/Blues rock, Indie rock, Rockabilly,
Alt-folk, Alternative rock, Americana, Alt-country/
Comment: It is not the first entry by the
Chicagoan juggernaut Wilco into the free music/netaudio world. Their most
critically acclaimed album Yankee Hotel
Foxtrot (2002, Nonesuch) got the name and some samples from Irdial`s The Conet Project: Recordings of Shortwave
Numbers Stations which is uploaded for free download at Archive.org.
Furthermore, the combo`s ex-member Jay Bennett (1963-2009) had issued his
latest album Kicking at the Perfumed Air
for free download either.
Star Wars is
mostly a solid, tradition-drenched issue. It is an Americana, roots-driven
sound though there are up some moments which used to reflect upon toward
rockabilly and even Suicide-inspired nervous template (Pickled Ginger). The 11-track album starts off with EKG wherein angular, galvanized guitar
shape apparently reminds of artists from the No Wave scene. The Joke Explained is a sonic bastard
somewhere between Lou Reed, Johnny Cash, and The Fall (at Mark E Smith`s most
rockabilly loaded self-indulgent moments). Stylistically the whole balances
between country, blues, folk and energized guitar rock. The favourite track of
mine is Magnetized which is a soulful
Americana glance with the assistance of theremin-alike high-pitched keyboard
chords. Very nice.