Critical and commercial success for 2002’s album Yankee Foxtrot Hotel and two grammys for 2004’s A Ghost is Born has arguably placed Wilco among the giants of modern alternative rock.
The rule that applies to members of this elite is that new releases get event status and Wilco (the album) – the band’s seventh studio album – is no exception.
Expectation has been high; especially as Wilco’s previous album 2007’s Sky Blue Sky received such a lukewarm critical reception, with the likes of Pitchfork deriding it as “dad-rock.”
The question some critics and fans were beginning to ask was had the band peaked? Judging from Wilco (the album) the answer is an emphatic “no”.
Wilco (the album) shows a band basking in self-assurance, unafraid to straddle genres ranging from country folk to 60s New York underground through to 70s Californian rock.
The title alone shows the confidence in the way the band have approached the album.
As does opening track, you guessed it, called ‘Wilco (the song)’, a Velvet Underground inspired chugging anthem that pays tribute to the bands’ fans and is sure to win over others. With tongue in cheek lyrics such as, “put on your headphones before you explode,Wilco, Wilco, Wilco will love ya, baby,” this is a storming, uplifting first track.
Next up the alternative country edge comes in on ‘Deeper Down’ and ‘One Wing’, which both showcase guitarist Nels Cline’s beautiful arrangements.
Fourth track ‘Bull Black Nova’ is a rollercoaster of 70s rock, with the final quarter taken up by an extended frenetic instrumental and wailing vocal segment, more Deep Purple than deep south.
At just over five minutes ‘Bull Black Nova’ is not long in the grand scheme of things, but the wailing does grate after a while and feels longer when sandwiched between the softer ‘One Wing’ and next track ‘You and I’, a sickly, syrupy sweet duet with Leslie Fiest.
On first listen ‘You and I’ felt like a disappointment. Far too sweet, far too much like the Eagles and a waste of Leslie Fiest’s distinctive voice. But after a few more listens my opinion turned. It’s the one I keep humming and at its heart it is just a good old-fashioned love song.
The remaining tracks are far from filler status as some forum commentators have said.
‘You Never Know’ is a George Harrison inspired track, the first to be released as a single (albeit on vinyl only). The more folk orientated ‘Solitaire’ is steeped in the music of Nick Drake and Elliot Smith and ‘Sonny Feeling’ evokes the music of Big Star.
Final track ‘Everlasting Everything’ with its orchestral flourishes and Eric Clapton-esque guitar is another highlight as is the Rolling Stones sounding ‘I’ll Fight’.
Wilco (the album) shows a band at one with itself, happy with its elite alternative rock status and confident of its talents. It is likely to give Wilco a far broader appeal and could, dare we predict, even eclipse the commercial success of the 590,000 selling Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, while still appealing to its loyal fans.
9/10
by Joe Lepper, July 2009
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