MUSIC THREAD

Yeah, that was the mag I saw. Thanks.

 

Latecomer to the Arcade Fire greatness, but finally broke down and bought it (long road trip, etc.) and love it. The best songs are the Dr Pepper numbers: 10, 2 and 4.

 

I'm trying so hard to like Sky Blue Sky and I just can't. I didn't like AGIB that much when it came out, and it grew on me, but I really don't think this one will. Obviously this whole album is kind of about Tweedy finding his happy place, and you can't begrudge him that. But I don't think he produces quite the same art when he's happy as he did when he was in pain.

Tweedy obviously disagrees. Either way The Onion AV Club did a pretty interesting interview with him this past week worth reading.

http://www.avclub.com/content/interview/jeff_tweedy

 

Yeah, I'm coming to the same conclusion on Sky Blue Sky. I've been listening to it on and off for about a month now, hoping it would start to click just like all the other Wilco records eventually did, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen.

I'm disappointed, but I can't feel too upset just because Jeff feels better about life now and is making music I don't appreciate as much. The last part of the AV Club interview kind of speaks to that:

 

it's OK, nothing more

but I can't stand the comparisons to AM. sure, both have conventional songs and no blips and bleeps and experimental shit. but AM had some edge to it, some roughness. this one is just dull.

it's a boring record

 

No, I totally agree. With all due respect to my man Cosmo, I don't hear A.M. in this record at all. I hear the fricken Jayhawks, actually. And I'm bored to tears.

 

yeah, Jayhawks is a good comparison

EZ listenin' alt-country

Jay wins this round

 

Interesting to see if Tweedy and the boys go back on the next album and thrash it up a bit, or if he's petulant and says, "Fuck you, here's some more soft rock if you didn't like that. I'm the artist and I know what's best and I'll do what I want." I can seriously see him doing that.

 

I'm not deeply, madly in love with Sky Blue Sky right now. It took me a little while to warm up to A Ghost is Born, and I didn't really "get it" until after I'd seen them perform the stuff live. I've heard a few of these songs at Wilco/Tweedy solo shows the past year, but I'm going to give the boys the benefit of the doubt.

 

Ooh, no love the Jayhawks? Criminal.

I don't think SBS sounds like the Jayhawks at all, there really isn't a country element to this album like on the Jayhawks' stuff.

I agree SBS is not close to their best record, and I don;t see comparisons to AM either. After repeated listening, it's growing on me. But it my least favorite so far. I've said earlier it sounds uninspired, but it does have some good stuff. The best song though isn't on the record, but you can get it off iTunes. It's one they played a lot on their last tour.

And how can you not love the Jayhawks? Hollywood Town Hall and Rainy Day Msuic are incredible albums, Smile I wasn't crazy about, but it's their most pop record too.

 

I like the Jayhawks ok, I just think it all kind of sounds the same. And it really doesn't have a lot of edge to it. I think What Light sounds a lot like a Jayhawks song. I have a Jayhawks album, and I listen to it about once every six months. It's fine. It's like a vanilla milkshake. It's good, but I don't want one every day. All the previous Wilco albums, I listen to almost on a daily basis.

 

Well, I don't know if Wilco has "edge," just a lot of great music. Ted Leo has edge. The Picies had edge, Wilco not so much.

Depends on which Jayhawks album you have, but I highly recommend them.

But hey to each his own.