This is the kind of news that gets the two Rich’s at TLOBF REALLY excited. So excited in fact, that a little bit of wee escaped when we just read the news. Billboard.com reports that Wilco hope to have their seventh studio album out by spring 2009, frontman Jeff Tweedy told Albany, N.Y., radio station WAMC recently.
After opting for a highly performance-oriented recording approach on 2007’s Sky Blue Sky, Tweedy says he expects Wilco will “allow ourselves a little bit more leeway in terms of sculpting the sound in the studio and doing overdubs and using the studio as another instrument. Last time around, it was more of a document.”
At recent live shows, Wilco has played two new songs: “One Wing” recalls the melancholy, slowly building Sky Blue Sky closer “On and On and On,” while “Sunny Feeling” has a sly main riff in keeping with loose jams from the last album such as “Walken.”
Tweedy told WAMC he’s going through a phase where he “kinda hate[s]” all of Wilco’s six prior albums, because “none of them are a statement that I would be comfortable making right now at this point in my life. They all served their purpose, and in that respect I’m proud of all of them.
“But as something that feels artistically in keeping with who I am today, I think that they are inevitably going to fall short of that as time goes on. I mean, they just don’t continue to mean the same things to me, and a new record is kind of where it’s at.”
Great news huh? But Jeff. Seriously man. When are you guys gonna come back to the UK? We love you soooo much - why don’t you love us back? *Sob*
The all new TLOBF message boards are now open..Sign up now and join the TLOBF.COMMUNITY
Don't miss a thing on TLOBF ever again! Sign up to our weekly newsletter here
August 18th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
Woo hoo! Great news… I like the idea of more studio time devoted to this one as well - whilst SBS was nice, I’m hoping for more Nels Cline shreading this time around!
August 18th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
bring back big jim!
August 20th, 2008 at 12:37 am
^^^ what he said :) A Ghost is born is their best. Such great news to know that a new Wilco record is coming so soon.
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
I’m still relatively new to Wilco but rate Yankee Hotel Foxtrot among the albums of the decade. I like Ghost is Born but not as much. What I particularly lke about Yankee is the electronic embellishments which really take it to another level, so I’m quite excited to hear that they are ‘using the studio as another instrument’ for the new one.
What’s your opinion on Sky Blue Sky? It seemed to get a much more mixed reaction.
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Yeah, Sky Blue Sky was a NICE album. I reviewed it on this site and, in the end, it made it into my albums of the year. But mainly because it WAS so nice. I could play it anytime, anywhere and it was NICE. But I want more sonic experimentation! Big Jim is needed… where’s the batphone!
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
james if you liked YHF i strongly recomend you check out the film ‘I am trying to break your heart’. it’s a beautifully shot documentary about the making of the album / subsequent problems with label / jay bennett leaving / jeff tweedy vomitting.
it really is one of the greatest music films you’re likely to see. comes with a great bonus disc too.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:03 am
Demob Happy: “What’s your opinion on Sky Blue Sky? It seemed to get a much more mixed reaction.”
Wilco is my favorite band and Sky Blue Sky is awesome. It was my fav album of 2007, ex-equo with the excellent “Goodbye” by Ulrich Schnauss, which got bad reaction from music critics. Sky Blue Sky probably got mixed reaction because 1. it’s the most simple and joyful Wilco record 2. It doesn’t really sound “indie rock” and it doesnt contains electronic elements 3. It took me A LOT of time to fully get into the record, probably the same problem for many critics. If i had to rank the Wilco records from best to worst, i’ll go with:
1. A Ghost is born
2. Summerteeth
3. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
4. Sky Blue SKy
5. Being There