Since its formation 15 years ago, Wilco has made a name for itself by forgoing what's expected.
The band's innovative outlook on lyricism and song structure, the focus of which comes from frontman Jeff Tweedy, has seen the members of Wilco through happy times of hit records and acclaimed collaborations and through the hardships of label switches and pain killer addictions.
By touching such a wide range of influences -- from country-infused instrumentation to light, pop-y acoustics and harmonies -- and producing a slew of classic indie-rock ballads, Wilco has kept fans wanting more of this eclectic musicianship with the arrival of the band's seventh studio album, which peaked at the number four slot on the Billboard charts.
Although Wilco(The Album) incorporates these same varying elements into its music that otherwise would make it just another rock band, Wilco has also adopted a more focused approach for the experimentation on the newest release.
The deliberate nature of delivering each track with a specific purpose in mind deviates from the band's non-formulaic style, but does not detract from the album's appeal. Rather, it shows the band's superior craftsmanship and maturity while also providing a laid-back vibe that is the perfect soundtrack to an indie lover's summer.
From writing an all-encompassing theme song, to a shared love ballad to a reflective, heartfelt ode, Wilco shows it can do it all and still flesh things out to make the album a cohesive whole.
"Wilco (the song)" is the earthy, bluesy self-titled start to the album, which provides a jam beat guaranteed to induce toe tapping right off the bat. The promise in the lyrics of "Wilco will love you, baby," is one that would make any listener want to follow Tweedy along for the rest of the ride.
The album then moves through the effervescent "Deeper Down" and the suspenseful "One Wing," which shows that Wilco is the master of starting you slow and skeptical and then leaving you stunned.
"Bull Black Nova" draws more from the experimental tendencies of the band, with eerie, dissonant chord progressions and hard hitting guitar lines that are almost abrasive, yet still appealing to the ear. Still, it is in no way a song that constitutes easy listening.
The next track, "You and I," is the polar opposite of "Bull Black Nova." The song is light and fresh, making it the model love ballad, with intensified harmonizing in the duet between Tweedy and Canadian singer/songwriter Feist.
"You Never Know" and "Solitaire" are both Beatles-esque, with the opening chords of the latter extremely close to those of "Yesterday."
"Country Disappeared" is the album's most emotionally driven track both in the way that it is written and performed. The meticulously crafted undertones and painfully good harmonies on the chorus are constructed to make the listener feel a light shade of melancholy, not necessarily sad.
Wilco shows its commercial rock appeal in "I'll Fight," a snappy song that just keeps slowing down until it stops. The bright lyrics and acoustic breakdowns are the perfect accompaniment to that sun-in-face, wind-in-hair feeling of summer.
"Sonny Feeling," is also a musical ray of sunlight, that uses country influences, but also harder electric elements to provide crossover appeal. "Everlasting Everything" then finishes out the album on a note that is neither happy nor sad, but more matter-of-fact, with the sentiment of "Oh I know this might sound sad/ But everything goes, both the good and the bad."
Even if the band isn't reaching into the deepest recesses of deviation of the typical rock styling, Wilco (The Album) still brings an innovative sound and compelling vocals and lyrics that should please loyal fans and reach a wider audience than the band's preceding works.
Grade: B
Download : "You and I," "I'll Fight" and "Everlasting Everything"
