[rating=4.00]
“However close we get sometimes, it’s like we never met,” Jeff Tweedy sings on “You and I,” a tender treasure on Wilco (the album). It’s a line and a song that will make a lot of sense to Wilco fans—because with every new Wilco album, there is fortunately always something new to discover. And once again, the chances that Tweedy and Co. take —like recruiting Feist to sing on “You and I” —don’t let us down.
Whether or not you’re put off by the opening “Wilco (the song)” and its “Wilco will love you, baby!” chorus, at least the alt-rockers from Chicago are being honest—this album is undeniably a full band effort. “One Wing” resembles the tightness of a Wilco concert, while “Bull Black Nova” is a crazed and chilling success, especially during its frantic conclusion. Even the quiet “Solitaire,” which could certainly shine at a Tweedy solo show, suggests that it’s still a group effort when Tweedy sings, “I was wrong to believe in me only.”
The first single, “You Never Know,” may be a tough sell (read: it’s no “Heavy Metal Drummer” or “I’m the Man Who Loves You”), and perhaps we still can’t hear drummer Glenn Kotche as much as we’d like, but overall, Wilco (the album) is another solid offering from one of America’s best bands.
