Wilco

Being There

Be there or be square

Review Score:

(10/10)
I had an almost immediate dislike for this two-disc treasure trove the first few times I heard it--How derivative! I thought. I was so disappointed (this being my first experieince with any configuration of Uncle Tupelo or any of its post-breakup permutations) that I actualy gave my copy to a friend. Then a funny thing happened. I missed it. I missed comiserating with "Red-eyed and Blue," connecting with the angry final chorus of "Misunderstood," or the dreamy "Far Far Away," taping my toe to the Monkeys-esque "Outta Mind (Outta Sight)--not to be confused with the Replacements-esque "Outta Sight (Outta Mind)." Maybe what I was mistaking as derivative-ness was actually mastery of the folk rock form (and a few other forms, too). Half these songs sound like tunes someone should have written twenty (or sixty) years ago, but didn't. So I went out and bought it again and I've been a happy camper ever since.

I think one of the greatest strengths of this set is Jeff Tweedy's voice: a bit shaky at times, a bit uncertain, but gosh, he's sincere, and without ever slipping into pretentiousness--no mean feat. I BELIEVE him, for crying out loud. He's a breath of fresh air in a cynical age and culture--the anti-Marilyn Manson, if you will. That it's a two disc set for the price of one makes it the musical bargain of the decade, a virtual panarama of all that's best about folk/pop.

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