Sporting a muted vibe, soft to crazy guitar solos, and a strange sense of longing, Sky Blue Sky is unlike any other Wilco album. The album is quiet, though it sports a fire that seldom erupts. The lyrics are more straightforward here than anywhere else. Gone are the protools, synthesizers, and chaos. In their place is simple instrumentation and long prog-rock solos. This is truly a dramatic shift for Wilco.
As one would expect, critics were polarized. Some panned it, as they expected wild experimentation, while others lauded it as Wilco’s maturing form. Personally, I don’t care either way. Sky Blue Sky is a good album. It’s not great, but it’s not boring. If anyone wants to judge the album, ignore all the madness from the media outlets and just sit back and listen.
Sky Blue Sky might be mellow, but that doesn't mean it's dull. The music can rise and build to rough heights at whim. This is due to the new guitarist, Nels Cline. Coming from the prog-rock arena, Cline is the most talented guitarist to join the band, though he lacks the songwriting abilities of Jay Bennet. Cline shows off his impressive skills on track three, the gentle Impossible Germany, and on the bluesy Side With the Seeds.
Of course, the dominating force of this album is Jeff Tweedy, the principle songwriter. The songs are driven by Nels Cline, but Tweedy makes them far more ornate than mere folk. The two of them form a kind of partnership, with each taking a different piece of the song. For example, on Impossible Germany, Tweedy dominates the first half with a soft ballad, then turns it over to Nels Cline, who bursts into a three minute solo.
However, Tweedy controls all the words, and he pens lyrics that are completely different from the last three albums. They are incredibly direct and soft, which is very strange coming from a man who once sang a ten minute song about spiders and Lake Michigan. That doesn't mean that they lack emotion. The title track mirrors an earlier Wilco tune, Far Far Away, by showing contemptible relief. The closer is an emotional throwback to Tweedy's childhood, and Hate it Here, which seems to be mere comic relief, shows a deeper understanding of loss. Stripping away the cryptic puzzles Tweedy penned for previous albums, Sky Blue Skyshows him at his core.
Sky Blue Sky also displays Wilco’s wonderful trait of making music that grows with each listen, with Impossible Germany becoming almost as strong as Misunderstood, and the title track as gentle and caring as Far Far Away. Even the weaker songs grow, though none are true masterpieces. The last third of the album seems almost like filler the first few listens, but it grows very well, with the listener often discovering new emotions buried within the songs.
Sky Blue Sky is a great addition to Wilco’s discography, adding a great mellow folk sound to their long list of achievements.
As one would expect, critics were polarized. Some panned it, as they expected wild experimentation, while others lauded it as Wilco’s maturing form. Personally, I don’t care either way. Sky Blue Sky is a good album. It’s not great, but it’s not boring. If anyone wants to judge the album, ignore all the madness from the media outlets and just sit back and listen.
Sky Blue Sky might be mellow, but that doesn't mean it's dull. The music can rise and build to rough heights at whim. This is due to the new guitarist, Nels Cline. Coming from the prog-rock arena, Cline is the most talented guitarist to join the band, though he lacks the songwriting abilities of Jay Bennet. Cline shows off his impressive skills on track three, the gentle Impossible Germany, and on the bluesy Side With the Seeds.
Of course, the dominating force of this album is Jeff Tweedy, the principle songwriter. The songs are driven by Nels Cline, but Tweedy makes them far more ornate than mere folk. The two of them form a kind of partnership, with each taking a different piece of the song. For example, on Impossible Germany, Tweedy dominates the first half with a soft ballad, then turns it over to Nels Cline, who bursts into a three minute solo.
However, Tweedy controls all the words, and he pens lyrics that are completely different from the last three albums. They are incredibly direct and soft, which is very strange coming from a man who once sang a ten minute song about spiders and Lake Michigan. That doesn't mean that they lack emotion. The title track mirrors an earlier Wilco tune, Far Far Away, by showing contemptible relief. The closer is an emotional throwback to Tweedy's childhood, and Hate it Here, which seems to be mere comic relief, shows a deeper understanding of loss. Stripping away the cryptic puzzles Tweedy penned for previous albums, Sky Blue Skyshows him at his core.
Sky Blue Sky also displays Wilco’s wonderful trait of making music that grows with each listen, with Impossible Germany becoming almost as strong as Misunderstood, and the title track as gentle and caring as Far Far Away. Even the weaker songs grow, though none are true masterpieces. The last third of the album seems almost like filler the first few listens, but it grows very well, with the listener often discovering new emotions buried within the songs.
Sky Blue Sky is a great addition to Wilco’s discography, adding a great mellow folk sound to their long list of achievements.
Either Way - 10/10 A very gentle opener. The song is direct and the lyrics meander among possibilities. The song grows slowly, adding instrument after instrument, then slowly shrinks. It's a very beautiful song.
You Are My Face - 10/10 A much fiercer verision of its predecessor. This song begins slowly, adding instrument after instrument. Tweedy brings back the cryptic lyrics, discussing ordinary beehives and screaming doors. The song then builds as Nels Cline takes it over, and one almost expects the fuzzy guitar to be accompanied by saxophones.
Impossible Germany - 11/10 Best song on the album. This song is really two songs, one by Tweedy and one by Cline. Tweedy starts it with a gentle ballad, tying the Axis Powers as a metaphor for confrontation. Then Cline takes it over, starting with a gentle bridge with two guitars repeating a melody. Then one guitar takes over, the other joins in, and the listener is carried through a blissful musical landscape.
Sky Blue Sky - 11/10 A close second for best song. This song finds Tweedy reflecting on a time of depression, one that mirrors an earlier song, Far Far Away. The narrator is watching a parade in a small town, and he longs for something more. But then he realizes that he's alive and well, and that's good enough for now. This song is brilliant, and I love it.
Side With The Seeds - 10/10 A considerably harsher song. Tweedy sings with a foggy emotion, and the song meanders repetitively through a soul-style melody. Then Nels Cline comes in and whisks the song into a chaotic series of screaming guitars.
Shake It Off - 4/10 The clear weakest song. This song took a long time for me to get used to it. It has a repeating melody, crashing guitars, and borders on the annoying. Tweedy sings with a much more muted vioce here, then shouts the title several times. The instruments crash and moan, and the song ends.
Please Be Patient With Me - 10/10 After two noisy tracks, here we have the gentlest song on the album. This song is a quiet speech from one lover to another, with only Tweedy's sad voice, guitar, and bass. The result is a muted and sad tune that stands out on the album.
Hate It Here - 9/10 This is a puzzling song. It sounds like comic relief, as it describes a man learning chores after a breakup, but underneath this there seems to be a much deeper sense of loss and longing. The song is brilliant in this regard. Musically, it's similar to You Are My Face, but it brings in a much jazzier feel for the chorus.
Leave Me Like You Found Me - 8/10 Another gentle song. Upon first glance, I felt that this was dull, with a repetitive style and Tweedy singing like he's reciting a lullaby. But this one grows, as does the album, with each listen. True, it's not a standout track, but it's still a good song.
Walken - 8/10 A much more upbeat song. This song is a gentle piano-driven romp that describes a narrator who is walking along, singing about his lover. This songs seems to be much more optimistic than its predecessor, and it might be the most shallow song here.
What Light - 8/10 Tweedy obviously learned something from Woody Guthrie. Here he sings about popularity and the artistic style, saying that "What was yours is anyone's from now on." The song seems to be set on the concept of a light that drives emotion.
On And On And On - 9/10 A sad piano driven ballad. Tweedy wrote this about the death of his mother when he was a child. It describes a speech his father gave him saying that people are designed to die. The song builds to a climax with strings, guitar, bass, and piano all forming a sort of symphony. Then everything strips away to reveal Tweedy's lone voice. The album ends with that somber note.
Bonus Tracks:
Itunes carries two bonus tracks for the album. Both are phenomenal, and I'll include them in this review.
Bonus Tracks:
Itunes carries two bonus tracks for the album. Both are phenomenal, and I'll include them in this review.
Let’s Not Get Carried Away - 10/10 A loud rocker that describes the resentment that Tweedy feels from being a musician. Tweedy screams with anger in the song, begging the listener to not get carried away. The song is much harsher than the rest of the album.
The Thanks I Get - 11/10 I consider it a crime that this song was cut from the album. A soft folk-rock song, this is a beautiful piece of music. It's simple and catchy, describing a man asking his lover if her actions are the thanks he gets from falling in love. This song is unbelievably good, and as to why Wilco left it off the album, I have no idea.
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