Flashback to 1994: Jay Farrar sneaks out in the middle of the night and abandons Uncle Tupelo, leaving his bandmates and fans completely dismayed. Jeff Tweedy acts fast to pick up the pieces with the remaining Tupelo line-up and releases the first Wilco album, A.M. in ’95. The result is a stunning record that sales-wise may have stood in the shadow of Trace, (Farrar’s first follow-up with Son Volt), but foreshadowed the brilliance of the future of Jeff Tweedy. A.M. is aging even more gracefully than the Tupelo bible, Anodyne. Tweedy’s last connection to his folksy roots, this album is littered with fantastic love songs that mix innocence, mischievousness, and wonder, delivering surprising comfort, like an unexpected kiss while you're sleeping.
Without one weak link, every song deserves a mention. In “Box Full of Letters,” Tweedy eloquently proclaims, “I can’t find the time to write my mind the way I want it to read.” Dark rocker “Shouldn’t Be Ashamed,” and the twangy banjo bliss of “That’s Not the Issue,” both sing of the uncertainties and demise of an affair. In bittersweet ballads “Pick Up the Change,” he tries to get the girl, and “Should’ve Been in Love” is about the one who got away. “I Thought I Held You,” “Blue-Eyed Soul,” and “Dash 7,” are all exquisite, haunting pedal steel perfections.
Bass player John Stirratt’s contribution, “It’s Just that Simple,” proves he's an excellent singer/songwriter, even apart from his own band, The Hilltops. Pop gem “I Must Be High,” raucous “Casino Queen,” and friendly romp “Passenger Side” have all evolved into staples of modern-day Wilco concerts. On the album's closer, “Too Far Apart,” Tweedy laments over a lost love (or lost bandmate?).
Pure and unadulterated Tweedy, this is an essential collection. After this album, with the addition of multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett, and the dropping of Max Johnston and his countrified contributions, the music is never quite the same for Wilco. A.M. and Summer Teeth are as different as A Hard Days Night and Sgt. Pepper's, but equally as enduring.
If you like Wilco, check out:
Wilco Being There
Wilco Summer Teeth
Son Volt Trace
Flying Burrito Brothers Hot Burritos!
Blue Mountain Homegrown
Golden Smog Down By the Old Mainstream
Neil Young Harvest Moon
Scud Mountain Boys Massachusetts
Chuck Prophet Homemade Blood
-- Joanna Lux
at a glance...
