Greetings to The Motion Sick Blog!
I meant to post this before the end of 2007, but since this blog didn’t exist at that point; I’m using that as my excuse!
I’ve been recently reviewing all of the new music I listened to in 2007.. some old and some new. Through that review process, I was trying to find the one song from an artist (ideally, from a record that came out in 2007) that I could identify as my favorite. So, without further ado; that song is:
Impossible Germany, by Wilco; from the Sky Blue Sky disc.
Why this song? Well, for one, I played it 49 times over the course of the year, and considering that the record came out in May; that’s a decent number of plays. However, aside from logging the most minutes on my iPod, that song touched me far more than any other on this record; which I have to admit I liked quite a bit. It was a fairly stark departure from their previous two records (which I also liked…) and didn’t have the noticeable touch of Jim O’Rourke (who in some ways is my artistic hero) but the record still had a each member of the band doing just what needed to be done along with new comer Nels Cline, who provides a strong contrast to the Tom Verlaine inspired guitar solos on “A Ghost is Born”.
I think its probably best to leave the analysis of the lyrics to each listener; but my overall impression is the taking of two rather unlikely allies/lovers and thrusting them into a situation; not entirely of their own making, and the final reconciliation of that relationship…. After the lyrics come the extended guitar solo… which is so biting, yet sweet… it just cries out both the tenderness and paid of these two parties until the end where all three parts are playing in harmony.
So; that’s my top song for 2007.
Peace to you all, and good night!