Hi,

Can someone out there point me in the right direction in terms of signature tracks, best album to acquire etc etc

Thanks!

Depends on your musical taste. I got into them through the documentary DVD I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, which followed the making of their album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. That's probably my favourite of theirs. The latest album, Sky Blue Sky, is perhaps a little gentler than the previous ones but would be my second favourite - if not my first, half the time. A Ghost Is Born has some killer riffs but might require a few playings to get into. Some amazing tracks on there. I recommend "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" for sheer jump-around exhilaration.

The live album Kicking Television might also be a good place to start, seeing as they're a fantastic live band. There's a live DVD on the way, I hear.

Seek the tracks:

Radio Cure
Jesus Etc

& you shall find!

And my personal favourites:
- Hummingbird and Muzzle of Bees

And Please be patient with me, and Red eyed and blue and ..

Did I mention I love Wilco :-)

I'm a big fan of the album Being There (double-cd). Also, you can't go wrong with Summerteeth.

My dad always loved them but what got me into them was the Jeff Tweedy solo dvd Sunken Treasure.
I still love it

Also maybe check out the 2 CDs with Billy Bragg, Mermaid Avenue. I really like them

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I've gone and ordered myself a copy of Sky Blue Sky from Amazon for starters!

I first got into Wilco when they released Summerteeth (and fell head over heels for the band), but I like A Ghost Is Born just as much - even though the two records couldn't be more different!

I love the poppiness and uplifting arrangements on Summerteeth - some of which are combined with some pretty downbeat lyrics...very interesting contrast there. Notable songs from Summerteeth: A Shot in the Arm, Via Chicago.

I love the offbeat sounds of A Ghost Is Born.

Two completely different records. To me, they almost could have been made by two completely different bands. (Jeff Tweedy's unmistakeable voice being the unifying factor, of course.)

Notable song from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, although it's not my fave Wilco album, is Heavy Metal Drummer. I play that one over and over. And over! *laughs*

I'm not crazy about Sky Blue Sky. There are some nice songs, but overall I think it was a step backwards for them.

I only saw I Am Trying to Break Your Heart within the past 6 months or so. Amazing piece of film. I adored it. And yet, I wasn't nearly as enthused by Jeff Tweedy's solo DVD.

Great band.

After last night's show I had to break out "A Ghost Is Born' this morning. Today that's my favourite album.

Summerteeth which I still love, has instant accessibility and multi-listen growers.

I revisited Wilco after watching the documentary on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. (YHF is in-transit from US Amazon, a late Christmas gift. The price dipped to 11.99 US so it was a no brainer)

Sky Blue Sky has a very smooth veneer with Nels Cline's guitar virtuoso on top of the sheen. After a few listens you realize the swirling Wilco undercurrents are still there. I rented a version of Sky from my library which included a good but small making-of documentary.

BART, you can sample so many of their songs including a self titled song that they played on the Colbert Report on youtube. Or go to their website for news, video clips (under news), listen to Live at Tanglewood (under Roadcase), etc.:

http://wilcoworld.net/

Wilco have gone through so many personnel
changes. I believe that John Stirrat and Jeff Tweedy are the only original members from the group. So each album has its own unique characteristics tied together by Jeff Tweedy's gifted songwriting.

quote:

Originally posted by brownie:

Notable song from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, although it's not my fave Wilco album, is Heavy Metal Drummer. I play that one over and over. And over!

Great band.

I love love love Heavy Metal Drummer...I always think of Paul Hester when I hear it

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is my favorite Wilco album. Summerteeth is probably my next favorite, esp. She's a Jar. And Being There is quite good (both discs).

quote:

Originally posted by sunset swimmer:

quote:

Originally posted by brownie:

Notable song from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, although it's not my fave Wilco album, is Heavy Metal Drummer. I play that one over and over. And over!

Great band.

I love love love Heavy Metal Drummer...I always think of Paul Hester when I hear it

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is my favorite Wilco album. Summerteeth is probably my next favorite, esp. She's a Jar. And Being There is quite good (both discs).

Heavy Metal Drummer is a great track on Jeffs solo DVD. With Glen Kotche

I never get sick of Heavy Metal Drummer. IP2, the interplay of Jeff and Glenn on that song on the Sunken Treasure DVD is very funny. It is nice to see a drummer at the front of stage, if you know what I mean ...

Jesus, Etc. is another tremendous tune off of Yankee, absolutely a new favorite.

My favorite mondegreen involves Wilco's Summer Teeth (the song). When Jeff sings, "it's just a dream he keeps having", my wife hears, "it's just a dreamy fruit salad". Don't ask why but it always brings a smile to my face and now I sing the mondegreen version!

I've been into Wilco since Being There and highly recommend that one for starters as it nicely crosses where they came from with where they went afterwards. 'Sunken Treasure' and 'Far, Far Away' are two favourites but there's not really a duff track on there. Tim Finn recently listed 'The Lonely 1' as one of his favourite songs.

It's also a double-album for a single CD price, so twice the value!!

Being There is my vote for a newby, because of the variety, but all of them are in my high list, except for the first, A.M., which is just ok.

Kicking Television is fantastic and got rave reviews for a live recording.

oh, and then there is, as mentioned , Summerteeth (fantastic), Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (fantastic), A Ghost is Born (fantastic), Sky Blue Sky (good).....not a fan, am I?

For some early history, the Uncle Tupelo albums are really nice, especially the collection 89/93 Anthology (Mr. Tweedy in his mid-20s with Jay Farrar).

California Stars with Billy Bragg is timeless.

I was in the car listening to Jesus etc... I was about to say it myself, then my girlfriend says 'doesn't that sound just like Neil Finn!'

Just on that song really but Jeff sounds like a slightly huskier Neil in my opinion' Maybe that is why Neil says they're his favourite band! ha....
Any one else notice the similrity?

Pre- Wilco.....

Uncle Tupelo was a fantastic start for Tweedy. Here's a video of him not much older than Liam Finn is now, I suspect. On Conan O'Brian

This must have been filmed right before his split with Jay Farrar, now of Son Volt, who plays a wicked lead guitar generally, but very much so on this video.

John Stirrat, who was also at the 7 Worlds fest this time around, is playing bass off to the right.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=9479486

quote:

Originally posted by chester kruse:
Any one else notice the similrity?

Jesus etc...sounds lyrically & thematically like Neil's Turn & Run. Other than that, I believe Neil & Jeff Tweedy sound nothing alike in the vocal soundscape sense.

They don't sound alike in voice, but they are on the same plane in terms of compositions. (and the two best live shows I've ever seen where led by each of them )