After Jeff Tweedy assembled, what he declared, “the best Wilco line-up ever” in 2007, the sextet released the very straightforward, and dare I say boring, Sky Blue Sky. Wilco sounded more interesting with 2009’s Wilco (the Album), but still seemed too top heavy with seasoned musicians to produce something so sing-songy.
The Whole Love is a strong argument for the current lineup’s need to convey Tweedy’s ideas. The brilliant early sonic deconstruction, water drip keyboards, and impeccable pushing bass on “Art of Almost” (the album opener and exclamation), builds “wasteland” abstractions through a straw, to a lesson in explosive krautrock. “Dawned On Me” has a genuine “fresh” pop quality to it that seemed missing from recent Wilco recordings and “Black Moon” possesses enough intrigue to carry you on to the tasty bass workout, “Born Alone.” The album ends nearly as strong as it starts with the cyclical 12-minute closer, “One Sunday Morning” as Tweedy gives his (often used) equation of life, death, and frustrations with God.The Whole Love is not the most cohesive album under the Wilco name and rides into familiar terrain from the countrified rock on “Open Mind” and “Capital City.” Easily drawing comparisons to AM-era Wilco. The Whole Love, is by no means a masterpiece, but does find Wilco focused and ambitious, even if that energy is centered on reminiscing the Wilcos of the past. – Ethan Barrons
This article appears in Oct 6-12, 2011.
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In response to the write up on Wilco, it is my opinion that your write up was un-fair not only to the band, but also to the many fans who -like myself- have wore each Wilco album out on their stereos. Obviously, you get paid to find comb albums and spit them out to the public but this write up tops them all with the ignorance, and maybe even a little arrogance behind it. I know it’s your job, and I shouldn’t take it so personal but as an artist myself I find it quite offensive that someone could spend there time “red-penning” an album that they’ve only listened to once or twice. It’s like going to an art gallery and standing two inches away from a painting and than proceeding to say “it’s alright… is not the most cohesive painting”. That would be insain right? That’s exactly what your doing here. My worry is that by your little analysis some kid who barely heard the name of Wilco will be turned off to ever giving them a fair and honest listen. Okay so you boosted the new album a little from the shitty intro you gave them but first impressions seem to last the longest. So anyway, here’s my advice take it or leave it..stick to what you know. If your type of music is poppy write about that. Don’t clump bands like Wilco into your 2 paragragh journal entries. Thanks for reading. Sorry about the spelling.
Chris
I found the analysis of “The Whole Love” fair and objective. A piece of art can only be compared to a few measures; what came before it and what it’s counterparts are doing in relatively the same time period. As a Wilco fan of the past I found the album “safe”, it’s no Yankee Hotel, but it is solid. I was hoping with Tweedy’s current line up of guys we would hear something a bit different(or new) then the last few albums but for me, this didn’t happen. I don’t think Wilco is capable and willing to put out a bad album on purpose, but a safe album, by all means, and “The Whole Love” is just that. Will I buy the album, probably not. Do I wish the band will continue to make music, yes. I think the review was great and pedestrian as the album.