★★★★★ = Classic, essential listening

Sounds like?

An American rock folk alternative band

Moods

A calmly anxious American masterpiece

Thoughts

It took awhile for me to recognize the genius here. I think I was too  young when I first heard it, I wasn't drawn to it's sound. Even now I wouldn't recommend this to anyone under 30, the essence is lost without that unnerving only adulthood can provide.

At surface level it's boring adult pop, listen a little closer and you'll hear solid American folk songs. Backed by light (mostly) and tight instrumentation, it's just the right amount of precise while not feeling overly polished; a quality which typically bothers me but here it fits. Tweedy's got a pleasant voice and is an exceptional lyricist, switching between abstract thoughts and relatable lyrics on love. Few writers can capture anxiety, in its many forms, so poetically. It's his ability that elevates this album, turning these dense subjects into carthic singalongs. Ultimately the listener is left with a feeling of hope through the reliability in his words. True art captures some element of the human condition and I think Wilco nailed it on Yankee hotel foxtrot

Anyone who's ever experienced that spinning out of control feeling will understand the value of something grounded. The perfect soundtrack for something as enjoyable as a pleasant autumn day or as heavy as your car ride after checking out of the insane asylum.

More Info

https://www.discogs.com/Wilco-Yankee-Hotel-Foxtrot/release/1073285

Listen!

Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gupjrl5ZSX0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBhj73WtiZU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlxH9-TYseY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efq95Pfqt5U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKj5xIp4Kkg

Spotify

Schema Info