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Thisyear, the question still stings.
Wilco was formed in the aftermath of the dissolution of beloved Illinois alt-country outfit Uncle Tupelo.
After the more experimentalA Ghost Is Borncame the jammierSky Blue Sky.
The laconic folk ofSchmilcochased the power-pop retrenchment ofStar Wars.
When Wilco starts to get comfortable, it changes again.
Tweedy had been writing a lot thanks to a challenge from hisglacier-climbingbuddies George Saunders and Nick Offerman.
Songs were recorded live, taped as quickly, loosely, and freely as they were written.
My impulse when I write is an almost obsessive-compulsive desire for order.
He wants to be good but doesnt know if it matters.
What good am I?, the unnervingly sweet All Across the World asks.
What good can I do / When I can barely stand / Knowing whats true?
Immediacy is the point withCruel Country, but a bit of polish might have smoothed the rougher edges.
