Over three years since the release of Schmilco, Wilco return with a positive message for our challenging times. Ode To Joy encourages the act of finding joy in a dark political climate, expressed through minimalist instrumentation and thoughtful lyrics. Mr. Tweedy discusses it thusly, “There MUST be more love than hate. Right?! I’m not always positive we can be so sure. In any case, I’m starting to feel like being confident in that equation isn’t always the best motivation for me to be my best self – it can kind of let me off the hook a little bit when I think I should be striving to contribute more love outside of my comfortable sphere of family and friends.” Ode To Joy follows two solo albums and a memoir by Tweedy, but all six members of the band contribute heavily here. Overall, this record features much of the delicate indie drawl Wilco are renowned for, but there are glitchy electric elements bleeding in at the margins and grounding these arrangements. “Bright Leaves” features guitars that sound on the edge of giving up - loose, buzzy strings over marching band drums and warm organ. “Everyone Hides” is a more uptempo sounding number, half-time jangle guitars among others played like pedal steel, sonically sharp and hazy at the same time. “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” is straightforward twang and electric hammer-ons, a tune both sun-kissed and serious.

• black vinyl pressing
  
• includes printed insert
• music label: DBPM Records 2019

reviewed by ONLY A LAD 06/2019