Wilco – The Whole Love (dBpm)
4/5
By: Em Bell
Following a slightly muted response from everyone but us to their last album, Wilco return with their eighth LP – and my, is it something. For a group named after the aviation radio voice acronym for ‘will comply’, Jeff Tweedy et al. definitely don’t seem interested in playing by the rules this time round.
The Whole Love gets off to a cracking start with ‘Art of Almost’, a song filled with bass that oozes out over the rest of the track, creepily intriguing keyboard notes and a slippery, hard to place melody that eventually comes to the forefront in amidst a whole lot of whirring noise. It ends in total cacophony, but such an off balance arrangement is exactly what’s needed as we then bounce into the organ filled ‘I Might’, the juxtaposition working a treat.
We then come to a grinding halt with ‘Sunloathe’, a slow and emotional work whose gentle piano-led build tempts of a crescendo it never reaches. By way of contrast again, soon we’re in to the screeching guitars of ‘Dawned On Me’ with its infectious light hearted whistles, yet no sooner are you pumped up than you’re brought back down again... spotting a pattern?
Yes, this quiet/loud/quiet/loud formula is pretty much how The Whole Love goes all the way up ‘til ‘One Sunday Morning’, its stunning climax. Here’s where Wilco really show you what they’ve go – it’s a gorgeous, sparkling, twelve minute track which rolls the album to a majestic close, and just like the similarly ambitious opener, it really makes its mark.
The Whole Love is a totally muddled and unpredictable record on which Wilco cast away tradition and caution, and each song contradicts its neighbour. Whilst their skewed take on country is still in effect, they’ve added experiments with a mix of winsome electronic delights and hard rock climaxes. Yes, it’s inconsistent… and I am so glad – some of this bravery is exactly what’s been missing from their last couple of LPs.
Wilco - I Might by antirecords
Artists in this article: Wilco
Your Feedback
Login to post your comment