New Wilco Album and Songs

In the last few weeks, the internet has been all in a flutter with people discussing the new Wilco songs. I heard One Wing live at Lolla '08, and I found a decent audience recording of the other new song, "Sunny Feeling." Now, I wasn't too wild about Sky Blue Sky, but it looks like we might get a little more variety on this album, which is a good thing. If you look at their finest work, 2002's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I think you'd agree that one of the most impressive characteristics of the album is its diversity. There were normal sounding songs like "I'm The Man Who Loves You" and "Kamera", noise tracks like "Reservations" and "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart", poppy numbers like "Heavy Metal Drummer", and whatever you want to call "Radio Cure"...

But my point is: that diversity has been lacking on the last two Wilco albums. A Ghost Is Born had its moments, but for the most part was simple, piano based alternative rock. The songs only really shined after the addition of Nels Cline. Sky Blue Sky, which I mentioned earlier, suffered even worse. Each song sounded the same: light, folky, with chiming, jammy solos. Of course, there are exceptions on both albums. (See "Spiders (Kidsmoke")

But it looks like the variety will be back on Wilco's next album, which, according to Jeff Tweedy, should come out this spring. "One Wing" sounds like something off of Sky Blue Sky with a little more edge to it, while "Sunny Feeling" would fit perfectly on Summerteeth. So I'll keep hoping that Jeff Tweedy and Co. will lose their focus, since it just hasn't been the same since the albums are more concentrated...

(Also, it'd be really cool if they'd bring Jay Bennett back... Seriously...)

One Wing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsjCzx89uvM