If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Peter Crosby The world's finest alt-country dad rockers are back with new music. Wilco's latest single, "Evicted," isn't breaking new ground for the legendary Chicago sextet. It's a chilled out alt-rock song that is much more Adult Contemporary than any of us would like to admit. But it's a great song that fits right into what Wilco does best. It's music that lives smack right in the center of the mainstream and the underground that even the most snarky music snob will enjoy, even if they refuse to admit it. As with any lead single from an upcoming Wilco album, it has us curious what direction they're going with this time, and that's never a bad thing. You can watch the lyric video for "Evicted" below. Cousin is due out September 29 on dBpm Records, and is available for pre-order here . For more on Wilco, check out their website . Upcoming tour dates are below the video. Thu. Aug. 10 - Cochran, BE @ Lokerse Feesten Sat. Aug. ...

Photo by Jamie Kelter Davis For longtime Wilco fans, hearing they were making a country album was pretty damn thrilling. What would a Wilco country album sound like in 2022? Wilco has morphed from alt-country darlings to experimental indie rock heroes to dad rockers over the years, so a return to their roots is quite welcome. "Tired of Taking It Out on You" is a gentle song, more along the lines of Jeff Tweedy's solo music than Wilco's earlier albums. But, it is much less stripped down, and has that certain Wilco something that makes it sound like Wilco and not a Jeff Tweedy project. As much as I love all things Wilco, I never thought I'd be this excited again for an upcoming album from them! Jeff Tweedy says of the new song: “ I’ve realized over the years that a lot of the songs I’ve written have worked as reminders to myself to pay attention to various things.  Sometimes I think I’ve figured out how the world works in some small way, and I worry I’ll forget it i...

Photo by Jamie Kelter Davis When you first hear that Wilco are set to release their first country album, you're going to scoff and think that Wilco used to be country. They started out as country. And then you'll hear "Falling Apart (Right Now)" and realize that, no, now this is country. It's a modern version of old school classic country. Wilco have crafted this laid back, ramblin' country song that feels like you're listening in on them messing around with new music just for fun. It sounds like it could be Wilco covering a classic track, but this one is all them. Jeff Tweedy says of the new album: “ More than any other genre, Country music, to me, a white kid from middle-class middle America, has always been the ideal place to comment on what most troubles my mind—which for more than a little while now has been the country where I was born, these United States. And because it is the country I love, and because it’s Country music that I love, I feel a res...

Photo by Alexa Viscius I'm tempted to say that this seems like it was released just for me, but obviously Jeff Tweedy covering Neil Young is going to appeal to a lot of people. Last year Jeff Tweedy released Love is the King , an Americana solo album. December will see the release of a deluxe reissue, which will include a second disc that includes live versions of every track on Love is the King  plus a cover of Neil Young's "Old Country Waltz." It's an interesting choice taken from Neil Young's 1976 recorded and 2017 released album Hitchhiker. The main difference is that Young's original is just him solo and Tweedy's includes a full band, but it sounds exactly like what you'd expect Jeff Tweedy covering Neil Young to sound like, and who doesn't want that? You can watch the video for Jeff Tweedy's version of "Old Country Waltz" below. Love is the King/Live is the King is due out December 10 on dBpm Records and is sure to be on man...

Photo by Sammy Tweedy At this point, we all kinda know what we're going to get with a new Jeff Tweedy solo song. "Gwendolyn" is exactly that. It's a little more country than modern Wilco, but nowhere near as country as early Wilco was. It's solidly laid back Americana. It has just the slightest hint of a groove to it, particularly in the guitar. Plus, since it is Tweedy, there is some odd noise to keep the indie rockers happy. Yeah. "Gwendolyn" is a prime example of the type of Americana us middle aged indie rock fans gravitate towards these days. And that's pretty much perfect. You can watch the video for "Gwendolyn" below. Love is the King , the new album from Jeff Tweedy, will be out October 23 on dBPM Records. To order the album, and for more information on Jeff Tweedy, check out Wilco's website .

Photo by Whitten Sabatini Jeff Tweedy is going to have a very busy October. His second book, How To Write One Song , is due out on the 13th, and he has a new solo album due out on the 23rd. Right now he's released two singles from the album, "Guess Again" and "Love is the King."  Jeff Tweedy says of the singles: “ At the beginning of the lockdown I started writing country songs to console myself .  Folk and country type forms being the shapes that come most easily to me in a comforting way. 'Guess Again' is a good example of the success I was having at pushing the world away, counting my blessings — taking stock in my good fortune to have love in my life.  A few weeks later things began to sound like 'Love Is The King' — a little more frayed around the edges with a lot more fear creeping in. Still hopeful but definitely discovering the limits of my own ability to self sooth e." The difference between the two moods is very reflectiv...

Photo by Annabel Mehran Wilco have been releasing solidly good music for decades at this point. Unfortunately, their more recent albums have received a lot of criticism. While I've enjoyed Wilco's more recent output, nothing has really grabbed my attention and rocketed to a best of list. "Everyone Hides" might change that. This new song definitely isn't breaking any new ground. But as Wilco strips away the excess and gets back to basics, you get to rediscover what you've loved about them. "Everyone Hides" isn't quite a throwback to their early alt-country beginnings, but it's solid Americana. There are hints of the noodling and odd noise of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot , but other than that it's expertly done straight up Americana rock music. You can watch the  little bit too cutesy but would have probably been a Buzz Bin  video for "Everyone Hides" featuring the band taking part in a game of hide and seek throughout Chicago landm...

Photo by Whitten Sabbatini At this point in his career, you already know if you're going to listen to a new song or album that Jeff Tweedy is involved in. His work with Wilco and his solo work has a certain feel to it, and there are plenty of fans that have jumped off the bandwagon calling his newer output "dad rock," and there are plenty still on that love that he puts out dad rock. His newest solo single, "I Know What It's Like," is really worth a listen even if you're in the former category. Sure, the song is 100% dad rock, and it certainly isn't rewriting the Jeff Tweedy formula at all. But the man can write an amazing song, and if you just give "I Know What It's Like" a chance, you might end up falling back in love with his music.  You can watch the video for "I Know What It's Like" below. Jeff Tweedy's solo album, WARM (which is somehow his first solo album (?)), will be out November 30 on dBPM Records. It ...

Photo by Whitten Sabbatini We're at the point with Jeff Tweedy that you already know if you're going to like any new music he puts out. Personally, I truly enjoy the vast majority of his recent output, and I know Jeff enjoys it much less than I do. "Some Birds" isn't going to bring any lapsed fans back onto the Wilco/Tweedy bandwagon. It's pretty standard Jeff Tweedy material, in that it's definitely based in American roots music but, of course, strays ever so slightly off path into semi-experimental territory. You can tell an artist's true importance when a critique of their new output is that it won't change your life. "Some Birds" won't change your life, but there is plenty for you to like if you give it a shot. You can watch the video for "Some Birds" below. Jeff Tweedy's new solo album, WARM , will be out November 30 on dBpm Records. You can pre-order your copy here . For more on what Jeff Tweedy is up to, che...