GutterPutter

This is going to be awkward. 2 months have gone by without any major updates on the blog as planned or even a review on an album due to personal circumstances. The next article after this one will be some Christgau-esque quip on the albums that I’ve gotten around to listening to during the break so it’ll be short and not as detailed as the capsule reviews that I write. The reason for that is mainly because it might come off as being a lot as to say the least. Hopefully, I will be able to continue on writing reviews or do some posts on bands, genres, or just different parts of the music industry on a weekly basis at least in the future. For now, I’ll try to keep it slow, try to not come off as verbose, and I will try to be as honest as possible.

For starters, Wilco stood out from many indie/alternative bands for their interest in balancing out sophisticated lyricism with poppy sentiments and a dabble in diversifying their sonic palette. Initially a gig from guitarist/aspiring frontman Jeff Tweedy after a fallout that leads to the disbanding of the influential Uncle Topelo, a gradual climb in fame throughout the later half of the 1990s have cumulated in Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which was released digitally in 2001. Having won over rave reviews from many publications including a prestigious 10 from Pitchfork, Wilco have since then gradually consolidated their reputation as being one of the best alternative rock band to still be out playing. Thanks to their roots in alt-country that’s always mixed with an artsy side of indie rock, the band always find themselves with a loyal fanbase who would listen either for drummer Glenn Kotche’s rhythm or the acoustic musings that sticks out.

Cruel Country doesn’t stand out for its notable experimentation like in A Ghost is Born or the successful dad-rock revival of Sky Blue Sky. What you would describe as distilled country or Americana might come off as patronising as while most of the songs like ‘The Universe’, ‘I Am My Mother’, or ‘Please Be Wrong’ doesn’t offer too much in terms with innovation, there’s a certain heart that can be taken for granted. The chords isn’t anything out of the ordinary, but that could be the magic that keeps the whole album grounded without coming off as being pretentious as per say. There are highlights to be found in tracks like ‘Many Worlds’, with the piano which hints at a resignation of a relationship that never was; ‘Falling Apart (Right Now)’ which more upbeat than most of the songs; and the title track, with its whispery vocal delivery.

If there is one big key issue to be had with the album, it’s that its vast track listing could come off as being too loaded with what could be argued as fillers. They’re not by any means the best or the worst that the band could offer as of late, but some of the songs are so lacking in distinction that it would be for the best if they were to be removed without any thoughts. I’m thinking of ‘The Plains’, ‘Ambulance’, or ‘Hints’ since there isn’t anything of note that I could say positively which you could spin off as a negative in itself. Just some occasional tune to listen to without a care. At the same time, the foreboding sense of ‘The Empty Condor’ or ‘Tonight’s the Day’ is a nice, if ultimately forgettable, addition without any lyrical wit to help make it interesting.

According to Exclaim!, Cruel Country is made as a political statement made to address the complexity of the United States. It’s a theme that I haven’t caught up on and even with that fact in mind, it isn’t the one that I would enthusiastically consider to be a major selling point throughout. It could be argued that it’s the impersonal nature of its songwriting which enables it to come off as being flexible for the listeners. However, it’s with the generalisation via equating relationships with politics in a vague sense which makes Tweedy’s intent vulnerable to being ignored by others.

Putting Tweedy’s singing, lyricism, and guitar playing at the complete forefront for the album means that there isn’t anything particularly special or poignant about it compared to its past releases. The bass, keyboards, and the percussion isn’t remarkable and the production, mostly done through live takes with little overdubbing, adds to the natural feeling. Virtually all of the 21 tracks carry these characteristics which could lead to most of them coming off as being undistinguishable from each other. A pretty unsatisfying miss in expectation given the reputation some of the current band members have developed throughout their tenure.

This results in a project that might be truly appreciated by long-time fans who are aware of the band’s strong country origins without any explicit tinkering with the production or instrument playing like in Summerteeth, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, or A Ghost is Born. If you wanted any more excitement in your listening experience, any one of the three albums I’ve mentioned would be a great place to start with Wilco. If you’re simply interested in Jeff Tweedy or alt-country in general, this could be a decent record to check out, but keep in mind that there might be other hits that might prove itself to be more worthy of your attention.