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A Ghost is Born

Almost a full year has passed since Wilco's A Ghost is Born was released. After listening to it all the time for months, I had to set it aside. I decided to pick it up again yesterday morning and it still sounds fresh to my ears.

"Spiders," "I'm a Wheel" and "Company in My Back" are some of the tracks I keep coming back to. Normally I can't stomach hearing a 10-minute track over and over again, but like Television's "Marquee Moon," "Spiders" builds and builds to a great conclusion. The song keeps going on and on and on and it ends without going too long. "I'm a Wheel" is a charging rock track while "Company in My Back" has such a beautiful chorus melody with a mandolin.

Like almost all of their records before, Wilco went through a major line-up change around the release of A Ghost is Born. Now a six-piece, I've heard nothing but positive reviews of their live shows. I'm curious what this new line-up can do in the studio.

There is talk of a new album in the works, but I don't think they're rushing into it. Should be cool to hear but until then, Sam Jones (director of I am Trying to Break Your Heart) filmed a few recent shows for a live DVD. That will be definitely be on my must-buy list whenever it comes out. I couldn't come out to see Wilco at ACL or at some big theater, so I think having a live set on DVD would be the best option.

Let's hope the line-up doesn't change before they start rolling tape . . .

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