With only a few more months until the release of their new album,The Whole Love ,Wilco are giving us a taste of what to expect...but only if you have a record player. On their newly formed label, dBm, which is also under the distribution of Anti- Records, Wilco released a 7"(with an mp3 download card) of two songs: a new track ("I Might") and a Nick Lowe cover ("I Love My Label"). Both songs deliver the band's diversity and talent of what they have been producing for over a decade. Lead singer Jeff Tweedy has certainly gone through a few downs (rehab, lineup changes), but has shared plenty of ups too. Now with their own label, Tweedy and crew are ready to deliver an album that is a better result from their 2009 effort, Wilco, (The Album).
Wilco has evolved from the "y'all-ternative" genre to sophisticated productions on classic albums such as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, A Ghost Is Born, and Summerteeth. Although their last album, Wilco (The Album), was a decent effort for creating a poppier sound, the two song teaser reveals that they are going in a different direction through older, retro sounds. As "I Might" begins (a rugged acoustic riff and a fuzzed out bass line), I noticed this was a different band. Then came in the retro sounding keyboard riff and then I realized...it was still Wilco. That's the beauty about this band-the different influences they put into their music always throws their fans into a temporary suspicion. "I Might" was a perfect choice to release as a single because it shows a band now that is tired of pressure and is just ready to have fun. The melodies are comparable to deceased ex-member Jay Bennet's influence in which he played in the band's mid career albums (i.e. Summerteeth).
On the reverse is the Nick Lowe cover "I Love My Label". A playful jaunt on how most major labels work. As one could see in their 2002 documentary,I Am Trying To Break Your Heart, the irony of being on a major label is shown by being dropped by one famous label (Sire), and then signed to another sister label(Nonesuch) of the same parent company (Time Warner). You may hear a lot of bands talk about the horrors of being with a major label and what they have to contractually fulfill, but Wilco were always stubborn in that case. Even when they were on major labels, they operated on an independent level through constant touring, recording, and more touring. This is why Wilco has thrived so much on the American rock circuit as a band who has not given up their identity on major label terms. From their first album A.M. to the forthcoming Love, Wilco will continue to make music the way they want regardless of what label is printed next to the bar code.
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