Wilco

Item: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Author: Matt Modrich

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

(2002)

Reviewed by Matt Modrich

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Label Nonesuch RecordsDecapolisAugust 2002

alternative country alternative rock experimental indie rock

"Yankee Hotel Foxtrot," has received much attention from CMJ, Rolling Stone and many other media outlets, but Wilco almost didn't put it out because of their record label. However, Nonesuch Records picked up the album and Wilco has even made a movie about the making of the album that the fans almost never heard.

In the past Wilco has been associated with the alternative country scene, which for some reason makes people automatically write them off, as if they were adult contemporary or something wretched like that. Yet in some sense "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is almost the point where alternative country and indie rock meet. Having said that, younger listeners will probably not appreciate Wilco because it's not pop punk and it's not necessarily always short and catchy. Yet at the same time college students and listeners in their 20's will be drawn to them because of the solid songwriting and mature sound.

As for the album, some of the songs on "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" are quite catchy, but it's the honest lyrics that set Wilco's songs apart. With observant words like: "Distance has no way of making love understandable" and "You have to learn how to die if you wanna, wanna be alive" Wilco brings a part of themselves to their songs. Other lines such as: "Speaking of tomorrow, how will it ever come? All my lies are only wishes" and "How can I get closer and be further away from the truth? That proves it's beautiful to lie" also show the band questioning themselves through their songs.

The album also features a good balance of guitar and keyboard/piano driven songs along with musical and lyrical emotions that range from the top of the mountain to depth of the valley below. Tracks like "Kamera," "Heavy Metal Drummer," and "Pot Kettle Black" are among the most radio-friendly pop songs. Other tracks like "Radio Cure," "Jesus, Etc.," "Ashes of American Flags" and "The Poor Places" are among Wilco's finer ballads.

While the songwriting and music are solid, the musical effects that Wilco uses at times seem completely unnecessarily. For example in the last two songs there are instrumental sections that just prolong the tracks to the point of disinterest. Another problem is that some of the vocal hooks come up very late in a song or don't get milked enough for how good they are, but still there is a lot to like.

At the end of the day, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" is not an album that will immediately jump out at the listener, but artistic appreciation is bound to come with each listen. However, what's most impressive is that there is a real sense in which listeners who haven't heard the album are missing out on something good just like Wilco's old record company.

A-