Warm
dBpm
2018
Rating: 6.5 rabid cats out of 10
The first* solo Jeff Tweedy record is finally here, which is kinda hard to believe after listening to him for so long and in so many different bands. The question is, what do you even expect from the solo output of a man who has such an extensive back catalog, nearly all of which he was the key (or one of the key) contributor and voice? Honestly, if you’re as familiar with the man’s work as I am, it sounds exactly like what you’re already hearing in your head – mellow, folky rock that would fit right in with the seventies AOR era. Tweedy has often been paired with other dominant personalities that heavily influenced his work – the twang/Americana of Jay Farrar (circa Uncle Tupelo), the bubblegum pop of Jay Bennett (circa Wilco’s early golden years), and the jam vibe of Glenn Kotche, Jim O’Rourke, and Nels Cline (circa the second half of Wilco’s output and his side project Loose Fur). At times these songs almost feel like demos or sketches of tracks that never made the cut of a Wilco record, so Tweedy decided to flesh them out for this full-length. That isn’t meant to imply they are second-run or unworthy – if nothing else, Tweedy is a damn good songwriter, even if he does sometimes require the flourish of others to put the tracks over the top. “Warm” takes a few listens to really sink in, but I’m really liking it now - I’ve revisited the combination of “Some Birds” and “Don’t Forget” quite a few times. There are no weak spots at all in “Warm,” it’s a perfectly enjoyable listen. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go listen to “Summerteeth” for the four billionth time.
*I’m not counting that mostly instrumental soundtrack he recorded, for obvious reasons.
