Brad Matthew

UPDATE: Looks like Wilco (The Album) was leaked last night, so in response the band has put the whole album up on their site to stream.  Listen to it HERE!

About a month ago I had the pleasure of seeing Wilco up in Milwaukee at the second of 2 sold out shows at the Pabst Theater. During the show, Jeff Tweedy made reference to a photo shoot before the show that would possibley result in being the cover of their seventh LP, Wilco (The Album), due out June 30, 2009. Well, the results are above. Ha! That is one hell of a album cover I must say. Anyone recognize the Milwaukee location this was taken at?

Wilco (The Album) Track Listing:

1. “Wilco (The Song)”
2. “Deeper Down”
3. “One Wing”
4. “Bull Black Nova”
5. “You and I”
6. “You Never Know”
7. “Country Disappeared”
8. “Solitaire”
9. “I’ll Fight”
10. “Sonny Feeling”
11. “Everlasting Everything”

Wilco debuted the opening track, “Wilco (The Song)”, on The Colbert Report in October of last year.  Pretty awesome tune!  Really looking forward to this album.

“Wilco (The Song)” on The Colbert Report

I know I know, I haven’t been blogging all that much lately.  I sincerely apologize to my 5 loyal readers!  It is hard to blog when you spend 9+ hours working in front of a computer everyday.  Ugh.  Anyways, here are 10 concerts you should attend if you are living in the Chicagoland area.  I will be at most of these, so perhaps I will see you there?  Party!

1. The Whigs @ Bottom Lounge - March 13
2. Dr. Dog @ Double Door - April 10
3. Ha Ha Tonka @ Subterranean - May 2
4. Bruce Springsteen @ United Center - May 12
5. Wilco @ The Pabst Theater (Milwaukee) - April 14 & 15
6. Blitzen Trapper @ Empty Bottle - February 19 (Tonight)
7. Death Cab for Cutie @ Aragon - April 17
8. Les Claypool/Devotchka/Saul Williams @ The Riviera - March 21
9. Margot and the Nuclear So and So’s/Cloud Cult @ Metro - April 1
10. Raphael Saadiq @ Park West - March 12

Photo: Eyton Z

Here are my top concerts of 2008.  My Morning Jacket is one of best live bands ever and their show at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee was one of the best shows I have ever been to. Whoa! The energy in that theater was through the roof and frontman Jim James was absolutely on fire. I also have to give props to the Milwaukee crowd.  They are not one to be categorized as a stand and nod audience (too hip to act like you’re into the music *Cough* Chicago crowds). MMJ returns to Chicago December 27 & 28 for their rescheduled shows at the Chicago Theater.  Tickets are sold out, but you can find some on craigslist for a decent price.  Go to one of these shows!

1. My Morning Jacket - Riverside Theater, Milwaukee
2. Radiohead - Lollapalooza, Chicago
3. Kings of Leon/The Whigs - Eagles Ballroom, Milwaukee
4. David Byrne - Civic Opera House, Chicago (Review)
5. The Whigs - Volume (SXSW), Austin
6. Man Man/Yeasayer - Logan Square Auditorium, Chicago
7. Death Cab for Cutie - The Riviera, Chicago (Review)
8. Wilco - The Riviera, Chicago
9. The Avett Brothers/Ha Ha Tonka - Congress Theater, Chicago (Review)
10. Beck/MGMT - Aragon, Chicago (Review)
11. Nada Surf/Delta Spirit - Metro, Chicago
12. Neil Young - Allstate Arena, Chicago
13. Kings of Leon - The Warfield, San Francisco (Review)

Note that a lot of these bands also released an album that made my “Top Albums of 2008” list.  What were your favorite concerts of the year?

Windy City lion’s, Wilco, will be on “The Colbert Report” this evening to chat it up with Steven and play a tune.  Perhaps a new tune?  Yes please!  This past weekend, they debuted two new songs at Bridge School Benefit in Mountain View, California and have been reportedly shacking it up in the Loft, writing a new album that is supposed to be released sometime in the first half of 2009.  Wilco will be hitting the road with Neil Young in December and for you Madison, Wisconsinites, Wilco will be playing a special Concer For Change show this Saturday, November 1.  Vote Obama and see ya’ll at Grant Park Tuesday evening! VOTE NOW!

Wilco and supporting act Fleet Foxes united to cover Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released” during a tour stop through Spokane, WA.  Those Fleet Foxes cats sure know how to sing. Boy o’ boy!

Wilco will be supporting Neil Young for a string of shows this winter.  Unfortunately this will not include Neil Young’s stop in Chicago December 9 at Allstate Arena.  Bummer! In other Wilco new, their seventh LP, the follow-up to Sky Blue Sky, is already in the works and will be out by spring.  Jeff Tweedy broke the news during a stop by Albany radio station WAMC. Check out this excerpt from Billboard:

Tweedy says he expects Wilco will “allow ourselves a little bit more leeway in terms of sculpting the sound in the studio and doing overdubs and using the studio as another instrument. Last time around, it was more of a document.”

Tweedy told WAMC he’s going through a phase where he “kinda hate[s]” all of Wilco’s six prior albums, because “none of them are a statement that I would be comfortable making right now at this point in my life. They all served their purpose, and in that respect I’m proud of all of them.

“But as something that feels artistically in keeping with who I am today, I think that they are inevitably going to fall short of that as time goes on. I mean, they just don’t continue to mean the same things to me, and a new record is kind of where it’s at.”

Wilco debuted a new tune, “One Wing”, during their Lollapalooza set.  Not too sure what I think of it.  Take a listen for yourself.

Wilco - “One Wing” (Live at Lollapalooza 2008)

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Neil Young w/ Wilco, Everest:

11/29 Halifax, Nova Scotia - Metro Centre
12/01 Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
12/02 Ottawa, Ontario - Scotia Bank Place
12/04 Toronto, Ontario - Air Canada Centre
12/07 Detroit, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
12/12 Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Spectrum
12/15 New York, NY - Madison Square Garden