MP3 of the Week

Ever since I heard Jeff Tweedy's cover of "Love and Mercy" on the radio last weekend, I've been on a Wilco binge that shows no sign of abating anytime soon.

I've been listening to a lot of early Wilco, mainly the stuff on the fantastic bootleg called Outta Print, Outta Site.

The other thing I've been listening to is a 10 year old live bootleg of a show that Tweedy and Jay Bennett did at a place called McCabes Guitar Shop.

Apparently McCabes Guitar Shop is in Santa Monica, CA.  I've never been there but I'll tell you the acoustics are pretty sweet in that shop.

Whenever someone who is not a Wilco fan asks me what Wilco record they should listen to, I always tell them Summerteeth.

I love the songs on Summerteeth. I think they are Tweedy's best work.  But the arrangements are a bit of a turn off for me.  Maybe that's why Jay Bennett isn't in the band anymore.

That hit me over the head like a ton of bricks when I heard the acoustic version of "I Am Always In Love" on Outta Print Outta Site. "I Am Always In Love" is on Summerteeth and its one of my favorite Wilco songs.

But hearing it played simply on an acoustic guitar and sung straight up was like drinking good coffee black without sugar and milk.  It's the way this song was meant to sound.

So with that long prelude, the acoustic version of "I Am Always In Love" is my MP3 of the Week.

Comments

[jackson]

That's why I love live albums, sometimes a good song is best served as you say, straight up. The temptation to over arrange in the studio can hurt a song.

[jeff lang]

Fred,
McCabes is a great, great place. By day it's one of the best guitar shops in LA (hence the name) where beautiful new and classic guitars hang side by side and even a novice klutz like me can take down a Rickenbacker and fantacize. At night they fill that same back room with folding chairs, not many, maybe 50-ish and a stage. The only things that stand up to the scenery are the acoustics and the the great acts they book.
You should defintely try to catch a show there when in L.A. Not sure where you stay when there but it's about 10 blocks up Pico from Shutters.

[Raj Bala]

Have you heard the Son Volt Retrospective? Not bad, but not fantastic.

http://www.75orless.com/?/archive/2005/06/son_volt_retros.php

I noticed the Modern Lovers listed in your favorite records list. We just saw Jonathan Richman about a week ago in Athens at the 40 Watt -- beautiful show. He played two great sets.

You should check out "Twin Cinema" by the fantastic Vancouver super-group, The New Pornographers. It's wicked cool. (release to be in August sometime)

Here's some other stuff that I am listening to at the moment that I think's worth checking out:

Art Brut - Bang, Bang, Rock n' Roll
Bloc Party - Silent Alarm
Iron And Wine - Woman King
The Brunettes - Mars Loves Venus
Dirty Projectors - The Getty Address
The Raveonettes - Pretty In Black
Devin Davis - Lonely People of the World, Unite!
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - s/t
Orange Juice - The Glasgow School
The Chap - Ham