Tag: Rock

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Wilco – The Whole Love

Wilco’s eighth studio album, The Whole Love, is an exciting and enjoyable cruise through familiar territory. Of the dozen tracks on the album, none veer the Wilco train wildly off the tracks, though there are some interesting and welcome detours along the way.
The opener, “Art of Almost,” gets wild early, though the rest of the disc fails to kick out the jams to such heights again. The arrangements throughout are tight, interesting, and, of course, catchy as can be. With the exception of the leading and closing tracks, each tune is a compact, easily digestible example of Jeff Tweedy’s pop song writing skills. The closing track, “One Sunday Morning (Song for Jane Smiley’s Boyfriend),” is a meandering folk jam clocking in at the 12-minute mark that quite beautifully captures the feeling of a Sunday morning in autumn.
If you’re already a Wilco fan, you probably own this album already. If more than one person whose musical taste you trust has told you that you might like Wilco, you’ll probably dig this album. If you’ve already grown tired of Tweedy & Co’s act, well, you won’t be surprised if this album doesn’t grab you by the balls. Personally, I dig the album, but I’m not about to drop 30 bucks on the LP just yet. But the disc is certainly a creeper, with tunes lingering around in my head days after I’ve politely invited them to leave the party. After a few more spins, I may have to re-evaluate my position and invite The Whole Love in to stay awhile. (dBmp, dbpmrecords.com) Sheldon Birnie
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Chuck Prophet – Let Freedom Ring

What kind of artist would go to Mexico during the height of the bird flu to record an album in a vintage Mexican recording studio? Fucking Chuck Prophet, that’s who. This album is absolutely fantastic and I feel honored to review it, even though it was released in 2009. For all of you Folk Fest goers, you know what a show this man can put on as he absolutely killed the Little Stage on the Prairie this year. The first two opening tracks are great and draw you in, nicely paving the way for the punk driven “Where the Hell is Henry?” and the unreal title track. Let Freedom Ring has a perfect mix of up-tempo tracks and slower rock jams reminiscent and on par with all the great Americana artists such as Petty, Dylan and Springsteen. The music is amazing but the real strength lies in Prophet’s amazing ability to song write, these songs have some strong lyrics. His ability to have a sense of humor while still being political, yet still being able to tell a story forms an orgy of awesomeness that make Prophets music fun and timeless. How is this man not one of the big names in Rock?!  (Yep Roc Records, yeproc.com) Scott Wolfe
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Smoky Tiger – Greathitz2011

Smoky Tiger handed this disc to me, noting that, Burton bless him, he’s released seven fucking albums this year. If you missed our interview with him, he’s one unique spirit, engaged in celebrating local folklore and unkempt positivity, and this disc captures his self-selected best moments from the first three quarters of the year. Greathitz2011 ranges from the Egyptian groove of “Titania” to the disco funk of “SmokestackLightning” to the lazy-slow folk of “Slopoke” to the weirdo bossa nova of every other track. The Tiger tackles much—chasing a faerie for her love, witnessing someone walk on water, and someone so happy, she hands out rainbows. Every track is so radically different that it prompted a mental “WTF” from me with each new track, followed by a prompt “FTW” and me cranking it up, bobbing my head, shimmying or groaning along, or whatever action appropriate. So, to hell with what you know and what you think is right, the Smoky Tiger’s music is waiting, pretty much a whole universe unto itself. And how better to make the interstellar leap and get acquainted than this disc? (Independent, myspace.com/thesmokytiger) Taylor Burgess
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Hillbilly Highway – Drive-By Truckers passing on your left

by Sheldon Birnie

The Drive-By Truckers are a band from the Muscle Shoals, Alabama / Athens, Georgia areas. They play southern inspired rock and roll, with literate as hell lyrics and a touch of country and a dash of R&B. They’ve put about a dozen records, give or take a couple, since 1998, most of which I own on LP, CD, or both, and the rest of which I have on MP3. They’ve played thousands upon thousands of shows up and down and all over the Hillbilly Highway, and are hitting Minneapolis right aways.

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