Published: Sunday, June 28, 2009
Like its title, Wilco's new album feels a little stale
Wilco chose a literal title for its eighth album, out Tuesday: "Wilco (The Album)."
TRIVIA: Wilco has had only one of its songs land on the Billboard singles charts -- in 1997, with "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" -- although its past two studio albums have cracked the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart.
STANDOUT: "Bull Black Nova," a murder ballad that showcases some acidic guitar detours, finds Wilco at its experimental best.
FANS DIG: Chicago -- the city, that is, not the band
ANDY SAYS: Wilco has played the part of roots-rockers, Brian Wilson proteges, the American Radiohead and sunny 1960s folkies. The group's latest, however, doesn't brim with inventiveness. Instead, "Wilco (The Album)" sounds like a career roundup, letting all its personas mingle together. As a result, the album plays like a best-of: A bit disjointed but mostly enjoyable.
GRADE: B-plus
"Back and Fourth," Pete Yorn
WHY CARE: Pete Yorn worked with big-name producers including Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers) to make "Back and Fourth," out now.
TRIVIA: Yorn's been busy. This September, he plans to release a duets album with actress Scarlett Johansson, and he also recorded 14 tracks with Frank Black of the Pixies for another album.
STANDOUT: Yorn pulls out all the stops -- a string section, some horns, a guitar solo -- for the vague love song, "Shotgun."
FANS DIG: Shaggy hair
ANDY SAYS: Yorn can be great. "Relator," the lead single from his upcoming duet's album is terrific fun. But on this solo effort, he misses the mark, with generic singer-songwriter sounds, canned sentimentality and awkward lyrics, including a track that finds him using Google to figure out how an ex-lover died. "Got no results," he sings. Ouch.
GRADE: C
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com
TRIVIA: Wilco has had only one of its songs land on the Billboard singles charts -- in 1997, with "Outtasite (Outta Mind)" -- although its past two studio albums have cracked the top 10 of the Billboard 200 album chart.
STANDOUT: "Bull Black Nova," a murder ballad that showcases some acidic guitar detours, finds Wilco at its experimental best.
FANS DIG: Chicago -- the city, that is, not the band
ANDY SAYS: Wilco has played the part of roots-rockers, Brian Wilson proteges, the American Radiohead and sunny 1960s folkies. The group's latest, however, doesn't brim with inventiveness. Instead, "Wilco (The Album)" sounds like a career roundup, letting all its personas mingle together. As a result, the album plays like a best-of: A bit disjointed but mostly enjoyable.
GRADE: B-plus
"Back and Fourth," Pete Yorn
WHY CARE: Pete Yorn worked with big-name producers including Rick Rubin (Johnny Cash, Red Hot Chili Peppers) to make "Back and Fourth," out now.
TRIVIA: Yorn's been busy. This September, he plans to release a duets album with actress Scarlett Johansson, and he also recorded 14 tracks with Frank Black of the Pixies for another album.
STANDOUT: Yorn pulls out all the stops -- a string section, some horns, a guitar solo -- for the vague love song, "Shotgun."
FANS DIG: Shaggy hair
ANDY SAYS: Yorn can be great. "Relator," the lead single from his upcoming duet's album is terrific fun. But on this solo effort, he misses the mark, with generic singer-songwriter sounds, canned sentimentality and awkward lyrics, including a track that finds him using Google to figure out how an ex-lover died. "Got no results," he sings. Ouch.
GRADE: C
Andy Rathbun: 425-339-3455, arathbun@heraldnet.com
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