I Belong To The Stars And The Sky

Wilco “Random Name Generator”

First off, Wilco naming their new album Star Wars is funnier than any Wilco joke you will ever make. Second, the “dad rock” thing is such a tired diss on this band, and is actually sorta infuriating when people who publicly praise extremely bland indie/folky stuff throw it at them, when Wilco has very often been a band that’s willing to be abrasive or weird. That’s certainly where they are on Star Wars, a record that has a relaxed spirit, but a frazzled, messy sound. It’s very much the sort of album you make when there’s no particular pressure on you, and you have the freedom to do whatever you want. There’s good and bad in that – on one hand, I really enjoy the aesthetic of this record and there’s a great stoned glam rock energy to “Random Name Generator” and “King of You,” but it does feel like the low stakes of this project had an impact on Tweedy’s songwriting, which is OK but not really at the level of the best Wilco material for the most part. They can get by on vibe, but I can’t imagine much of Star Wars having the enduring emotional impact of, say, “Jesus, Etc.” or “A Shot in the Arm.”

Get it for free from Wilco.