This album continues to only get better for me as time goes on. In almost any other case, a 75-minute soft rock album is going to be a total non-starter for me, but when literally every song is perfect, it's pretty tough to argue with stuffing this thing as full as possible as they did. It was an obvious creative surge moment for them that continued at the highest level for another three or four albums, but for me, this is when Wilco became Wilco. "Misunderstood," "Outtasite (Outta Mind)," "Monday," "Say You Miss Me," "The Lonely 1," I could go on and on with naming classic tracks from this record.

Reviewed on Friday, January 13th, 2023, 11:42am.

It'd be really hard for me to argue with anyone saying this is one of the greatest albums ever made. It ended up being my first introduction to Wilco, and will always hold a top spot for me, though maybe one or two other albums I could say I prefer on a given day. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is as close to perfect as it gets, and I think it really can fit any mood or vibe. It begins to really delve into some of the more experimental leanings that Wilco have come to lean on at times, while also maintaining really catchy and accessible songwriting. There are tons of melodies sprinkled throughout that remain memorable long after the record stops spinning.

Reviewed on Friday, January 13th, 2023, 11:47am.

A Ghost is Born hits on all the best aspects of Wilco, in my opinion. There are many fantastic, pithy indie rock songs mixed in with longer-form freakout experimentation, easily the two sides of the Wilco coin that I appreciate and love the most. From the shattered electric guitar of the "At Least That's What You Said" opener and the extended "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" to the lighter and airier "Wishful Thinking" to some straightforward rock like "I'm A Wheel," this album has everything.

Reviewed on Friday, January 13th, 2023, 11:50am.

Summerteeth is probably the purest, most distilled version of Wilco there is, teetering right on the edge of alt-country and indie rock, and blending both incredibly well. I feel like it's the perfect middle ground between the first two albums and then Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born, making it one of their more classic albums. I think the only thing keeping it from being my favorite is simply that I love when Wilco gets a little weird with it, which is why I tend to favor those latter two albums of the first five. It's still an easy ten out of ten, and easily one of my most-listened-to of their records given how well it straddles all of their styles. I love so many songs from this album: "Can't Stand It," "She's a Jar," "A Shot in the Arm," "I'm Always in Love," "How to Fight Loneliness," "Via Chicago" -- my god so many. Is this my favorite Wilco album?

Reviewed on Friday, January 13th, 2023, 2:37pm.