Wilco (my thoughts)

There are few bands that really shake me to the core. Anyone that has hung out with me a few times will eventually understand that the love of this band runs deep. Wilco put out a really fantastic follow-up to the 2006 rock record Sky Blue Sky with this new record Wilco (the album). This record shares some really fantastic new songs; the fun and lite wilco (the song), a duo with the lovely Feist on You and I, and the chilling Bull Black Nova.

I have read somewhere that this is a record of confidence, and I couldn't agree more. These five gentleman have brought their confidence, experience, and ability to craft great songs onto one of the most stripped down Wilco records to date. It continues to amaze (and delight) that this band keeps getting better with time. The record is not Yankee Hotel Foxtrot or a Ghost is Born. It's this stripped down great rock sound. At first I thought these jams could be B-sides from Sky Blue Sky but I couldn't be more wrong. There is a beautiful rich tone to this record. It's calm, unassuming, and straight up great!

and hearing it live is even better!!

on Monday I had the opportunity to see Wilco live on Coney Island. The night began with Wilco (the song). So fun, so exciting, and with a smile on my face some friends new and some who have loved Wilco forever with me sang-a-long for two and half hours of fantastic Wilco songs. They played my favorites (Hummingbird, Impossible Germany, Shot in the Arm, At Least That's What She Said). The energy they bring to a show is like nothing else I have seen or have encountered.



The show was a beautiful night and with a double encore my heart was happy. (Leslie) Feist came out to sing the duet "You and I" and I thought my jaw would fall off my face. Then Edward Droste from Grizzly Bear came out and jangled the tambourine and sang California Stars with Feist and band. Adding beauty to beauty Yo La Tango arrives to finish the encore with Spiders (Kidsmoke).





I think my favorite Wilco moment happened when Nels Cline, Jeff Tweedy, and the dude from Yo La Tango came together and created some beautiful harmonies with progressive scales creating both tension and harmony. Holy crap. Amazing.



A second encore included what my friend Ryan liked to call a shred off between multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone and the fabulous Nels Cline on the jam Hoodoo Voodoo. Moments of great rock and roll are no longer televised but I had the amazing opportunity to see it happen! Lucky for me I get to see them again next week!