Wilco
Oct 3, 2011
Ever since lead singer and guitarist Jeff Tweedy and bassist John Stirratt departed the legendary Uncle Tupelo to form Wilco, the band has been continuously evolving on both a creative level as well as in its lineup. Each incarnation of the band and the album that accompanied it were brilliant and influential, yet it somehow always seemed that Wilco had yet to reach its full potential.
All that changed on the heels of their 2002 Yankee Foxtrot Hotel and their 2004 award-winning A Ghost Is Born. Wilco has been on top of their game ever since releasing Sky Blue Sky (2007), the self-titled Wilco (2009) and their latest effort, The Whole Love, now out on their own dBpm label through Anti-.
Further, the band's line-up has solidified. For The Whole Love, Tweedy, Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgensen, Nels Cline and Patrick Sansome entered their Northside Chicago loft and diligently worked on the 12 songs that would make up their new album.
"There's just a lot of patience involved in how we're able to work together as a band of guys who have been in bands for a long time and have made a lot of records," Tweedy said of the process. "I think we're very fortunate to be relatively mature as a rock band in our ability to be patient with each other and with the songs themselves."
Wilco might digest a broad variety of influences into their music but they have also always remained fiercely creative and singular in sound. It is no different with The Whole Love. In addition to the first single, "I Might," other stand-out tracks include "Art of Almost," "Born Alone," "Open Mind," "Whole Love" and the mesmerizing "One Sunday Morning."
"I Might" is featured on the "Raise Your Voice!" compilation, a free album in support of public broadcasting and the 170 Million Americans for Public Broadcasting campaign from Anti-.
Wilco recently did a "Live on Letterman" appearance and concert webcast. They are just wrapping up the first leg of the North American tour and headed off to the U.K. and Europe. They return for some more dates in late November:
- 11/29 The Music Hall at Fair Park, Dallas
- 12/01 Austin City Limits Live at The Moody Theater, Austin
- 12/03 The Uptown Theater, Kansas City
- 12/04 Val Air Ballroom, Des Moines
- 12/06-07 The State Theatre, Minneapolis
- 12/09 The Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
- 12/10 The Fillmore Detroit, Detroit
- 12/12-13 Civic Opera House, Chicago
For information, visit www.Wilcoworld.net.
