What does it sound like?:
This is the first of a series of acoustic releases apparently, if you’ve ever seen Jeff Tweedy do a live solo show then the sound of this record will be no surprise, it’s Tweedy, an acoustic guitar, the occasional bit of harmonica and some (mostly tuneless) whistling. There are the expected songs, the Wilco show staples such as Via Chicago, Hummingbird and I Am Trying To Break Your Heart all stripped down to the bare bones. His reach into the back catalogue doesn’t go as far as any Uncle Tupelo songs but Laminated Cat (Loose Fur) and Lost Love (Golden Smog) are given an outing. Bearing in mind the number of solo shows Tweedy does, and the number available to download and stream on various sites – all with Tweedy’s blessing – it does make you question the need for this record, it would have been nice to have heard some new material rather than demo-style versions of band songs for example. But then again I love Wilco and hearing the solo performance with studio quality is a treat for the ears.
What does it all *mean*?
If you like Wilco you’ll probably like this, but I can’t see it bringing new faces to the fanbase, one for the purists.
Goes well with…
Red wine and dark rooms.
Release Date:
Might suit people who like…
Warts and all style stripped down laid back deconstruction, (i.e. demos)
->
I have this album, I`ll get around to playing it later today.
Wilco are my favourite (current) band, but this release doesn’t excite me at all. Not sure what his thinking behind it is. However we have been blessed with 4 LPs worth of original Tweedy material in the last 3 years, so I won’t complain too much.
BTW at Solid Sound festival last Fri they played a planned Being There in full, then encored with a complete Yankee Hotel Foxtrot!! I had decided to give it a miss this year 🙁
I Have the album too as i buy everything that Wilco/Tweedy officially release. Lowish expectations but really liked it and the stripped down ashes of American flags is brilliant.
Another Tweedy completist here, and it’s on its way to me. If it’s only half as brilliant as in his solo shows, I’ll be happy.
I echo much of what has been posted already – slightly pointless release, a lot of this is widely available anyway, probably not quite as good as the band versions, etc etc. But then he starts up “I dreamed about killing you again last night…” and all qualms disappear. Most of the versions work really well.
At a push, I would have liked an acoustic band album rather than a solo album, and I would have liked California Stars, but you can’t have everything.
Here’s a live acoustic band set :
https://wilco.kungfustore.com/roadcase/roadcase-047-june-26-20154-north-adams-ma-wilr47.html
@dai Have you heard it? Is it worth the investment? Very tempted if the sound quality is any good at all…
@monsignorbonehead I was at the show! I think it’s worth going for, Jeff and John kind of did an Everly brothers type thing, and Nels was on fire, even deprived of electricity.
I own it. but didn’t listen recently, I think sound quality was fine. Can check tonight if you like
Can’t say fairer than that, will get on the case later. Ta!
@monsignorbonehead Don’t have that show to hand right now, but the other show recorded that weekend sounds great.
@dai I had by now been hoping to thank you for tipping me off to a great acoustic gig, but I am afraid I have entered one of the circles of hell trying to order off that site… Keeps telling me that it can’t ship to my address, despite the fact that I am not trying to get them to ship anything! My people are talking to their people, but a resolution has yet to be found. Grrrr.
I may have given you a link to the US store, I believe there is also an EU version. May be the problem.
@monsignorbonehead I too would have liked California Stars and also Blasting Fonda – what a song!!
@SteveT You’ve gone and done it now, I’m going to have to dig out that 4CD rarities thing now. I may be some time…
Never really knew there was so much love for Wilco/Tweedy on here so in case you didn’t know Solid Sound featured Wilco performing the whole of Being There which was chosen following a vote on their social media platforms, for an encore they performed the whole of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. NYCtaper (http://www.nyctaper.com/) has the whole show available to stream or download – the sound quality is excellent.
See above
I am sitting on a plane at Detroit – waiting at the gate to go to/via Chicago. Noise cancelling headphones keeping the world out and listening to Via Chicago from this very album.
There’s a moment right there.
Cool, I’ve done that flight (and train journey). Hearing Via Chicago in Chicago was pretty great, however the howls of recognition about hearing the city’s name seem pretty weird when you think about the song’s content.
And after flying I can report that the Jeff Tweedy album is mighty fine and so is the latest Jason Isbell.