I more or less found this CD by accident. I had never heard of Wilco, but then read in a Blender or Maxim or some other men's magazine (which is great plane reading) of this band whose album was so progressive that it had no singles and the record label told them to take a hike. The funny part is that when shopped around, other labels thought the album was worth publishing, but the original label didn't want to sell the masters for less than it was worth.
I love the album because its interesting and inspires me to go beyond the limits of the G-C-D chords. There's a irrationality to the tones and sounds hidden in between the folk music. The lyrics are poetic and resist the syrupy sorrow of a "deep album." Wilco may go down as one of the more complex, great bands that people don't listen to in the future. This is an easy album to listen to, and a hard album to understand.
The album is a Polaroid photograph of a moment, where there isn't any editing. There is just what there is. Take life as it comes and accept your happiness, your sadness, your longing, your surprise, your mystery, your abilities, your problems...
(Yes, that IS Fred Armisan.)
