Daniel Cook Johnson

This guide walks the reader through the vast entirety of Wilco's canon, from Jeff Tweedy's days with Uncle Tupelo, through Wilco's debut ("A.M.") up to 2016's "Schmilco", including three volumes of the "Mermaid Avenue" sessions with Billy Bragg, which combined original music with unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics. Johnson does a fine job pulling together sources to reveal some of the studio dynamics, song origins, and audience receptions to various tracks.

For me, books like this are a bit of show more a crap shoot, as many artists play their cards close to their vests with the meanings behind certain songs, why they favor some songs over others, and their source material for inspiration. And it's always risky when an author chooses to attempt to decipher the meaning of abstract songs (see the many attempts to unravel the works of Dylan, Costello, Radiohead, and other lyricists who seek a certain enigmatic cubism to their songs). Johnson does a fine job going to the source, getting insights from Tweedy and other band members where possible, via press the band did for various releases and shows. He also lets some of music's more astute critics offer their thoughts around songs.

You quickly realize how polarizing Wilco's career has been, and how - for a band embraced lovingly for the 'Dad Rock' and alt-country genres they practically created - they always have detractors who either think they need to continue exploring sonic textures, as they did with "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost is Born", when they were dubbed America's Radiohead. Others yearn for them to get back to their more alt-country roots, as defined on "Being There" and deftly straddled with power-pop on "Summerteeth". Thankfully, they've mostly made the music they want to make, and their fan base has benefitted from, both, their explorations and their awareness of the value of returning to their core sound.

This book is a great guide for fans of the band who want to know more about the recording sessions, certain key songs and lyrics, and how the songs have fit into their live performances over the years. Each chapter also features recorded songs that didn't make a particular album but surfaced elsewhere, live recordings, and there's a chapter focused on cover songs they've recorded and/or performed.

I imagine I will go back through this book with my Wilco collection so I can follow along with each album and track, reacquainting myself with some songs that have fallen off my radar and learning more about songs that snuck past me. If you're a Wilco fan, Wilcopedia is a fine way to get to know one of America's most acclaimed and beloved bands. show less

I'm not a huge Wilco fan. I've seen them in concert twice, but both times were at festivals and they weren't my main attractions. That said, I've kept up and listened to most of their albums more than once. In any event, I enjoy these types of books that take a deep dive into individual tracks and detail influences and collaborations. If nothing else, Johnson's book pointed me towards more music to listen too. And isn't that the point?