An impossibly perfect introduction to Wilco…

I don’t know why it took me so long to get into Wilco. They’re an amazing band, from Chicago to boot! I had their album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, because I had always heard of the band and that this was their best album, but I never really gave it the light of day. I think “Jesus Etc.” was all I listened to from it. Thankfully, one day I became fed up and decided to see what this band was all about after all.

The second I heard “Impossible Germany,” I knew. The fluid harmonized guitars in the intro turned into background flourishes for the melancholy verses. I still have a tough time understanding the cerebral lyrics and what exactly Impossible Germany and Unlikely Japan signify (World War II, perhaps?) but that doesn’t mean they’re ineffective at all.

And then there’s the solo. Hot damn, that solo. Nels Cline was an excellent addition to Wilco and works his magic on this track. His jazz background is heard loud and clear through his quick bebop runs, but his phrasing is what kills me. The space in between the notes is just as important as the notes themselves, and Cline makes use of every bit of time he has, taking breaths in between phrases for punctuation and also (in my mind) to give the listener a chance to pause and think “Damn! This guy can play.”

After the solo comes a gorgeous harmonized riff with more soloing done on top. At this point you may be thinking Wilco is participating in some major wankage, but trust me it is tastefully done. The great solo complements the great song and blends into a style that’s hard to pin down. It’s Cline’s jazz, it’s Jeff Tweedy’s rock, but it isn’t fusion.

I was surprised to read reviews of Sky Blue Sky, the album that features “Impossible Germany.” After hearing songs like “On and On and On,”  ”You Are My Face,” “Either Way,” and the album’s title track, I was blown away. Many critics didn’t share the sentiment, saying it was a disappointing follow-up to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and that it wasn’t as bold or experimental of an effort. Fine then, to each his own I guess. All I know is that the album, and “Impossible Germany” definitely kicked my ass.

1939-2010

Legendary comic book writer Harvey Pekar was found dead at 1 A.M. this morning in his home in Cleveland Heights. Best known for his series American Splendor, Pekar was a different kind of comic book writer. While most people know comics to tell the tales of muscular superheroes: sometimes immaculate, sometimes flawed;  or they were lighthearted, like Archie.

Pekar however, had no shame in putting himself in his stories, no make up or padding involved. Nothing was too ordinary for American Splendor. As the tagline for the American Splendor movie, which told of Pekar and his life said, “Ordinary life is pretty complex stuff.” The film is where I first heard of Pekar. The bland-on-the-outside-but-rich-on-the-inside vibe is strongly present and it revealed Pekar to be an extremely interesting, yet also ordinary character.

Anyone interested in seeing everyday life through an artistic or comic lens should check out an issue of American Splendor or watch the movie. It’s a great way to remember Pekar.

Here are some pics that I took at the 4th Annual Psychobilly BBQ held at the Bell House in Brooklyn.

Everyone there was super cool and super sweet.  The bands were extremely nice when I spoke with them even when I was half in the bag.

Expect a couple of more posts on this great event.  I’m just too tired and buzzed to write tonight.  So to hold you over, here’s Scott next to one of the hot rods that came to the show.  Sweet fucking ride, man!

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