A Ghost Is Born

Artist: Wilco
Label: Wea Japan
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 766487606240
EAN: 0766487606240
ASIN: B00020H8WQ

Release Date: 2004-07-01

A Ghost Is Born

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Tracks:

At Least That's What You Said
Hell Is Chrome
Spiders
Muzzle of Bees
Hummingbird
Handshake Drugs
Wishful Thinking
Company in My Back
I'm a Wheel
Theologians
Less Than You Think
Late Greats
Kicking Television

Customer Reviews:

Huh? What? What time is it?.......2006-01-30

Oh, sorry... fell asleep again. That seems to happen every time I put this on. You know how everyone describes a CD by saying "this sounds like X crossed with Y?" Well, watch the 11:10PM weather forecast on a really small market local newscast (preferably where it snows a lot), then filter in a really boring AA meeting, and you'll have "A Ghost Is Born."

In many Wilco reviews, there are phrases like "takes a while to sink in" or "takes repeated listenings." That is what people say when they really mean "this sucks, but I'm going to force myself to like it, since everyone else does."

Ok, Tweedy lost me here..........2004-04-23

My only thoughts on this album are as follows:

1.) When did Jeff Tweedy turn into Damon Gough? I miss the rasp.

2.) COME BACK JAY BENNETT!!!! Wthout Jay to temper Jeff's musical ramblings, the album comes off sounding less like the typical Wilco magic, and more like Tweedy's bedroom 4-track solo project. With Damon Gough singing. ahem.

3.) The guitar work is gorgeous- at times, that is. Hearing Jeff shred it up Neil Young style in "Hell is Chrome" is truly a transcendent, beautiful moment. Doesn't make up for the rest of the tune (which, I might add, was better when Counting Crows did it- it was called "Long December"...), and in the end, sitting throught a whole tune for 12-20 seconds of guitar genius just gets stale.

4.) "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9!" .....Ummm... did I hear that right? Don't expect any lyrical genius here. Apparently, the sort of ethereal lyrical beauty of "Via Chicago" and "Ashes..." is a thing of the past.

I want my Wilco back.

A gem is Born.......2004-04-22

After the Beautiful and great release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, where can Wilco go to top themselves? In a Ghost they did not top themselves, but went a completely different direction that makes this record a gem on its own merits and stands alone away from the likes of summerteeth and Foxtrot. Where Foxtrot and Summerteeth were lush with overdubs and sounded full, Ghost is sparce and stripped down. On the previous records Wilco has used upbeat music to go with often times dark themes in the Lyrics, this time Wilco's music mirrors it's lyrical content.

The Album starts off with "Least that's what you Said" a beautiful piece with only the sounds of piano and guitar to go with Tweedys quiet and meloncoly voice. As the song progresses, it shocks you with a wall on noise only to drive you into a rocking exposition that leaves you only wanting more. Songs like Theologians and Hummingbird hark back to Foxtrot and Summerteeth with their poppy melodies and lavish production. Hell is chrome is a dark piece built around the barest of instrumentation yet when you hear it, it sounds like so much more is going on. Spiders(Kidsmoke) is one of the two songs on here that the majority of people will probably shy away from and skip most of the time. Spiders is actually a brilliant piece of work. A mix of classic rock riff with the sounds of electric beats. The guitar solos are a bit avant garde and hard to listen to at times, but definately a piece worth taking notice at. Less than you think is another one. This is a beautiful ballad that ends with 10 minutes or so of "white noise". while many will find this to be an artistic statement, it comes off more as over self indulgence.

Overall, this is yet another strong outing for one of the best bands to come out of the past 10 years. For me, this was an album I had to hear a couple of times to get into, but once I did, and got what was going on in it, it became an instant love for me.

Woah........2004-04-22

Woah, its gonna be one hell of a summer. Gonna see Wilco once Jeff Tweedy gets out of rehab (doh) at Bonnaroo. Gonna be one hell of a show too, if they play everything from the amazing summer album "A Ghost Is Born". I think the expectations after YHF have poised this album on a pedestal for some; for others who didn't like YHF at all and want them headed back to their roots it could be either re-affirmation of their demise or a revival. I know, I'm in the former category, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was one of my fav albums of all time, but there were some people rumored to exist that felt otherwise ;) . But, it was SO good, it's like, what next? When I heard the tracklist, which includes "Handshake Drugs" from their "More Like the Moon" internet only EP, I was preparing the flames and bashing for Ghost with hand wringing glee. For sure, "Handshake Drugs" is a decent song, but I'm American damnit, I want an album that's better, faster, stronger, I want it all... and this song always felt like just an outtake off YHF that was the little brother of "Heavy Metal Drummer". Great for an EP, bad if the rest of the album follows those lines.

Well, those worries are over. The day has arrived (or, at least you can listen to the album in its entirety on their Candystations site), expectations are met, the sun is shining, and I officially declare the summer with its soundtrack to be upon us. Delivering not only the tracks we expect, some we don't but succeed none the less, but also expanding in some of the trippy YHF hints and even exploring a huge sonic dreamscape. Opening without flair or flash, dawn breaks with "At Least That's What You Said", a piano heavy with patented Tweedy lamenting. Nice way to wake up... but then the crunch of guitars enters jarring you, and then depositing you softly on soft keyboard and piano pillows while firing into the air with own Neil Young inspired skyrocket. Ok, awake now, and we settle into "Hell Is Chrome", a piano beauty evokes the Beatles, or maybe even some particular post Beatles work by the same. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)", the ten minute behemoth tweaks, jams, and rocks me until I collapse. I'm not ready for the rest of this. Those reverberating throwback psychedelic guitars that emerged teasingly in between the metronomic rhythm section...oh! "Muzzle of Bees" strips back some, and delivers some more acoustic and melodic relaxation, but don't worry the bridge has a little twang. "Hummingbird" has a feel similar to "Hell Is Chrome", but is even better to me, maybe more like The Turtles "So Happy Together". We won't discuss "Handshake Drugs" again. Time to cool down anyway, and right in the middle of the album "Wishful Thinking" does the trick. Refreshing, it begins with dreamy sound effects, keyboards, and cymbal rides almost in space music style. Leading into strumming guitar I can't help noting that the production and the way its placed together at the beginning remind me almost of some of the psychedelic aspects of Jerry Garcia's "Garcia" album. It finishes more like classic Wilco, and oh so well; this might be my favorite track it's so hard to pick. "Company in my Back" is enjoyable, but the energy really kicks back up on "I'm a Wheel" that is almost seventies rock in its construction. Seriously, between the lyrics, their deliver, the guitar... it has all the elements of rock from the seventies to the eighties. And it works! "Theologans" gets back to the more singer / songwriter stuff, and again we have something that could be a lost Paul Simon gem. Not that I thought it was possible, but night falls on the album as "Less Than You Think" eclipses the earlier behemoth clocks in at an epic 15:06. Much the way the show was closed on YHF with the gorgeous "Reservations", this track stretches out, develops slowly, but in the end is one of the most powerful album cuts. A huge spacey canvas that spots blips and bleeps of all assortments, this will fit right in with the Dead's space music at Bonnaroo! I'm out after that... I can't even stay up to review the closer "Late Greats". You'll have to check it out on your own. If you were hoping to return the Tupelo-ish roots, I'm sorry, by now you've probably regretted buying the record. But, if you were a true YHF fan, congrats, you have a new treasure in you collection.

Terrific Album.......2004-04-12

I haven't listened to the album enough times to really evaluate it but from the few times I have listened to it, its one of their best. I gave it 5 stars but I'd give that to any listenable Wilco album.

I love YHF but it took a while for it to really sink in. I liked AGIB immediately. Maybe because it has a more recognizable sound. Its nice to know Wilco can rock out when they want to.

I was worried that the band wouldn't be as good without Jay Bennett - especially considering how much I liked The Palace at 4 am. However, they went in a different direction. While Summerteeth and The Palace had a soft pop sound, this album goes for a harder edge sound. I'm almost glad Bennett left because now I can get two great albums every two years.

Music Album:

Music Album

Music Album

Music

Movin' Along ~ Wes Montgomery

Bluestone ~ Joh Yamada

Best Laid Plans ~ David Torn & Geoffrey Gordon

Kitsune-Bi ~ Satoko Fujii

Luaka Bop 10th Anniversary: Zero Accidents on the Job ~ Various Artists

Star Seeding ~ Bheki Mseleku

Loup Et Les Petites Chevres ~ Various Artists

Egyptian Cabaret Music ~ Jihan Judy Reda

Songbook, Vol. 1 ~ PB

Remembering the Future ~ NASA