Wilco (The Thread)

I still maintain that A Ghost is Born is the clear #1 and I'm honestly puzzled by the rankings of A.M. and The Whole Love. Also, Star Wars should be higher. Okay, and how the hell do you put Sky Blue Sky – which I have actually come to appreciate – ahead of Being There? Apart from all that, these lists are fun to ponder, and good conversation starters.
 
I still maintain that A Ghost is Born is the clear #1 and I'm honestly puzzled by the rankings of A.M. and The Whole Love. Also, Star Wars should be higher. Okay, and how the hell do you put Sky Blue Sky – which I have actually come to appreciate – ahead of Being There? Apart from all that, these lists are fun to ponder, and good conversation starters.
It's like listening to people in the Wilco Facebook page say what their favorite record is, and reading the comments. Everyone gets all worked up, when they should just know that I'm right.
 
I still maintain that A Ghost is Born is the clear #1 and I'm honestly puzzled by the rankings of A.M. and The Whole Love. Also, Star Wars should be higher. Okay, and how the hell do you put Sky Blue Sky – which I have actually come to appreciate – ahead of Being There? Apart from all that, these lists are fun to ponder, and good conversation starters.
I feel like if they just swapped Being There with AM, it wouldn't be that bad of a ranking. Not exactly as I'd do it, but close enough.
 
I feel like if they just swapped Being There with AM, it wouldn't be that bad of a ranking. Not exactly as I'd do it, but close enough.
Yeah, it's all picking nits with these lists, which is still kind of fun. The other one that was tough to swallow is The Whole Love being dead last in their discography. I appreciate their more experimental side, and some of Nels' best recorded work with Wilco is on that one.
 
I still maintain that A Ghost is Born is the clear #1 and I'm honestly puzzled by the rankings of A.M. and The Whole Love. Also, Star Wars should be higher. Okay, and how the hell do you put Sky Blue Sky – which I have actually come to appreciate – ahead of Being There? Apart from all that, these lists are fun to ponder, and good conversation starters.
I don’t think I’ve done this since Cruel Country came out:
  1. Summerteeth
  2. Sky Blue Sky
  3. A Ghost Is Born
  4. YHF
  5. Being There
  6. Cruel Country
  7. Star Wars
  8. A.M.
  9. The Whole Love
  10. Schmilco
  11. Wilco (The Album)
  12. Ode to Joy
There’s a decent chance CC will creep into the top 5 at some point.
 
I don’t think I’ve done this since Cruel Country came out:
  1. Summerteeth
  2. Sky Blue Sky
  3. A Ghost Is Born
  4. YHF
  5. Being There
  6. Cruel Country
  7. Star Wars
  8. A.M.
  9. The Whole Love
  10. Schmilco
  11. Wilco (The Album)
  12. Ode to Joy
There’s a decent chance CC will creep into the top 5 at some point.
Might as well...

1) A Ghost is Born
2) Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
3) Being There
4) Summerteeth
5) Sky Blue Sky
6) Schmilco
7) Star Wars
8) A.M.
9) The Whole Love
10) Cruel Country
11) Ode to Joy
12) Wilco (the album)


In my mind, the top 8 are essential, and I love listening to each of them straight through. The bottom 4 are obviously all quality albums – each with some great tracks, but also just a bit too much filler to engage me in quite the same way.
 
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And... Pencils down!

1. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
2. A Ghost Is Born
3. Summerteeth
4. Cruel Country
5. Being There
6. Sky Blue Sky
7. Ode To Joy
8. A.M.
9. Schmilco
10. The Whole Love
11. Star Wars
12. Wilco (The Album)

As much as I tell people that Ghost is my number one, I only have to relisten to YHF to be reminded that it's a perfect record.

If the album version of 'handshake drugs' came close to matching the energy and dynamic range of when they play it live it would be even more difficult to place Ghost at #2.
 
I don’t think I’ve done this since Cruel Country came out:
  1. Summerteeth
  2. Sky Blue Sky
  3. A Ghost Is Born
  4. YHF
  5. Being There
  6. Cruel Country
  7. Star Wars
  8. A.M.
  9. The Whole Love
  10. Schmilco
  11. Wilco (The Album)
  12. Ode to Joy
There’s a decent chance CC will creep into the top 5 at some point.
I love the three albums you have listed before YHF, but any list that has YHF in fourth is a bit of a hot take in my opinion. Obviously, taste is subjective so you do you but this is type of thing that would make me questions someone’s opinions on pretty much everything else.
 
I love the three albums you have listed before YHF, but any list that has YHF in fourth is a bit of a hot take in my opinion. Obviously, taste is subjective so you do you but this is type of thing that would make me questions someone’s opinions on pretty much everything else.
That’s fine. It’s just a personal preference thing. There is very little separation among the top 4, tbh. I just never felt the same sense of ownership (as a fan) in relation to YHF as I do with the other three.
 
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