That said, the next album is a new album (to me) but I did not select it; the fates still rolled it randomly.
Disc 358 is...Being There
Artist: Wilco
Year of Release: 1996
What’s Up With The Cover?: Not much. A hand holds the neck of a guitar. I like the simplicity of this album cover, but it is hardly interesting beyond that.
How I Came To Know It: I was recently at a Christmas party for Sheila's work and I ended up meeting a fellow music enthusiast, Greg W. We had a few good conversations about music. He is a big Wilco fan, and after hearing which albums I already owned, and what I liked about them, he recommended "Being There" as my next purchase. He was exactly right.
How It Stacks Up: I now have four Wilco albums. "Being There" is one of my favourites. I'll say it is second only to 1995's "A.M" (reviewed way back at Disc 84).
Rating: 4 stars.
"Being There" was a lesson for me that the best way to find good records is to get recommendations from other music lovers. After falling in love with "A.M." I had purchased "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born" pretty quickly thereafter. These two didn't grab me the way I had hoped they would, as Wilco expanded into a more atmospheric detached sound, and away from their southern roots rock sound.
Enter the aforementioned Greg W., who advised that if I liked "A.M." that "Being There" had a similar sound. I think he also warned it was a 'break up album' but I can't be sure, since I had had a few beers by that point. That wouldn't have put me off in any event, as often nasty break ups result in quality art. Thank you artists the world over for suffering so we critics can have a better time of it.
Whether Wilco mastermind Jeff Tweedy was in fact miserable or not (apparently he'd just had a child, but I expect that was a joyful occasion), the quality of "Being There" plays like he was. Many of the songs are about relationships breaking down, and specifically the anguish of knowing you are growing apart from someone, but not losing the love you hold for them. The opening track, "Misunderstood" quickly highlights the theme:
"There's something there that you can't find
Honest when you're tellin' a lie
You're hurt but you don't know why
You love her but you don't know why."
The opening song on Disc 2 (yes, it is a two disc album), "Sunken Treasure" is just as depressing, more so, as Tweedy sings "I am so out of tune with you" in a way that turns minor keys into miniature emotional Armaggedons.
While the theme is held tightly together, the music shows exceptional range. Up tempo indie rock anthems like "I Got You (At The End Of The Century)" fit in effortlessly beside sparsely arranged songs like "Red Eyed and Blue", which feature only piano, acoustic guitar and Jeff Tweedy's earnest singing. Tweedy's voice would've made him a star of indie, southern rock or country. On "Being There" he wisely chooses to be all three.
Wilco is definitely a band for music geeks like me. They like to showcase their many influences, and have clearly mastered traditional forms before they put their own unique style on them. This record is a lesson in how to pay homage to what has come before, and still innovate. Even Picasso painted traditionally before he moved on to cubism. Wilco has the same solid foundations.
What's more, they seem genuinely humble about their roots. On "Someone Else's Song" Tweedy sings:
"I can't tell you anything you don't already know.
I keep on trying, I should just let it go.
I keep on singing, you're eyes they just roll.
It sounds like someone else's song from a long time ago.
You already know the story and the chords are just the same.
You already know I love you, and I sound like what's-his-name.
But you can't stop me, I want you to know.
I know it sounds like someone else's song from along time ago."
The song itself sounds like two musical greats, Johnny Cash and Hank Williams, if they could somehow be combined. The vaguel out of tune Cash guitar mixed with the plaintive Williams vocals. I love the combination, but not nearly as much as I love a band willing to set ego aside and admit that like all artists, they borrow from those they admire. So it should be - even Neil Young has admitted in interviews that he borrowed from Pearl Jam.
I was disappointed this was a double album, which is so hard to pull off. Between the two albums, there are 19 songs, and despite the consistently high quality, I think I could weed (tweed?) it down by four or five tracks if I put my mind to it, particularly off of disc two. It is rare a band needs a double album, and while "Being There" comes close to pulling it off, I set the bar high on this front.
Another minor beef, is their refusal to capitalize song titles. Capital letters exist for a reason, Mr. Tweedy. You wouldn't try that if Mrs. Tweedy were here - standing over you threateningly, with a chicken in each hand and a look on her face that would melt plastic. She's already angry enough over that debacle with the meat pie machine, and now this whole lower case thing. Wait a minute - I think I've got my Mr. Tweedys mixed up.
OK, back to the album. In addition to being beloved by music geeks like me, Wilco are also critical darlings, and this phenomenon can be very annoying over time. Fawning articles about these guys are pasted all over the internet. They're a band that it is 'cool' to like, which is something that usually drives me in the other direction. I couldn't do that after listening to "Being There" for the last five days, though. The truth is this is a great record, and well worth the praise it receives.
Best tracks: Misunderstood, Monday, Forget The Flowers, Red Eyed and Blue, I Got You (At The End Of The Century), What's The World Got In Store, Say You Miss Me, Sunken Treasure, Someone Else's Song
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