Wilco has never been a powerhouse of a band. They have a large fan base and consistently put out solid albums, that is probably why they have been around so long. Honestly a good part of the time Wilco’s music strikes me as a little too light rock for my tastes.
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Wilco
|  Entertainment
Art
"Sky Blue Sky"
(Nonesuch)
Released May 17, 2007
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Sky Blue Sky is an album of carefully hidden surprises. Take for instance track two’s “You Are My Face” a song that quite literally feels like a dream. The lyrics sounds so much like a lullaby that is hard not to feel a little euphoric while listening to the song. You have to admire a band that can get away with lyrics casually thrown out as “Though I believe in locomotion/I’ve turned to rust/ As we’ve discussed”. Deep within the track the guitars burst open making anything you have been feeling throughout the song amplified. It is one of the best songs on the album and gave me great respect for the band.
“Impossible Germany” went on a little too long, at nearly six full minutes of song time the band does not move around nearly as much as the opportunity offers them. The track keeps a steady beat and there is a fantastic guitar solo about halfway through the song that speaks volumes more than any of the actual lyrics.
In fact in this album more then any of their others the use of guitar stands out within the underlying structure of the whole record. In tracks such as “Impossible Germany”, “Sky Blue Sky” and “Side With The Seeds” has as much of a lead role as the lead singer.
As with bands like Modest Mouse there seems to be two extreme sides to Wilco. On the one hand they have well thought out lyrics, though much of it rarely makes sense. On the other you have music that speaks for itself and could easily be interpreted seen as a part of a whole other album. It takes a special talent to merge the two elements as seamlessly as Wilco does.
The band is greatly aware of the fourth wall between band and listener and they have fun playing with it. The music of “Shake It Off” does just that, it lays out strong sharp riffs that anyone dancing to the song would have to literally throw themselves around in response to the music. It is a clever way of playing with the song.
In the past Wilco has had song on their albums that just scream with attitude. “Wheel” and “Heavy Metal Drummer” are great examples of the kind of raw rock Wilco is capable of. Not so on “Sky Blue Sky”, this is a mellow album meant for relaxation in the summer time.
Unfortunately it is a little hard to spot a standout song in the tracks of the album. Wilco is summer music and releasing the album in the middle of May was the right decision by all involved. The album “Sky Blue Sky” many not make shockwaves this summer but it is a well done album record that fans old and new will appreciate.
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