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Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Album Commentary: Wilco - Sky Blue Sky 

Either Way
You Are My Face
Impossible Germany
Sky Blue Sky
Wilco
Sky Blue Sky

Otra reseña directa al grano de un disco sólido lanzado por una banda madura en mayo. Comencé a escuchar a Wilco, casi por accidente, apenas después de que saliera A Ghost Is Born a finales de 2004; la etiqueta de "alt-country" que se les había otorgado actuó como una especie de repelente hasta entonces. Ghost es cualquier cosa excepto country; en particular, aluciné con cómo tocaba la guitarra Jeff Tweedy, que no encuentro palabras para describir, lo más parecido que se me ocurre es cómo Jimi Hendrix se fundía con el instrumento para crear sonidos que eran como un alarido pero que a la vez contenían una gran belleza. Me di un clavado en su catálogo, me volví un fan, y desde entonces he podido disfrutarlos en directo un par de veces. Se dijeron muchas historias alrededor de los anteriores dos discos de Wilco, notoriamente su pelea con su discográfica y las migrañas, adicciones a medicamentos y posteriores desintoxicaciones de Tweedy, que al parecer dieron lugar a estos discos algo atormentados. Fotos recientes lo muestran muy sonriente casi todo el tiempo, y Sky Blue Sky en definitiva refleja un estado de mucha mayor paz y tranquilidad para él y la banda. Aún y cuando el disco es mucho más directo y accesible que sus discos anteriores, no ceden a fórmulas o melodías simples, y mientras las exhibiciones de angustia pueden haberse marchado, siguen poniendo todo su peso detrás de todas y cada una de las canciones; escucha "You Are My Face". Es un poco gracioso que con Nels Cline--siendo el guitarrista no-convencional y avant-garde que es--ahora en la nómina de la banda, parecen haber retractado a un sonido menos "experimental"; visto desde otra perspectiva, quizás esa sea la razón que estas canciones, aparentemente sencillas, adquieren tanta profundidad.

"Trataré de entender / que todo tiene un plan / de un modo o de otro"
 
  
Another no-beating-around-the-bush review of a solid album from a mature band released in May. I only started listening to Wilco, almost accidentally, after A Ghost Is Born came out in late 2004; the "alt-country" label pinned on them had acted as a sort of repellent up until then. Ghost was anything but country; I was particularly blown away by Jeff Tweedy's guitar playing, which I can't find words to describe, the closest thing coming to mind being Jimi Hendrix's melding with the instrument into moments that are at the same time screeching and beautiful. I delved into their back catalog, became a fan, and have since enjoyed them live twice. Lots of stories were told around Wilco's two previous studio albums, most noticeably their battles with their labels and Tweedy's migraines, painkiller addictions, and subsequent detox, which seem to have resulted in these rather tormented albums. More recent pictures show him smiling most of the time, and Sky Blue Sky definitely reflects a more peaceful state of affairs for him and the band. Although more direct and accesible than their other recent releases, they don't give in to easy formulas or melodies, and while the exhibitions of anguish may be gone, they still put all their weight behind every and each one of the songs; listen to "You Are My Face". It's somewhat funny that with Nels Cline--being the unconventional, avant-garde guitarist he is--now on the payroll, they seem to have rolled back a bit into a less "experimental" sound; seen from another persepective, maybe that's why these apparently simple songs acquire so much depth.

"I will try to understand / everything has its plan / either way"
 

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