The fourth installment of Two Word Reviews (patent pending) for tv shows, movies, and music for 2019, covering the fourth quarter (October, November, and December):
MOVIES
Amazing Grace - amazing performances
Europa Report - solid sci-fi
Transformers: The Last Knight - unbelievably incomprehensible
2036 Origin Unknown - clunky storytelling
Aniara - thought provoking
Frozen II - superior story
Booksmart - smartly sophisticated
MUSIC
Wilco: Ode To Joy - solid effort
The Darkness: Easter Is Cancelled - strong tunes
Cursive: Get Fixed - get this
Jimmy Eat World: Surviving - needed urgency
The Sheila Divine: Beginning Of The End Is Where We'll Start Again - lyrically cutting
TELEVISION
The 100, Season 6 (Netflix) - still entertaining
Mr. Robot, Season 3 (Amazon) - nice reset
Black Mirror, Seasons 1 & 2 (Netflix) - consistently interesting
The Sopranos, Season 1, 2 & 3 (HBO/Amazon) - deserved praise
The Man In The High Castle, Season 4 (Amazon) - landing stuck
The Mandalorian, Season 1 (Disney+) - nice pace
Watchmen, Season 1 (HBO) - watch it
The Expanse, Season 4 (Amazon) - upped game
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Season 3 (Amazon) - going strong
Showing posts with label wilco. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wilco. Show all posts
Albums That Changed My Life
At Pencil Storm they have a recurring series of posts about albums that "changed your life." I decided to tackle this in my own way.
My first question was - how did it change my life? In what way? For the better or the worse? I’ve listened to albums that were so lyrically and thematically dark, I spent days in a depressed fog afterward. I’m still haunted by them, and revisit when I want to wallow, but they are certainly not my favorite in any sense, nor did they make my life better. Maybe they acted as a temporary salve on wound - hey bud, you suffering? Here’s some minor chords to commiserate and some dissonance to drown your sorrows.
To actually change my life, something good had to come out of it. A better path had to be opened and explored. That’s the directive I’m following with this. Here goes.
My first question was - how did it change my life? In what way? For the better or the worse? I’ve listened to albums that were so lyrically and thematically dark, I spent days in a depressed fog afterward. I’m still haunted by them, and revisit when I want to wallow, but they are certainly not my favorite in any sense, nor did they make my life better. Maybe they acted as a temporary salve on wound - hey bud, you suffering? Here’s some minor chords to commiserate and some dissonance to drown your sorrows.
To actually change my life, something good had to come out of it. A better path had to be opened and explored. That’s the directive I’m following with this. Here goes.
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc.
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back): A Memoir of Recording and Discording with Wilco, Etc. by Jeff TweedyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book answered, in part, a lot of questions and closed some loose threads about one of my all time favorite bands. It also gave me a fascinating and at times uncomfortably honest insight into one of my songwriters. You don’t have to love, or even like, Wilco to appreciate this book.
View all my reviews
Wilco and Being There - A Twitter Thread
This tweet by Wilco inspired a thread on the band my history with one of my favorite artists.
Quick thread on how much of a Wilco nerd I am. Back in the day, I worked at WFAL Falcon Radio (RIP), the AM alternative rock station of BGSU in NW Ohio. I discovered the band when their debut A.M. came out and arrived our out station as a promo.
Quick thread on how much of a Wilco nerd I am. Back in the day, I worked at WFAL Falcon Radio (RIP), the AM alternative rock station of BGSU in NW Ohio. I discovered the band when their debut A.M. came out and arrived our out station as a promo.
Two-Word Review: Summer/Fall 2015
Recently consumed and digested films and albums with patent-pending two-words reviews.
MOVIES
G.I. Joe: Retaliation – minor improvement
Chef – pleasant story
A Deadly Adoption – hypnotic entertainment
Transformers: Age of Extinction – extinct franchise
Robocop – lifeless remake
Anchorman 2 – tough act
Ant-Man – well balanced
They Came Together – barely together
Trainwreck – effectively offensive
Upside Down: The Story of Creation Records – McGee’s story
Who the F is Arthur Fogel? – buttons pushed
The Martian – book worthy
The Maze Runner – proper tone
Red Dawn (remake) – red dumb
MUSIC
The Cure: Wild Mood Swing – quality swings
The Cure: Pornography – good dirty
The Cure: All Mixed Up – solid efforts
Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason – lapsed urgency
Pink Floyd: The Final Cut – more cuts
Dream Theater: Octavarium – condensed craziness
Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory – mind bending
Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos – too chaotic
T. Rex: Dandy in the Underworld – true dandy
Wilco: Star Wars – appreciated weirdness
MOVIES
G.I. Joe: Retaliation – minor improvement
Chef – pleasant story
A Deadly Adoption – hypnotic entertainment
Transformers: Age of Extinction – extinct franchise
Robocop – lifeless remake
Anchorman 2 – tough act
Ant-Man – well balanced
They Came Together – barely together
Trainwreck – effectively offensive
Upside Down: The Story of Creation Records – McGee’s story
Who the F is Arthur Fogel? – buttons pushed
The Martian – book worthy
The Maze Runner – proper tone
Red Dawn (remake) – red dumb
MUSIC
The Cure: Wild Mood Swing – quality swings
The Cure: Pornography – good dirty
The Cure: All Mixed Up – solid efforts
Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason – lapsed urgency
Pink Floyd: The Final Cut – more cuts
Dream Theater: Octavarium – condensed craziness
Dream Theater: Metropolis Pt.2: Scenes From A Memory – mind bending
Dream Theater: Systematic Chaos – too chaotic
T. Rex: Dandy in the Underworld – true dandy
Wilco: Star Wars – appreciated weirdness
Concert Review: Wilco @ the Majestic Theatre, Detroit, MI (2/21/97)
I actually wrote up a whole article for this show back in college, which you can read online somewhere (I'll link it, I swear). By far, this was one of the most fun rock shows I’ve ever been too.
What wasn’t included in the story was what happened after the concert, when I whipped out my WFAL College Radio business card and secured a private meet and greet for myself and the friends who had come along. First we talked with bassist John Stirratt and guitarist Jay Bennett, who told us he had designed the concert tees we had bought. They signed memorabilia, and then Jeff Tweedy joined us for a brief few minutes to say howdy, at which point I mentioned how the station was playing the crap out of Wilco and really supportive of the band, which was appreciated by Jeff, John and Jay, though they clearly wanted to get back to their bus and relax.
SETLIST
Misunderstood
Far, Far Away
Forget The Flowers
That’s Not The Issue
Someday Soon
New Madrid
Red-Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At The End of The Century)
Someone Else’s Song
Why Would You Wanna Live
I Must Be High
Passenger Side
Hotel Arizona
Monday
Kingpin
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Encore:
Box Full of Letters
Casino Queen
We’ve Been Had
Encore 2:
Gun
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
What wasn’t included in the story was what happened after the concert, when I whipped out my WFAL College Radio business card and secured a private meet and greet for myself and the friends who had come along. First we talked with bassist John Stirratt and guitarist Jay Bennett, who told us he had designed the concert tees we had bought. They signed memorabilia, and then Jeff Tweedy joined us for a brief few minutes to say howdy, at which point I mentioned how the station was playing the crap out of Wilco and really supportive of the band, which was appreciated by Jeff, John and Jay, though they clearly wanted to get back to their bus and relax.
SETLIST
Misunderstood
Far, Far Away
Forget The Flowers
That’s Not The Issue
Someday Soon
New Madrid
Red-Eyed and Blue
I Got You (At The End of The Century)
Someone Else’s Song
Why Would You Wanna Live
I Must Be High
Passenger Side
Hotel Arizona
Monday
Kingpin
Outtasite (Outta Mind)
Encore:
Box Full of Letters
Casino Queen
We’ve Been Had
Encore 2:
Gun
Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?
Concert Review: Wilco & The Tragically Hip @ Bicentennial Park, Columbus, OH (9/5/98)
I late August of 1998, I moved to Columbus. And how did the city welcome me? By pairing two of my favorite all-time bands in a free concert, that how.
I don’t know who decided, but at the 1998 Taste of Columbus Festival, The Tragically Hip opened and Wilco headlined, which is like pairing peanut butter and jelly, or chocolate and peanut butter, or anything with peanut butter, because peanut butter is pretty freakin’ awesome.
Both bands had new albums out that Summer. The Hip had just released the Phantom Power in July, and Wilco’s collaboration with Billy Bragg, Mermaid Avenue, was also just a few months old as well. The Hip’s set was the usual mixture of new tunes and old favorites, and Wilco drew equally from their first two records, mixing in some of the Mermaid Avenue tunes.
For some reason too bizarre for me to understand, their was hardly a crowd for either band, and I was, along with my friends, able to get relatively close to the stage. Hence my pictures, which were shot with a relatively crappy disposable camera, are way closer than pretty much any show I’ve ever been to.
It wasn’t the last time I’d see The Hip in Columbus, and there were plenty of shows to come, but it was a helluva way to kick off a move to the city.
THE TRAGICALLY HIP SETLIST
Grace, Too
Save The Planet
Twist My Arm
Poets
Chagrin Falls
Nautical Disaster
Ahead By A Century
Something On
Courage (For Hugh Maclennan)
Fireworks
Gift Shop
Springtime In Vienna
At The Hundredth Meridian
Escape Is At Hand For The Travellin’ Man
I don’t know who decided, but at the 1998 Taste of Columbus Festival, The Tragically Hip opened and Wilco headlined, which is like pairing peanut butter and jelly, or chocolate and peanut butter, or anything with peanut butter, because peanut butter is pretty freakin’ awesome.
Both bands had new albums out that Summer. The Hip had just released the Phantom Power in July, and Wilco’s collaboration with Billy Bragg, Mermaid Avenue, was also just a few months old as well. The Hip’s set was the usual mixture of new tunes and old favorites, and Wilco drew equally from their first two records, mixing in some of the Mermaid Avenue tunes.
For some reason too bizarre for me to understand, their was hardly a crowd for either band, and I was, along with my friends, able to get relatively close to the stage. Hence my pictures, which were shot with a relatively crappy disposable camera, are way closer than pretty much any show I’ve ever been to.
It wasn’t the last time I’d see The Hip in Columbus, and there were plenty of shows to come, but it was a helluva way to kick off a move to the city.
THE TRAGICALLY HIP SETLIST
Grace, Too
Save The Planet
Twist My Arm
Poets
Chagrin Falls
Nautical Disaster
Ahead By A Century
Something On
Courage (For Hugh Maclennan)
Fireworks
Gift Shop
Springtime In Vienna
At The Hundredth Meridian
Escape Is At Hand For The Travellin’ Man
Concert Review: Jeff Tweedy @ the Southern Theatre, Columbus, OH (11/9/05)
For the most part, my concert going experiences and my dating experiences have not overlapped much. Concerts have tended to be the realm of friends, roommates, that sort of crowd. Also, trying to explain to a date why we needed to go see THIS obscure band always seemed futile. As my college and post-college dating consisted primarily of the following like-clockwork schedule, known at the time as “The 3-Month Rule:” First month – getting to know you, Second month – getting to more familiar, Third month – this isn’t working out, Fourth month – done.
Working with that sort of timeframe usually meant concerts were out of the picture for dating purposes. But, in 2005 one of the few times music tastes and scheduling worked into The 3-Month Rule, and it wasn’t even a concert I had intended on going to anyway. After a first date at a Columbus bar, a get-to-know-you-and-make-sure-you’re-not-a-weirdo-first-date, we went to dinner in Grandview the night of the concert and then headed down to the Southern Theatre for the show.
After an interesting and odd opening set from Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, Jeff Tweedy took the stage for a long acoustic set. I mentioned that I had no intention of going, because although I’m one of the biggest Wilco fans around, I’m not that into when artists go acoustic or solo, as I tend to prefer the louder end of the rock spectrum.
Tweedy’s set covered his entire career, from three of four Uncle Tupelo albums, every Wilco album, the two Wilco & Billy Bragg albums, two Loose Fur albums and two Golden Smog albums. In retrospect, I’m glad I went. Tweedy was in his usual self-depreciating mode, telling stories and conversing with the audience. Of course, when some loud-mouth who kept yelling HUMMINGBIRD! in-between every song was finally dealt with, Tweedy responded with something along the lines of “well, now you’ve convinced me!” And then didn’t play it.
The dates lasted only a few more weeks, but Wilco is still in heavy rotation.
SETLIST
Sunken Treasure
Blue Eyed Soul
(Was I) In Your Dreams
Summer Teeth
Forget The Flowers
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Remember The Mountain Bed
ELT
Wait Up
The Ruling Class
Gun
Please Tell My Brother
Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard
Radio King
Heavy Metal Drummer
A Shot In The Arm
I Can’t Keep From Talking
Black Eye
New Madrid
California Stars
Chinese Apple
Far, Far Away
War On War
Pick Up The Change
I’m The Man Who Loves You
The Late Greats
Working with that sort of timeframe usually meant concerts were out of the picture for dating purposes. But, in 2005 one of the few times music tastes and scheduling worked into The 3-Month Rule, and it wasn’t even a concert I had intended on going to anyway. After a first date at a Columbus bar, a get-to-know-you-and-make-sure-you’re-not-a-weirdo-first-date, we went to dinner in Grandview the night of the concert and then headed down to the Southern Theatre for the show.
After an interesting and odd opening set from Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, Jeff Tweedy took the stage for a long acoustic set. I mentioned that I had no intention of going, because although I’m one of the biggest Wilco fans around, I’m not that into when artists go acoustic or solo, as I tend to prefer the louder end of the rock spectrum.
Tweedy’s set covered his entire career, from three of four Uncle Tupelo albums, every Wilco album, the two Wilco & Billy Bragg albums, two Loose Fur albums and two Golden Smog albums. In retrospect, I’m glad I went. Tweedy was in his usual self-depreciating mode, telling stories and conversing with the audience. Of course, when some loud-mouth who kept yelling HUMMINGBIRD! in-between every song was finally dealt with, Tweedy responded with something along the lines of “well, now you’ve convinced me!” And then didn’t play it.
The dates lasted only a few more weeks, but Wilco is still in heavy rotation.
SETLIST
Sunken Treasure
Blue Eyed Soul
(Was I) In Your Dreams
Summer Teeth
Forget The Flowers
I Am Trying To Break Your Heart
Remember The Mountain Bed
ELT
Wait Up
The Ruling Class
Gun
Please Tell My Brother
Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard
Radio King
Heavy Metal Drummer
A Shot In The Arm
I Can’t Keep From Talking
Black Eye
New Madrid
California Stars
Chinese Apple
Far, Far Away
War On War
Pick Up The Change
I’m The Man Who Loves You
The Late Greats
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