1001 Albums Summary

9

Creative for sure. Too smooth for my taste though.

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

I’d never really listened to The Pretenders even though I love punk and new wave. Wrote them off as more of a pop-rock outfit for some reason, and there’s definitely some of that on display here. But this album is really solid 70s punk, at least in the first half, with a little 80s glitz in the mix. Crisp, energetic, and playful throughout, though for me it didn’t always live up to the strong start. A fun discovery.