I've only been dipping in and out of this board for a few months now, I'm not sure if Wilco have been discussed before.
They got alot of mentions in the favourite band thread, so why not start a thread of their own.

I figure it would be a good question to ask what your favourite album of theirs is, since each of the five albums released (barring maybe the first one) has taken on an identity of its own. I've spoken to people before who love Yankee Hotel Foxtrot but don't particularly care for Wilco's other output (same with Summerteeth). So which of Tweedy & Co.'s is top of your list?

1. A.M. - Hot off the heels of the Uncle Tupelo break-up. Musically its more of the same country-rock with a lighter approach. Lyrically, its probably Tweedy's most direct. Not a bad start.

2. Being There - A stronger effort. The band were beginning to find their feet, Tweedy's songwriting was blossoming and Jay Bennet was entering the picture. This is the beginning of the first (and maybe last) purple period. Despite being a, roughly speaking, guitar bass and drums album, they were beginning to experiment with the conventional rock sound even at that early stage (Misunderstood). Compared to the previous album, the diversity of styles they'd developed in one year without resorting to pastiche is a hell of a thing, though I never really like the (too) Stonsey Monday.

3. Summerteeth - Some say its a step-up from Being There, some say its a step-down. With this album they managed to go even more experimental and out-there than Being There, while at the same time employing a more commercial, radio-friendly approach. I guess the record company convinced them this would be the breakthrough they were waiting for. Fortunately they only relented to record company pressure on the opening track which was (apparently...correct me if I'm wrong) remixed with added sheen for radio play. Well, the radio didn't pay much attention, and all the record company was left with was one of the finest and consistently great albums of the 90's. Jay Bennett played a larger role in the production. I'm not sure how much he actually wrote on the album, maybe someone could comment, but the sound of the album is practically defined by his approach (like the mellotron in She's A Jar or that euphoric heartbeat in Shot In the Arm). Some say its a bit heavy on synthetic "Pro-Tools" sounds, which may date it in years to come, but for now its an inventive, diverse and melodic rock & roll album. A rarity.

4. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Ok, I'm not going to get bogged down with the whole Warner Bros. scandal surrounding this album. Everybody knows the story, so we'll just skip to the album itself. Interestingly enough, in the movie Tweedy himself couldn't fully explain what the album was ("Its got, er, holes and er...."). I'm guessing before Jim O'Rourke was brought in to re-mix the album it was a much more fragmented piece. Usually home recorded sessions consist of hours and hours of sprawling, unusable nonsense so he (and they all) did well to put together such a consistent album. Maybe it's the least accessible Wilco album yet. I certainly thought so, it took me a long time to get into it but at the same time, its probably the most rewarding of all of their albums once it finally opens up. Where Summerteeth was bursting at the seams with jangly bells, countless over-dubbed guitars, keyboards, piano's and vocals, Yankee was a more restrained. There's only a few artists (or producers) out there who can create an album with such a genuine atmosphere that sucks you in from the first song, and this is one of them. Every sound on the album is perfectly placed, not a wasted moment. There's too many highlights to mention, but the second half of the album from I'm The Man Who Loves You to Reservations is , in my opinion anyway, their finest moment yet.

5. A Ghost Is Born - Seen by some as an inferior album and the end of their hot streak, a lesser band would kill for an album this good. I didn't warm to it immediately, I focused in on the songs that sounded like cast-offs from previous albums (The Late Greats, I'm a Wheel). Those aside, its a pretty decent effort. Bennets removal from the band can, I guess, attribute to the fact that its the Tweediest of their albums yet. There's very few backing vocals and he takes on more lead-guitar playing.
To be honest, I don't have much to say about this album. Its got some great songs: Muzzle of Bees, At Least That's What You Said, Spiders, Handshake Drugs. I think it just lacks the character of their previous efforts. The album cover sums it up pretty well: white-washed, maybe a bit bland. The ten minute space in the middle doesn't really help matters either. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh.


So they're the five. I'm sure I've gotten a few facts wrong, so correct me if I did.

Any thoughts?

Another question, does anyone prefer Uncle Tupelo?