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Wilco - A.M. Audio CD

A fair review of the Wilco "A.M." Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Wilco reviews here, or go back to the Wilco tabs.

Wilco Band: Wilco
Title: A.M.
Rating:
Release Date: 1995-03-28
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: I Must Be High 2: Casino Queen 3: Box Full of Letters 4: Shouldn't Be Ashamed 5: Pick up the Change 6: I Thought I Held You 7: That's Not the Issue 8: It's Just That Simple 9: Should've Been in Love 10: Passenger Side 11: Dash 7 12: Blue Eyed Soul 13: Too Far Apart

Wilco's Pablo Honey
Nowhere is that more evident than with these bands' debut albums. Wilco
AM
Reprise Records; 1995

My Rating: 4/10

As someone who thinks about such things, it's remarkable to me just how much Wilco's recording history seems to mirror that of Radiohead. Radiohead's PABLO HONEY is a picture of a band learning how to walk, searching for their place in the alternative pantheon, and Wilco's AM is similarly bland and artistically lacking. While a few tracks do stand out, such as the lead-off power pop of "I Must Be High" and the radio ready "Boxful of Letters", overall the album doesn't deliver in the way one would expect Wilco's debut to deliver. It's really not worth spending too much time on AM, as this was almost a completely different band at the time. But much like your old home videos, it's interesting to look back and see just how far they've come. Wasn't it cute when John Stirratt took the lead vocal duties on "It's Just That Simple" for the first and only time in Wilco history?

The great thing is that, unlike Radiohead, Wilco has never been so estranged from its awkward early years that it refuses to play any of the tunes from the first record live. On the contrary, they seem to be more at home with these songs as the years go by, which is great because the aforementioned "I Must Be High" is a great live tune.

These are pretty happy songs for the most part, even the sad ones, and someone somewhere once said don't despise the day of small beginnings. Therefore, I'll salute AM as a great proto-debut, the record where one of my favorite bands cut its teeth on a developing new sound.

Worth checking out for any Wilco devotee.


The Best Alt-Country Around


With that being said, I enjoy A. Let me start the review by stating that country, even alt-country are probably my least favorite of all genres, and that as a big Wilco fan myself, Summerteeth is the album that got me into Wilco. M. certainly alot more than Uncle Tupelo. (That also might be due to the fact I much prefer Jeff Tweedy's voice of Jay Farrar's)

But, while it is certainly great power-pop, it is obvious why people who jumped on the Wilco bandwagon late in their career would be angered and slightly confused as to what exactly Jeff Tweedy was thinking and how an alt-country band went crazily experimental. Nonetheless, a great debut, and great album overall. .


It is their best album
I don't even recognize Wilco by their last two albums (Ghost and Sky), they have become pretentious bores. This album is not much of a departure from Uncle Tupelo and does not seek to be anything more than it is. This is good country alt/rock'n'roll. A humble and nice album. .


wilco is cool
if you dig alt country, there is no reason to not have this album. its really good, quite a bit different than their later stuff, but still really good.


Oh so utterly perfect
I've owned this disc for several years, but only got around to listening to it a week or so ago, and man oh man did I miss out. I've lived in St Louis for the last decade or so, and thus most of these songs have deeper meaning for me, particularly Heavy Metal Drummer, Casino Queen, and the southern Illinois-esque desperation that makes Passenger Side so real and special. I had the pleasure of seeing them at the great Fox theater here, and it did not disappoint one bit. I think this recording is probably their best, and the most similar other recording of theirs is Being There. To give perspective, I'm really more of an indie rock to acid jazz/trip hop kind of guy, and my foray into Wilco started with Summerteeth, which is probably their most indie rock record. I'm pretty sure I learned of Wilco from listening to Radio Paradise. However, this recording is just so complex and beautiful that I cannot help falling in love with it. I've also been listening to Ryan Adams lately (also heard of him on Radio Paradise). Anyone who is being turned on to alt-country (aka insurgent country) from a similar background of interests as mine should seriously check out Ween's country album (12 golden country greats) -- you will poop yer pants laughing and enjoy some really fantastic songs played by some serious musicians. You might also check out Hem. I've seen them live and they are also incredibly talented. . .


You can see a complete list of all Wilco discography, or go back to the Wilco tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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