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Well one reason could be that Sky Blue Sky is a return to their alt.country roots of ten years ago. Wise move from my point of view as this CD in the car is made for summer blue sky or a bit of a cry into your beer in a singles bar. That’s to say, this is the closest to the cool country rock of The Byrds, Gram Parsons, CSN&Y, Flying Burrito Brothers family of the 70s scene I have come across in many a long year.

You know how Gilles Peterson drops in an odd Neil Young track in the summer now and then or goes off at a tangent like raving about Steve Earle at a festival, well this is the album for that type of open mind.

The album kicks off with a couple of tracks that showcase new band members, Pat Sansome (Hammond organ) and Nels Cline (electric guitars). The organ gives us that soul sound like ‘Sir’ Ian Maclaghlan who spiced up Billy Bragg’s set at Wychwood last year in the scorching heat. Tweedy even trys a bit of a Faces impersonation on ‘Hate It Here’!

‘Impossible Germany’ has its Harvest moments but it’s the title track that will bring a lump to your throat aided by the lap steel guitar work of Cline. If you’re looking Bright Eyes for grown ups (Sorry Conor, I don’t mean it in a bad way), this is a great place to start.

Bandleader Tweedy is noted for his songwriting and highlights are ‘Side with the Seeds’ and the strangely 70s pub rock of ‘Walken’ and ‘Shake It Off’.

But what of Glenn Kotche whose Mobile we loved so much and alerted us to the existance of Wilson in the first place? Well if truth be told, he keeps a fairly low profile here and even when he takes to the glockenspiel (‘Please Be Patient With Me’), it’s low in the mix.

You can imagine the temptation to ask for label mates Emmylou Harris or Ry Cooder to make a guest appearance on any of these tracks to push up the profile. Thankfully that idea has been resisted as Tweedy’s songs are strong and the band showcases them superbly.

Sky Blue Sky is said to be their best album yet, let’s hope they’ll stay together, yeah!

Reviewed: Wilco - Sky Blue Sky (Nonesuch) Cat. No. 7559-79981-9 Release date: 15th May 2007
Tracklisting
1. Either Way (3:05)
2. You Are My Face (4:38)
3. Impossible Germany (5:57)
4. Sky Blue Sky (3:23)
5. Side With the Seeds (4:15)
6. Shake It Off (5:40)
7. Please Be Patient With Me (3:17)
8. Hate It Here (4:31)
9. Leave Me (Like You Found Me) (4:09)
10. Walken (4:26)
11. What Light (3:35)
12. On And On And On (4:00)

Links:
www.wilcoworld.net
Wilco also appeared on BBC Two — Later… With Jools Holland on Friday (May 25). They performed ‘You Are My Face’ and ‘Sky Blue Sky’.
Dermot O’Leary on Saturday (May 26) www.bbc.co.uk/radio2
www.glennkotche.com
www.nonesuch.com
Gilles Peterson :: Tracklisting 31/07/03 :: Box of Delights
Neil Young ­ ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ (Reprise)
Gilles Peterson :: Tracklistings: 01/08/2002 :: Box of Delights
Neil Young — ‘Old Man’ (Reprise Records)