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Following up the truly magnificent ‘Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’ was never going to be easy, but with ‘A Ghost Is Born’ Wilco has managed to produce a record of equal impact if not of consistent quality. On the whole, ‘A Ghost Is Born’ is a quieter, more introspective album than its predecessor and this is most evident on the aching, melancholy heart of the record, the five tracks from ‘Muzzle of Bees’ to ‘Company in My Back’. These songs are strongly piano-led, with string flourishes and splashes of guitar augmenting Tweedy’s lyrics which speak of alienation, uncertainty and instability. The lines from ‘Handshake Drugs’ are a perfect example: “I looked someone I used to know/I felt alright/And if I ever was myself I wasn’t that night.” But this remarkable record cannot be generalised, because elsewhere there are some striking differences in style. ‘Spiders (Kidsmoke)’ is a 10-minute monotonous ‘Krautrock’ chugger whilst the opener, ‘At Least That’s What You Said’ features a fiercely squally guitar attack. ‘I’m a Wheel’ is a weak track, approaching sub-indie thrash and as forgettable as a Sebadoh B-side. Worthy of highlighting because of its sheer willful awkwardness is ‘Less Than You Think’; fifteen minutes long but fully ten of these are nothing but droning and rumbling sounds. God knows what the label bosses thought of this, and I suppose Tweedy is to be admired for his bravery, but the truth is that the drone section does not work and seems a pointless exercise. He should listen to the Body Haters’ ’34:13’ to hear how drones and industrial noises can be made compelling. But there is yet another facet to ‘A Ghost Is Born’ because in between ‘Less Than You Think’ are ‘Theologians’ and ‘The Late Greats’, two joyous, upbeat stomping tracks which recall the band’s more carefree early material. ‘The Late Greats’ is particularly enjoyable, genuinely funny and ends the record on a positive note. So overall, what is ‘A Ghost Is Born’? It is a true heavyweight rock album: demanding; richly textured; beautifully melodic; supremely well-played and performed; delightful yet frustrating and exasperating as well. It sounds like it is suffering from some mental illness, a personality disorder perhaps, but it is compelling and vital as well. I cannot give it five stars yet I would recommend it without hesitation and it is a real favourite of mine. A true mass of contradictions, but at its best solid gold.Read full review
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