#122: Wilco - Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002)

Remember forever ago when we had our first guest writer? And we weren't sure if we would ever do it again? Well, we are doing it again! This time our guest is Zack's co-worker/friend Matt Henry. Matt's a big Wilco fan. So much so that he's actually watched the documentary about the making of this album (I Am Trying to Break Your Heart). With that in mind, we decided to ask if he wouldn't mind writing a little something about the album. Low-and-behold, he didn't mind. 

Matt: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot was released earlier this past decade to much critical acclaim. Wilco's fourth (and still best album) was hailed as a new rock classic, and years later would dominate best of the decade lists from all sorts of publications. In case you are wondering if this album is that good, yes it is that good. As far as I’m concerned, YHFT represents that rare occasion where a band releases an actual album, not just a collection of singles padded by mediocrity. To take any of these eleven tracks out of context would be to miss the point entirely. All of these songs are individually their own, yet flow into and out of each other. That is not to say that having a track come up on shuffle on your mp3 player would be a mortal sin, but every song simply sounds better when accompanied by the others. The album opener I Am Trying to Break Your Heart works perfectly as an introduction: over the course of seven minutes it builds to its start, finds its timing, and deteriorates as soon as you think you know where it’s going. Reservations is the album closer in which you can just hear the track spiraling downward into a flurry of noise just as quickly as it starts. All of this sounds pretty experimental for what is considered a new rock classic, but most of these songs do play straight rock n roll. It’s that healthy dose of experimentation that makes this album so great.
Favorite Tracks: Radio Cure; Poor Places; I Am the Man Who Loves You

Zack: Wilco is one of those bands that almost everyone has heard of, but few people really know what they’re all about. Unfortunately, I used to be counted among those sad, sad people. But now I know. I know what an incredible album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is. After listening to the album, it becomes clear that Jeff Tweedy and Co. went into the project thinking big picture. They weren’t necessarily concerned with concocting a collection of songs as much as writing a complete album. This thematic focus was one I could certainly appreciate. Wilco also relied on a variety of instruments to build their sound. The song I Am Trying to Break Your Heart featured a kick ass xylophone and I’m the Man Who Loves You rocked the saxophone as if it was a Parliament track. All this is combined with more a more traditional rock set up to create an alternative album with a few minimalist orchestral characteristics. No matter what instruments are being used, the product is a soothing and melodic journey. While that may sound like it should be repetitive, Wilco manages to draw enough emotion out of the same tried and true formula to prevent that from happening. Some songs produce a sense of remorse, while others create the illusion of restrained excitement. The key to the diversity is Tweedy’s voice. He moans the lyrics out in a way reminiscent of Kurt Cobain, but at the same time in the exact opposite way. While Cobain’s singing was just about devoid of hope, everything Tweedy says on this album features a slight glimmer of optimism. Considering all the drama that was involved in the making of this album (kicking their drummer out of the band, getting dropped by their label, etc.), that optimism is even more remarkable. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a remarkable album that will certainly be a mainstay in my favorites for years to come. As for Wilco, well, let’s just say I’ve already “liked” them on Facebook. Yeah, that’s right. It’s Facebook official.

Favorite Tracks: I’m the Man Who Loves You; I Am Trying to Break Your Heart; War on War 

Emily: Though we’ve had a few setbacks and points of confusion, this list has been proving its merit recently through our recent choices – especially in the realm of alternative music. I’m happy to say that, once again, the list-makers have made an excellent selection. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is everything an alternative album should be. Its sound is eclectic, drawing from psychedelia, folk, and experimental, but it works together harmoniously. That’s because each song is melody-driven. The band experiments and embellishes their sound with different genres and instruments, but it all comes back to guitar-based melody. It’s not catchy or radio-friendly persay, but it’s familiar to listeners and easily hummable. However, hummability is not what makes a great album. What I loved was how the melodies lend themselves to storytelling. Each song tells a different story, and although they’re not directly related, they all fit together as one lyrical unit. I know there was a lot of controversy and problems surrounding this album, but that’s not what endures. The music should make the legacy, and Wilco certainly has established its alternative music legacy in Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. 

Favorite Tracks: Radio Cure; Poor Places; I’m the Man Who Loves You