Tag Archive: Wilco


COOL FOLK IN CESENA

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June 14, 2013

Sylvie Lewis / Dawn Landes (Rocca Malatestiana, Cesena)

“I’m freezing my tits off up here!”

Wooden pallets for seating in the grounds of the town’s medieval fortress makes for a pleasant rustic setting. But it’s a bit on the chilly side! Both these folk maidens have underestimated the coolness of the evening and are wearing flimsy sleeveless summer dresses,. Hence Sylvie Lewis’ less than ladylike lament.

This free concert is part of a three-week European tour that also takes in Spain, France and Britain. Continue reading →

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FEELING WILCO LOVE

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March 10, 2012

WILCO LIVE AT THE ESTRAGON, BOLOGNA, ITALY – 9th February 2012

A rubbish picture of Wilco on stage at the Estragon in Bologna posted just to prove I was there!

After the post-xmas January lull and the freak snow of February, this was the first concert I’ve been to in 2012 ad it set the benchmark very high.

Wilco are not a band who go through the motions. Their set list changes constantly so even if they had any greatest hits you would never count on hearing them at every show.

Great  songs like Via Chicago and Shot In The Arm fared better than the newer material although Art Of Almost  from their latest album, Whole Love, was one of the show’s early high points.

Most bands would have started with an up tempo tune like this but they chose to begin with long and slow acoustic ballad One Sunday Morning, the closing track  from on the same disc. This self assured opening laid the foundations for a well paced two hour show which included a generous six song encore. Continue reading →

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2011 IN REVIEW : MUSIC

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December 27, 2011

Cover images of my top 15 favourite albums of 2011.

2011 was without a doubt P.J.Harvey‘s year. Let England Shake was the best album  by a mile and her interviews and concerts confirmed her as an artist at the top of her game.

Otherwise, this was a year for renewing old acquaintances rather than making fresh discoveries.

The welcome return of Gillian Welch (and Dave Rawlings) was an event and the album proved well worth the eight year wait.

It was also a nice surprise  that Charalambides released another Kranky studio work, a belated follow-up to 2007’s Likeness and as consistently excellent as ever. Continue reading →

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WILCO – THE ART OF ALMOST

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October 12, 2011

Cover art by Joanne Greenbaum

Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy has one of the great rock voices. I’ve been  a fan right from Uncle Tupelo days although I feared Wilco had lost their edge.

I found their last album Sky Blue Sky a bit lacklustre in comparison to their creative highs like Being There and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. What a nice surprise then to be floored by the opening track of the new album ‘The Whole Love’.

The Art of Almost is a brilliant track, on a par with Misunderstood, the killer opener from  Being There.  The motorik beat and electronica pulse explodes into some great guitar abuse at the end.

The live rendition on U.S.  TV is mightily impressive even though Tweedy looks a bit ragged and not in the best physical shape.

I hope he keeps healthy until March 2012 when they play some dates in Italy including a show near me in Bologna. Can’t wait!

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