Wilco | A GHOST IS BORN | CD

Wilco: Jeff Tweedy (12-string guitar, acoustic bass guitar); John Stirratt (piano, bass guitar); Mike Jorgensen (keyboards); Leroy Bach (vibraphone); Glenn Kotche.
Personnel: Jeff Tweedy (vocals, guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, baritone guitar, synthesizer, acoustic bass, loops); Jim O'Rourke, Leroy Bach (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, piano, organ, synthesizer, ARP synthesizer, bass guitar, loops); John Stirratt (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, synthesizer, loops, background vocals); Glenn Kotche (hammer dulcimer, synthesizer, drums, percussion, loops); Frankie Montuoro (hammer dulcimer); Karen Waltuch (viola); Mike Jorgensen (piano, Farfisa, synthesizer); Tim Barnes (percussion).
Audio Mixer: Jim O'Rourke.
Recording information: Sear Sound, New York, NY (2003); Soma E. M. S., Chicago, IL (2003).
Photographers: Peter Smith ; Mike Schmelling.
With A GHOST IS BORN, Wilco continues in the melancholy and experimental direction of the preceding YANKEE HOTEL FOXTROT. Those intrigued, if not downright fascinated, by Wilco's transformation from a no-frills alt-country group to an unpredictably inventive avant pop ensemble will find plenty to marvel at on this fifth outing.
"At Least That's What You Said" begins the album quietly with Jeff Tweedy's ragged voice singing softly over a gentle piano line, but the song soon gives way to gloriously tattered guitar soloing and full-band backing. "Hell Is Chrome" follows with Tweedy taking on a surprisingly plaintive vocal tone that hearkens back to 1970s soul ballads, while the nearly 11-minute "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" glides along on Krautrock-like keyboards and features more fierce guitar work. This isn't to say that Wilco has abandoned its sense of melody and pop songcraft, it's just that the group has found new ways to express these aspects of its sound. A GHOST IS BORN continues Wilco's remarkable streak of innovative albums and upholds their reputation as one of America's most adventurous rock bands.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Pop
• Released: 06/22/2004
• Released: 6/22/2004