I won't quite go that far, but while I do like it, I think it's definitely being overpraised just a tad.

It's too long (too many middling songs), but the high points (first two tracks + "Born Alone" are standouts for me right now) are better than anything on the last two albums.

Maybe it'll stand out more after a couple more listens.

Thank you for this YB...sounds terrific. much appreciated.

also, digging the posters so far...last nights being my favorite yet (can't find a bigger pic):

are these up at Wilcoworld.net?

yep...check under shows. there's also a cool new feature that allows you to click on any given song on a set list and you can see how many times/last time played + lyrics. i guess the only way to login to that is thru facebook though - which is kinda lame...i don't have an account, but used the wife's to check it out.

Shit, I would have added a poster to the upload had I known. I guess you can do it yourself.

Alright, so I've had some time to mull over Sunday's show and now have had time to listen to the new record a bunch of times.

First, the show. It was excellent. We've seen Wilco at Merriweather once before, and it was great as well. I think the band just genuinely likes playing the space. One thing of note is that the bands' fanbase has grown pretty steadily in the mid-Atlantic region. Its now a feat to get good tickets to their shows around here. So, there was a definite capacity crowd there. That said, the crowd was really attentive, receptive and vocal the entire night. With Nick Lowe as an opener, you expect that some people will know him from his "hits", but that the majority are going to stand there with blank stares. Not the case on Sunday. Every song brought uproarious applause, and during the aforementioned "hits", a good portion of the crowd was singing along. At a certain point, Lowe even seemed taken aback slightly by this as well.

With this occurring happening the opener, I figured when Wilco hit the stage, there would be some great crowd atmosphere. I posted the setlist, and some of you listened to the webcast, so I'm not gonna go through every song, but it was a great mix. "Art of Almost" is amazing live. Its breathtaking even. The pounding percussiveness of the track gets amplified live, mixed with lights its downright...erm, Radioheadish? That's not a bad thing, either. Its a great track and it explodes out of the gate. The other new tracks fare well as live set pieces next to old, tried and true songs like "Heavy Metal Drummer" and "Handshake Drugs". "One Sunday Morning" seems odd in the mix, but worked exceptionally--our audience sitting there virtually wanting to get a spoon to scoop up every morsel Tweedy and co. were throwing out there.

If you read Via Chicago, there are those who lambasted the band--and I think a lot of that has to do with just being jaded and spoiled. The posters complain of haggard setlists, and of a crowd not into the band. While the setlist might be now a standard operations manual, the crowd was most certainly not quiet. In fact, every time I looked around me in the pit, or up into the seats people were into what was going on. This might've been the best Wilco crowd I've been a part of, outside of their own Solid Sound festival. People singing along, clapping, being fully engaged was certainly the majority--one that I wish could be seen in addition to the aural pleasure the NPR webcast brought.

So, yeah, its hard not to place this pretty high on the list of Wilco shows we've been to--numbering now in the double digits. It was just an amazing time.

Onto the record. I've been listening pretty steadily, and now my co-worker who is a dubstep DJ is listening on his own--so there's that. But I agree with Drinky, in that it does have some middling songs that seem to drag. The thing is, imo, those are some of the best-written songs on the record. While they seem to bring the tempo down, they also great listens. I think you'll see "Standing O" and "Capitol City" become songs like "Box of Letters" and "Hummingbird" that are celebrated when played in a setlist. The first two tracks are monsters. I love them both instantly in the way I loved "Bull Black Nova" instantly.

Right now I'm on a solid 85% grade scale. We'll see if it has legs.

I wish I enjoyed the show as much as you did, I liked it very much throughout, but never had goosebumps or completely lost myself like when I saw them at the Tower shortly after the Chicago run where they played every song.

I thought the same thing about radioheadish, and it reminded me of how I adored the second time I saw radiohead, and then was kinda bored the third time which was all like that. But Wilco haven't gone that far to the deep end so It's welcome occasionally.

there were a few moments where I had that "just chilling out at an outside show while they jam" vibe and I actually like that quite a bit. I thought the crowd was pretty solid as well, with friendly relaxed people.

Nick Lowe's voice sounded spectacular.

where were you sitting? I was up front in front of Nels.

by the sound board in the middle.

Gotcha.

I hear the same thing and posted somewhere on the board about "Art of Almost" sounding like Radiohead.

I'll try to post some sort of review after Saturday. The last time through town, Tweedy said the Ryman is their favorite venue to play. I don't know if he throws that around in other cities, but it definitely got a reaction out of the Nashville crowd.

"radioheadish" as pejorative

OH OBNER

Top 5 Wilco show for me on Saturday night.

They were extremely tight, it sounded impeccable, and the new songs felt familiar even though it was the first time I'd seen them play live. There wasn't much Tweedy banter and they only played one song from A Ghost is Born, "Handshake Drugs". Nick Lowe was a great opener, as expected. I'd never seen him live in person and had only seen him perform live on TV on a PBS or Palladia show and I dug it then. His elegant wit is something to behold.

Hatch Show Print made 150 posters and they sold out within the first 30 minutes of the doors opening, so I guess I'll have to find one online down the road.

They first acknowledged the crowd after blowing us away with "Art of Almost". It seemed as thought they just felt really comfortable on stage in front of their typically adoring Nashville crowd. It was as if they were playing for friends.






and to KPH, "Radioheadish" isn't a pejorative from me, just a comparison. I don't think it was meant as a pejorative from any of us.

it seems like they are trying to figure out the right place for One Sunday Morning within the setlist. How did it work as an opener?

i guess initially i saw it more as maybe a first set closer (actually i was worried they wouldn't even attempt it live), but they've really been throwing it all around so far.

It may not have worked if it hadn't been followed by the 2 subsequent songs. With "Poor Places" into "Art of Almost" it seemed like the perfect trio. Like I mentioned, Tweedy didn't give the "hello Nashville" until after "Art of Almost". By itself, I may have thought it was a good choice for a semi-mellow intro tune, but it didn't really have me rushing from my place in the beer line.


2nd night setlist below (I didn't attend)

One Sunday Morning as an opener is gutsy. 10 minutes off the bat of a song at the tail end of the record. Dig it.

Sounds like an amazing show. My wife and I have said we need to see a full-on show at the Ryman. Lucky that you got 2 Nick Lowe/Wilco songs. 36 Inches High is a great song--hopefully the audience got the humor. It was about 50/50 with the MPP audience.



This. It was simply meant as a reference point to how it sounded live, and the atmosphere it created. BTW, its a helluva opener.

Our posters were limited to 350 + signed by artist. Glad I pulled the trigger pre-show instead of waiting until the end. Ours were sold out as well.

Listening to this for a third time (the first time on headphones) and it is most-definitely their best album since YHF. I know that, for most of you, that's not saying much, but the bottom line is that this is a pretty damn good record. There is a lot to it, musically and lyrically.
No denying that it is a damn good record. It's just whether or not you like Wilco at this point. I guess that I still do.

i still like the last two better than this, but this one's still pretty good

+1 for best/favorite-Wilco-since-YHF.

I think A Ghost Is Born has slightly better songs but they are performed and recorded so poorly that I too will say that this their best effort since YHF. Also this:



Agree 100%

i saw them last night. i thought the regular set was a total bore. starting off with "one sunday morning" did not work for me. it just got the night off to a dull roar and even most of the crowd was out of it for large chunks of the show. while most of the new songs did sound good, it wasn't until "nothing'severgonnastandinmyway" that i really heard the wilco i'm a huge fan of. from then on through the encores, i was pretty pleased.

set:

One Sunday Morning
Hell Is Chrome
Art Of Almost
I Might
Muzzle Of Bees
Hotel Arizona
Radio Cure
Born Alone
At Least That's What You Said
Rising Red Lung
Say You Miss Me
Wilco (the song)
Capitol City
Hesitating Beauty
Summer Teeth
Standing O
A Magazine Called Sunset
Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)
Dawned On Me
-
Whole Love
Hate It Here
You Never Know
Theologians
Casino Queen
Kicking Television
-
Hoodoo Voodoo
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
The Lonely 1

keep going

oh shit, you got a Magazine Called Sunset.
that set does look a little slow to start, but after that looks awesome.