For the Wilco fans

1. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2. Being There
3. Summerteeth
4. A Ghost is Born
5. AM
6. Sky Blue Sky

 

I feel like a dolt for not including California Stars somewhere on my list. And Airline to Heaven.

 

I've always found the fan reaction to "A Ghost Is Born" fascinating, too. It's kind of a divisive record. People either absolutely love it or absolutely hate it. Very few "mehs" in regard to that one.

 

Well, looks I'm the Black Sheep in the Wilco SportsJournalists.com family ...

ALBUMS
1. A Ghost is Born
2. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
3. Summerteeth
4. Being There
5. Sky Blue Sky
6. A.M.

SONGS
1. At Least That's What You Said
2. Impossible Germany
3. War on War
4. Misunderstood
5. Nothingsevergoingtostandinmyway (again)
6. Theologians
7. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
8. I Got You (At the End of the Century)
9. Ashes of American Flags
10. Wishful Thinking

 

I'm a huge Wilco fan, but a terrible guy when it comes to lists like these. I'll knock out the albums first, then try to come back later and do the songs:

1. "Being There" -- No-brainer of all no-brainers. And I'll even rank the discs: 1 tops 2. I was an Uncle Tupelo fan first, and that's their last album that sounded like Uncle Tupelo. (Not that that's a bad thing. Whenever I hear Jay Farrar/Son Volt I think "sounds like he's always sounded," which isn't a terrible thing, but I've enjoyed the Wilco progression.)
2. "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" -- There was a 5-1/2 year gap between "Being There" and "YHF" with only one Wilco album. (I'm disregarding "Mermaid Avenue" because of Guthrie/Bragg, only going pure Wilco here.) I had "Summerteeth," but this is where I jumped into full-on live-and-die with Wilco fandom. Not that I'd ever live and/or die with something as silly as a rock band.
3. "A Ghost is Born" -- When it came out, I was puzzled by it. It wasn't until I saw them perform it live at the State Palace Theater in NOLA before their first Jazz Fest show that I really "got" it. Really complex stuff you get a better appreciation of when you see it on stage.
4. "Summerteeth" -- Jeez, as I look at these songs, I wonder how I could have this one fourth.
5. "A.M." -- Again, closer to the Uncle Tupelo days. It's pretty neat to think that a band that could do this winds up later doing "YHF" and even the mellow "Sky Blue Sky." (And, yes, "band" reads "Jeff Tweedy" as the creative force or "Jeff Tweedy and John Stirratt" as the only constants. But the current incarnation does stuff from across the discography live now.)
6. "Sky Blue Sky" -- I don't know for sure exactly there the "Dad Rock" monicker took root, but this album probably solidified it. But, if you look around at a Wilco show, while there are dads in the crowd, there are more youngsters. And their live versions of what feels light and poppy, like "Walken," are anything but.

And, a bonus, my Wilco concerts, although these aren't ranked: http://donhammack.com/?p=155

 

Topic is so good it got me to finally register.

1. Being There
2. Summerteeth
3. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4. A.M.
5. A Ghost Is Born
6. Wilco (The Album)
7. Sky Blue Sky

1. ELT
2. I Must Be High
3. Misunderstood
4. Dreamer In My Dreams
5. Via Chicago
6. Poor Places
7. Can't Stand It
8. Spiders (Kidsmoke)
9. Too Far Apart
10. Say You Miss Me

 

Good to be here.

Also, I think write then drink is absolutely right about Bennett's absence being responsible for the recent dip in quality. It's pretty obvious Tweedy needs a foil in order to write something really interesting, whether it's Jay Bennett or Jay Farrar. The current incarnation of the band seems to defer to him almost completely, and the work has suffered.

 

Welcome aboard, Party Barge.

I'll also agree on the Bennett/Tweedy point ... at least regarding the songwriting. But as far as playing live, the group Jeff's assembled for "Ghost" and "Sky Blue Sky" kicks ass. They're all great players, and the 2007 show I saw was by far the best among the handful of times I've seen Wilco.

 

No doubt that they're better than ever live, though that does make the last couple records all the more disappointing. You get the sense they would have done so much more in studio with a guy like Nels Cline in the past.

But that doesn't mean I've given up on them or anything. The new one is way better than SBS and continues to grow on me.

 

I like the new guy.

First person on sportsjournalists.com to ever agree with me about anything!

 

Being There
Summerteeth
Foxtrot
Ghost
Sky
AM

Songs:

Misunderstood
Outta Mind (Outta Sight)
Reservations
At Least That's What You Said
Via Chicago
Hotel Arizona
Jesus, etc.
Shot in the Arm
The Late Greats
Pieholden Suite