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CD Review: Wilco - The Whole Love

Posted at 2:41 PM on September 23, 2011 by The Current (14 Comments)
Filed under: CD Reviews, CD of the Week

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The band releases its debut album to considerable acclaim, although overshadowed somewhat by other like-minded records that year. The second album expands on the strengths of the first's sonic template, while their third sees the band expanding their sonic vocabulary in establishing lush, even beautiful landscapes belied by undercurrents of paranoia and desperation. Their fourth album (which they worked on with a famed experimental musician) is immediately hailed as a game-changer and an instant masterpiece, establishing them as one of the greatest rock bands in America. The fifth album expands on many of these same ideas, while not quite receiving the same acclaim—however, in a vacuum, it arguably matches its predecessor on every level. During this time, the band releases an acclaimed live album, and members also collaborate with a British musician on a project incorporating "found" material. From here, the band dials back its experimental tendencies and releases two albums that are very song-oriented, with a particular emphasis on classic songwriting. Fans grow increasingly apprehensive over the change in direction, although the band's live reputation is still sterling. The band's eighth album is a pale washout in comparison to their previous work; tensions between the mercurial lead singer and the rest of the band reach their boiling point, and the band breaks up shortly thereafter.

This band, of course, is the Talking Heads.

Up until the final sentence, however, you could just as easily be describing Wilco. Having recognized the synchronicities as far back as 2007, I was biting my nails in anticipation of The Whole Love, hoping the band could avoid the pratfalls of Naked. I'm happy to report that Wilco's biography will not end the same as the Heads' (yet, anyway).

The most likely antecedent to The Whole Love is U2's 2000 "comeback" album All That You Can't Leave Behind, which was a deliberate, focused effort to "reapply for the job of best band in the world" by making an album that played upon all the strengths accrued during the band's lifetime. The Whole Love, thus, takes elements from Wilco's past (excepting the alt-country phase) and rolls them together into something we like to call a "crowd-pleaser."

One of the first things that's struck me is the wealth of detail that went into making this album. There are countless little musical asides, swatches of instrumentation, micro-solos and recurring layers, which make the record consistently interesting and will help it over time, as well. Following the comparatively stripped-down Sky Blue Sky and Wilco (The Album), it's nice to hear a sense of adventure to the songs and the ways they unfold. Playing "I Spy" with the numerous classic rock/pop references and allusions is also a ton of fun.

The song that's been stuck in my head the last few days is "Dawned on Me," which is backed by a lush melody and a happy-sounding chorus. But if we've learned anything in the world of Wilco, it's that if things sound too happy, they're not. Jeff Tweedy sings in the chorus, "I can't help it if I fall in love with you again," which is on its face an endearing sentiment, but couldn't you also view it as obsessive... or a little creepy? This act of subversion—setting up dark sagas with impossibly cheery tunes—was a hallmark of their Summerteeth record, so when you read all the reviewers referencing that album, just know that they have a point.

"Dawned on Me" also prominently incorporates one of the album's most prominent motifs: the sun. The song comes on the heels of "Sunloathe," whose narrator despises the sun to the extent that the song may or may not end with his suicide. Other explicit sun references dot the album, as well as very subtle ones—on the back cover, you'll see that all the O's have been replaced with solid, dark orbs. There is even a song called "Standing O," and all the instances of "oh" on the album are stylized as "O" in the lyric sheet. Be mindful, also, of the homophone for sun: son. The album's extended (12 minute!) closer, "One Sunday Morning," further complicates matters by outlining an argument between father and son regarding the existence of God. This casts the rest of the album in a new light—what are the implications of a song called "Sonloathe"? When Tweedy sings that he might set the kids on fire, maybe he's serious. After all, he's already dreamed about killing his girlfriend last night in "Via Chicago," then he actually killed her for real in his "Bull Black Nova," so would it be that much of a stretch? (Domestic abuse is a sad but fascinating undercurrent in all of Wilco's music, continued on The Whole Love, replete with references to "punching you in the nose," to which Tweedy urges "don't over-react!")

At their best, Wilco prompt the listener to lose themselves in the music, devising multiple interpretations while also enjoying supremely catchy music. I can give no higher compliment to The Whole Love than to favorably compare it to Summerteeth, and while it may not reach the peaks of the Wilco catalog, it is clearly their best record in nearly a decade.

— Mac Wilson, host

Contribute Today and get The Whole Love as a thank you gift.

Comments (14)

Please. It is clearly NOT their best album in a decade. In fact, this is quite possibly their weakest since A.M. The production outweighs the songs on many occasions. Even if it continues to reveal itself with multiple listens, it will never be as satisfying as twin peaks Sky Blue Sky and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.

Posted by Michael | September 23, 2011 4:36 PM

I completely disagree with Michael. I was hooked on this album from the first listen and my appreciation for the album has grown with each subsequent listen. I definitely hear the Summerteeth flavor in this album and I love it.

Posted by Christine | September 23, 2011 7:28 PM

What's GREAT about Wilco is that we have a review and a few opinion comments. The opinions disagree almost completely.

And they're BOTH right.

What's great is that people feel strongly enough about this music to disagree about it. I personally don't think Wilco has ever really made a bad album...which ones are viewed as "great" and "less great" is what keeps the band interesting.

Posted by Scott Rosenfeld | September 24, 2011 4:15 PM

I couldn't care less what you disagree with, Christine. Fact is, The Whole Love is simply not the album Wilco fans are so desperate for it to be. Good, but to act like it's some miraculous "return to form" is a complete discredit to the undeniable merits of the previous two albums. Two superior albums, at that.

Posted by Michael | September 24, 2011 11:04 PM

Michael, I am a Wilco fan and I just happen to think The Whole Love was what I was looking for. Their new album doesn't need to be compared to their earlier ones...it will never be Sky Blue Sky (so it's a good thing you have that CD).

Posted by Derek | September 25, 2011 5:07 PM

Maybe the greatest thing about Wilco is that they've made a record for everyone...you have your YHF fans, some people really dig SBS, others are ST fanatics, etc. As for myself, I prefer the baroque production of the ST/YHF Wilco and welcome the return of those sounds on The Whole Love. Jeff has credited Pat Sansone with helping to sonically craft the new record and it shows--this is a great headphone record (in Pat's words) with plenty of layers to dig into and enjoy.

Posted by Thomas | September 25, 2011 10:00 PM

As a longtime casual admirer of Wilco (via the radio "hits"), I'm in no position to compare TWL with their previous works, but I can say this: Even in this year of really great new music, this album has "Album Of The Year" written all over it. There is so many different things going on in these songs, all done remarkably well. The album drew me in immediately and by the third time through the album, I was struggling to remember when I last so loved every song on an album. Definitely gonna take a closer look at SBS, YFH & ST!

Posted by Monte | September 26, 2011 12:11 PM

Derek, congratulations. You're right, The Whole Love will never be Sky Blue Sky. And nor am I asking for a repeat. But it will also never be as good as Sky Blue Sky either. Take care.

Posted by Michael | September 26, 2011 10:58 PM

Haters gonna hate.

That is all.

ps
Being There is far and away their 'best' effort, imo.

Posted by Steve | September 27, 2011 2:29 PM

I agree with Steve. "Being There" is THE definitive Wilco record. The Whole Love is good, though. I'm happy.

Posted by Dave | September 27, 2011 4:15 PM

I enjoy this album. No reason to compare it to other work by Wilco or someone else. No need to deconstruct or theorize or make inferences or chuck around $100 words straight out of the thesaurus.

It's a nice little album. That's all that matters.

Posted by Andrew | September 27, 2011 4:32 PM

Album of the year. Last two efforts were not Jeff's best, but the addition of Nels made up for it. This is the first album where they are both at the top of their game. SBS and (The Album) have their merits, and were accessible to new fans, but didn't really do it for many longtime fans, myself included. Thank you for the return to form.

Posted by Mike Dunlevy | September 27, 2011 5:38 PM

Wow, Michael. You are absolutely entitled to your opinion, just as I am entitled not to agree with you. Thanks for the rude comment.

Posted by Christine | September 27, 2011 5:52 PM

After a few listens it seems like a solid record but I'm kind of bored with these slick/over-produced Wilco records. The addition of Nels, Pat S., and O'Rourke added much in the musicianship department but maybe at the expense of what I liked best about Wilco -- some sort of soul within their sound. Just IMO.

Posted by Will | September 27, 2011 8:26 PM

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