Over the past two months, Tweedy -- the new project by Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy with his son Spencer playing drums -- have released eight singles from their debut album, Sukierae. On September 23rd, the album will be released on Tweedy's own dBpm Records. Stream it above in advance via NPR.
Sukierae opens with a surprise to everyone who thought it would be a downtempo, folky album. "Please Don't Let Me Be So Understood" is a dynamic and menacing garage rock song, with Jeff sneering lines like "You're so fucking boring" and "I don't want to be so understood." However, the song that follows, "High As Hello," takes the completely opposite approach. It's a delicate song, with lovely harmonies contributed by Lucius vocalists Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. That unpredictability is one of the album's strengths. Tweedy uses the project as a canvas for him to experiment with no boundaries.
Songs like "Diamond Light Part 1” demonstrate the experimental side of the record. The whole track creates a frightening atmosphere, further punctuated by a dissonant piano solo and Jeff Tweedy softly murmuring, "Are you scared? / Are you frightened? / Terrified of being alone," over moaning atmospherics. There are also some fascinating guitar freakouts, especially prevalent at the end of "World Away."
The standout track of the record, however, is "Low Key," a joyous romp about being laid-back. The instrumentals are relaxed and uptempo. It sounds like a jam session where the Tweedy boys are just having fun, and the chorus is guaranteed to stay with the listener long after the album is finished.
The downside about making a record without any restrictions is that it can end up being disjointed, and that's unfortunately what befalls Sukierae at times. The record is a sprawling 20 tracks and 71 minutes long. There are a lot of ideas, many of them interesting, but it doesn't make for a cohesive record. Rather, it's just a collection of songs.
Overall, though, Sukierae is a strong effort from the band. It shows a wide range of styles and has some truly wonderful moments. The album comes across as easygoing and fun, something that allowed the duo to fully express their many creative ideas.
Sukierae is currently available for pre-order on Amazon and iTunes.
For the latest on Tweedy, including news, music and upcoming tour dates, check out Jeff Tweedy's Zumic artist page.
Source: NPR First Listen