I'm not feeling the new CD much yet. Oddly, the critics are praising it as a needed return from the experimentation of "Ghost" and "Yankee," but it sounds pretty conventional to me. I thought those albums (and "Summerteeth") were a huge leap forward from "A.M." and Tupelo, too. I'm also a little surprised that "Is That the Thanks I Get" was passed over in favor of a couple of the songs included.

Songs I like so far: "On and on and on," "What Light," "Impossible Germany."

Any comments on wilco fully licensing the whole album to Volkswagen for a series of TV commercials.

I've been with them a long time, too. Bennett was indeed a huge stepping stone for Tweedy (he's pretty pathetic without Tweedy, though, as attested by some Chicago friends), and he can'tbe credited with the excellent "Ghost is Born."

Anyway, I'm off to see Wilco in two weeks in Northampton.

I completely agree. I think his ballads are his best: "Via Chicago," "Wishful Thinking," "Reservations," "Hummingbird," (ballad? I don't know, but not a rocker), "Either Way," "Lonely 1," "Far, Far Away," "Jesus, Etc."

Goddamn, I love "Via Chicago."

after kicking TV, when they got the songs from ghost right, I thought they would head in that direction...but really this cd has proven lifeless. Some good songs to be sure, but after well over a dozen listens, there isn't a song on there that I say...now THAT is a great song, lets cue it up.