RobMCFC
Well-Known Member
It's surprising how full their sound is without using a bass.As I've previously said I struggled to listen to this as a whole album. As a collection of songs dropped randomly into a playlist of Americana and bluesy roots music I enjoyed the vast majority of them when they appeared. I suspect the reason I didn't enjoy them as much back to back was partly not wanting to listen to the vocal delivery for prolonged periods but also next to each other it began to have a 'busy' feel to it whereas separated out the individual songs were easier to appreciate.
At times it’s easy to make something like a lazy Jack White comparison but that’s just one of myriad of different reference points or influences at play and maybe too many at times. That said it's overall rootsy, slightly punky vibe worked well for me. There's nothing on there that I would skip if it it came up on autoplay and personnally didn't have a problem with more country infused tracks like Burdens/Beale Street. Lyrically it felt like there was supposed to be a theme but it comes out more stream of consciousness for me which again might be why I liked them more individually.
If I was being picky on the production side I think I’d have like a slightly muddier production for some of the songs such as Tied, despite this as one of my favourites, but that is purely personal preference rather than a criticism of the production itself.
Often, I’m not a fan of bands who sideline the bass but their sound is successful as they commit to it. They definitely give the impression that are doing what they want they want to do, not something that someone else thinks they should be doing. It feels like they have set out to make a bit of a racket in the best sense of the word and in that I think they have succeeded.
As I finish my last listen and am deciding what to score, autoplay has flicked up Wilco and BB so it's put me in a good mood. 7/10 and will be having a listen to some of their other albums too.
Also, I'm still not convinced there isn't a keyboard in parts of "Kiss It" but if there genuinely isn't, then they create incredible sounds from those guitars.
I have a couple of Wilco albums but not listened to their recent output. Who's BB?