Part of Who Are Wilco? (Disc. #2)

Wilco

Summerteeth (1999)

(3 ½ out of 4)

 

Review By Chris Nowling: Following their 1995 debut, A.M., Wilco didn’t so much evolve as they intentionally transformed, barely resembling their twangy former selves as they dove headlong into rock ‘n’ roll on 1996’s double album Being There and then, two years later, turned their attention to arty pop song writing, producing 1999's sprawling Summerteeth. Though the band had started as a fragment of the disbanded Uncle Tupelo, Wilco sought to distance themselves from their former incarnation; and by Summerteeth, any resemblance to the former group would have been slight if not imagined. The new approach was largely defined by the more integral role that multi-instrumentalist Jay Bennett played in the creation of the album. In addition to playing guitar, keys, and occasionally bass and drums, Bennett was responsible for much of the pop-oriented production of frontman Jeff Tweedy’s material. However, and in light of arguments which transpired between Bennett and Tweedy during the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sessions, it’s clear that  Wilco's metamorphosis has always been driven chiefly by Tweedy's ambitions.

With Being There, Tweedy’s songwriting seems to be heavily influenced by the need to escape from the shadow of previous bandmate and Son Volt leader Jay Farrar, who enjoyed considerable more success with his new band initially than had Tweedy with Wilco’s debut. But whatever hard feelings Tweedy was holding onto seemed to have dissipated by Summerteeth's release, the lyrics of the album evoking much more emotional and heartfelt concerns: namely Tweedy's sometimes turbulent relationship with his wife and young daughter, coupled with his longtime pain killer addiction. Tweedy's personal struggles often make the stories on this album dark and depressive, even though the music usually sounds much more cheerful. “How to Fight Loneliness” is a sarcastic instructional on how to do exactly the opposite of its title; “Via Chicago” entertains spouse murder; and “She’s a Jar” includes the provocative line, “you know she begs me not to hit her.” Tweedy doesn’t spend the whole time wallowing in misery, but even on lighter tunes like “I’m Always In Love” and opener “Can’t Stand It,” the mood is underlined by a feeling of general unhappiness.

The accessible, engaging pop production here frequently belies the dreary lyrics with plenty of instrumental flourish, a friction which surprisingly emboldens the album. And as both the words and the music are excellently written and presented, Summerteeth was easily the most accomplished full length of Wilco’s career at the time of its release, and second only to 2002's masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in the grand scheme of their discography. “I’m Always In Love” is among the most radio-friendly of Wilco songs, with a driving rhythm section and squealing synth line working to enhance a relatively lively performance by Tweedy, while the slightly more countrified “ELT” follows a very similar formula to an equally strong end. “Shot In the Arm,” “Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway (Again)” and the title track all keep the energy high and the hooks coming, and despite the record’s somewhat overindulgent length, the entirety of the album is a compelling and consistent listen. The few lonely ballads ("We're Just Friends," "Pieholden Suite") add variety and depth to the proceedings, but Summerteeth is really just a great pop-rock album made to be played loud and often.

This record would be a suitable career highlight for any band, and so it is for Wilco, but as the group seemed determined not to get complacent, they never made another album like it (though you could argue that the recently released Wilco follows a similar musical direction). As such, Summerteeth is perhaps even more special because it’s truly unique to the group and really to almost any other band making music at the time. It illustrates the need to explore and improve that made Jeff Tweedy and company so extraordinary and unusual in their prime, and elevated them to the iconic status they maintain today.

Last Word:

Wilco’s most pop-oriented album marries Jeff Tweedy’s emotionally heavy songwriting with catchy melodies and accessible, engaging production courtesy of Jay Bennett. The result is the band’s second best album.

Review By:
Chris Nowling, Staff Writer

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