Wilco – America’s Best Band? (VIDEO)
Is Wilco the best band in America? I believe they might be.
I first heard Wilco on a compilation CD published by the late “Musicians” magazine some years ago. The song, Box Full of Letters, was a nice alt-country rocker with enough hooks and lines to catch my interest.
The song was included on their first release, A.M., from the mid-nineties. In the past fourteen years Wilco has released eight albums, produced a coffee table book not too creatively titled, The Wilco Book, and was the subject of a 2002 Sam Jones documentary, “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart: A Film About Wilco.”
They collected some grumblings for offering up material for Volkswagen ads and soundtrack work, but hey…this is their business after all. No real need for artists to starve.
Always fronted by Jeff Tweedy, the band has gone through personnel changes, label changes, and industry notoriety for bucking the system while still putting out consistently good to great material that moves. By moves I mean each release progresses forward in production or musical complexity or laterally in style and feel while still retaining an unmistakable Wilco sound.
The current line-up lays a solid bass line from John Stirratt and employs one of the best drummers in music today, Glenn Kotche.
Sometimes articulate picker, sometimes shredder guitarist, Nels Cline adds a dimension lost on many acts with his style and on-stage dramatics.
The shows are rich with multiple keyboard sounds that can either fill the sound out, or create a B3 mood the song is begging for.
Are they alternative country or alternative rock or indie-progressive-experimental-metal or soothing balladeers? Yes. I think they are.
I suspect Jeff Tweedy controls the band and their sound like he controls a Wilco concert, a bit loose on the reins, but still firmly in control.
A Wilco evening is not a big budget arena performance. The stage is cluttered with backline gear, monitors and instruments; unlike many modern acts that have sets and backdrops designed more for video shoots than performance.
They don’t have a slew of number one hits or radio favorites to wow the crowd. There are certainly bigger tours with bigger bands out on the road today. But, a Wilco show is rock solid rock and roll.
They run through their catalog of work with impressive results. This band plays as tight and precise as any group working today. Every band member is playing at top form and their material is worthy of the Grammy awards and accolades they have received over the years. Their music is the show and the crowd loves every minute of it.
There are groups that can fill the largest arenas and stadiums in the country, there are a few with a set list devoted to top ten hits and there are rockers of old still good enough to pack a twenty-thousand seat auditorium and play their gold records for a loyal fan base. Give me a great rock band in front of three thousand of their fans on a warm October night anytime.
If you want to hear what is good and new in music, check out Wilco…America’s Best Band!
Video Below:
