cloudy day, but I can't focus to this and it was a double album. "Monday" was good.

No thanks

Ok

It isn’t crazy catchy or anything but I really dig the sound and I like the singing. It just feels nice to have on, even though it doesn’t particularly pull attention.

Ok, a bit dull

i liked this better than other wilco albums i have listened to, but that band has never done much for me

Ne znan zašto sam prvotno da 3, baš u dobrom sićanju mi je osta album, pogotovo za žanr koji ne preferiram.

Dad rock at its most confusing, it got better towards the end.

I am bias because I really like Wilco, but I love the sounds of this album. There is a peaceful, folk rock tone to the songs.

Moody, shoegaze, interesting, good to hear something new

Albums like this are what causes problems with a 5 star rating system. I’m a Wilco fan, I really like Being There. I would love to give this 4 Star. But I’m going to give Yankee Hotel Foxtrot 4 stars and Being there is not as good as YHT. So 3.5 or 3.75 would be more accurate. Great album though, glad it showed up today, I really enjoyed listening to it again, it had been awhile.

It was good but kinda overstayed it’s welcome

I've always seen this group as the quintessential Millennial band. Respect for trying to keep their sound fresh for all these years, but this album, like many of this era, sounds like a lot of borrowing and not a lot of innovating. It was listenable but uninteresting, varied but not grounded. It struck me as an album liked by people who don't like music that much.

I was getting into that, then saw there was a whole other disc, but that seemed quick, so who knows if I was listening to the right thing... Anyway, actually caught my attention and made me listen.

wilcos mix of alt country sounds a rock clicks for me. i dig these guys, and this album i kinda wish i could 3.5 star it....but its better than 3..so 4 it is

Love the early sound from Wilco. Touches multiple genres. A can’t miss album.

Had I known Wilco’s track record extended so far beyond “Jesus, Etc” and “California Stars,” I would’ve listened to them years ago. After a once-through of Being There, I realize I need to take a deeper dive into their discography. The opening “Misunderstood” could have been covered by Johnny Cash in the same way he covered “Hurt.” The main difference is the Wilco original is flat-out better than the Nine Inch Nails one. They infuse their own country spin too, especially with “Forget the Flowers” (sitting in a front porch rocking chair overlooking an empty dirt road) and “Someday Soon” (swinging to a lumberjack’s Tennessee flat-top box at White Horse while hints of organ sneak in from outside). “What’s the World Got in Store” sounds a bit like George Harrison, and I can’t help but notice the repetitive lyrics aren’t too far off from Weird Al’s “This Song's Just Six Words Long.” “Someone Else’s Song” channels Harrison’s counterpart Bob Dylan, especially his pre-electric days. The piano of “(Was I) In Your Dreams” is reminiscent of the Stones’ hot streak of records in the late sixties and early seventies, while the piano of “Sunken Treasure” foreshadows Coldplay’s A Rush of Blood to the Head. If the fiddler in the finale “Dreamer in My Dreams” had made a deal with the Devil, I bet he would’ve walked away with some gold hardware. Coming into this behemoth I expected a repetitive record that overstays its welcome by 30 minutes, but man, was I wrong. There’s not a single skip, and Wilco showcases a variety of genres from bluegrass to folk to funk. Whether intentionally or not, they put their own spin on the styles of a number of my favorite artists. These guys are quite a bit more than a two-hit wonder.

Feel good 90's alt rock, not really my cup of tea. Very solid 6/10.

My first impression is that Wilco and this album are nice, by which I mean pleasantly mediocre. This streamed right through my ear buds, my brain, and out the other sides leaving tasteful traces of the Stones, background music in popular youth dramas, and ephemeral maudlin insights. When they rock out, they are adroit with the mother push and pull, and I have an enduring fondness for the 'Burn to Shine' performance of the later "Muzzle of Bees". Skipper, I managed one and a half listens, I gave what I could... 2 would be unfair, 4 would be dishonest, so...

I like some later Wilco albums but this is very basic and uninspired. Some really bad country tinged stuff towards the end that is bar band quality. No need for a double album at all EDIT: I try not to change the reviews second time around, but felt this was worth re-evaluating. It is, uniformly, *awful*. By the time "Sunken Treasure" rolled up I figured we were at the "bad country tinged stuff" alluded to above, but no - still about 10 more songs of tedium to go, each progressively worse. Lyrics so poor, did they even get a spellcheck? Such a slog, it seems unfair to lump this in with other tedious but at least conscious 2* efforts such as John Spencer. Hence, a well-deserved downgrade cast upon this overfilled bucket of shit

A nice mix of grungy, bluegrass-ish songs.

Slacker indie country - I remember hearing these guys and wishing it was Gomez

jesus fucking christ why was this SO LONG. I've gotten a string of long albums. Why does anyone think they are good enough to justify an almost 80 minute run time? It was the same song written over and over again. Cut it out or just split into two albums.

Oof. I guess it’s for someone. Songs sound really low effort to me. They’ve mastered the country/honky-tonk meander and songs take an eternity to get going. No hooks. Had to speed run this one bc it’s over an hour. Kinda liked what the opener was setting-up but I won’t be taking any of these tracks with me.

Country alternativo muy popero. Ni fu ni fa.

Un poco largo. Pero bonito. Menos la última canción.

Took me two days to get through this album. It's too uninteresting to be this long. I couldn't enjoy listening to it at all and it felt like a chore.

Wow, niet verwacht dat ik dit goed zou vinden. Wel eens Wilco geluisterd, maar nooit echt iets aan gevonden. Dit wel!

ekat 40 sekunnttia niin hyvää ´likaista jumppua, sitten alkoi tylsin poppi lauleskelu pimputtelu rämpyttely..unpretentious twats...noh ylireagointia ylireaktiota taas, Metyylietyyliketoniperoksidi saunassa konsanaan heh.. hyvähän tämä oli. harkittelin jopa nelosta ekan neljäsosan jälkeen mutta tunti17min oli kyllä sen verran mateleva että peruskolmosta pesän kingpin

was too long and boring liked few songs but nothing really outstanding happened

I like Wilco. I've heard most of these tunes from the various live albums, but I haven't ever listened to this album. It's solid. I like the richer textures of "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" but this record has a country feel which is nice. I can already tell I'm going to have to listen to this in the car driving around in the winter nice and loud.

Un poco largo. Pero bonito. Menos la última canción.

A pleasant, undemanding listen. Ideal music for a nice sit down and a cup of tea. I’m really liking some of the Randy Newman vibes.

It's a very well made country album. The production is rough but it gives a sense of authenticity to the music... it almost feels like you're there with them while they're playing. The only flaw is that it's way too long, and the second half is worse than the first one. But 90% of the songs are hit. Best song: Dreamer In My Dreams

Forgettable

Wilco is one of those bands that I've always wanted to give a try. Now I've got two albums of theirs under my belt, and I think the right word is whelmed.

Wilco is just not for me, interesting melding of sounds but it lacks a groove I can engage in. One track I did enjoy was “I Got You(At the End of the Century)”