COVER TO COVER: Intention #1 ---
Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
This was the first record I reached for in my stack. I had to start here. It’s no secret; Wilco is my favorite band. I was introduced to Wilco by my friend Kelly Wininger, who turned me on to this very record almost twenty-five years ago while we were neighbors during our loft living days in Echo Park near downtown L.A. Last count, I have seen them live thirty some odd times. Clearly, I have lost count. This is the point where I would say, “My poor wife.” But that’s not the case. Deborah appreciates Wilco and we travel together to see shows. YHF is Wilco’s third studio album in a collection of thirteen efforts over thirty years. YHF is a terrific example of Jeff Tweedy’s ability to turn the dial from one to eleven and then let the air out of the balloon over the last two tracks. The Intention of Sequence. I always suggest to Wilco newbies to first listen to YHF in its entirety and if they like what they hear, move backward through their archive: Summerteeth to Being There to A.M. Afterward, move forward in their timeline to A Ghost Is Born to Sky Blue Sky. It will blow your mind. YHF is not my favorite record from Wilco, but it was a chrysalis for the band: From an alt-country band into arguably the best American touring act today. This album has its own long story as it changed the roster of the band and gave them license to experiment and make music on their own terms. There is a documentary about the making of YHF and its effect on the trajectory of the band’s path called I AM TRYING TO BREAK YOUR HEART. If you haven’t seen them live, check their schedule. They are coming soon to a city near you. <https://wilcoworld.net>