Wilco A.M.

I didn't think I'd get through my first album twice as quickly as I did today, but here I am sitting on the last track of A.M. about to type up my first review post.  I'd have to say it was an enjoyable afternoon and evening listening to Wilco's first album.  A.M. was released in March 1995, just a few months after the break-up of Uncle Tupelo.  For those that don't know, Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country (alt-country from now on) band that started in the late 1980s.  All of the members came out of Uncle Tupelo and after the split, Jeff Tweedy took over as front man of the new band, renamed Wilco.  The album follows in the tradition of Uncle Tupelo's music and is best defined as alt-country, but there are the beginnings of musical styles and influences that would evolve Wilco's sound over their next few albums.  The album has pretty solid flow to it and at 44 1/2 minutes long, it is pretty easy to find yourself at the end of the record wondering how you got there so quickly.  At the time it was released, music critics had mixed reviews of the album and it did not sell well.  It also didn't help that Tweedy's counterpart from Uncle Tupelo, Jay Farrar had started his own new band, Son Volt, who released their first album around the same time as A.M. to much better reviews and sales. 

From my own perspective, I think A.M. is an interesting album because it definitely is an album that highlights Wilco's roots in alt-country music.  You can hear the influences of musicians such as Neil Young, Gram Parsons, and the Byrds circa 1968 all over the album.  It's also interesting hearing and critiquing this album now in 2011, given the subsequent albums that Wilco made and how their musical sound evolved and moved away from their alt-country roots.  I enjoyed re-listening to the record and for any semi-Wilco fan that hasn't heard it yet, I'd say definitely check it out.  I would also recommend it to any alt-country fan that hasn't heard it yet.

Thank you to Wikipedia for always having awesome info available:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.M._%28album%29 

Standout tracks:
"I Must Be High"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fw730Mvz8o8

"Box Full of Letters"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gyZw5tvAhI&feature=channel

"Casino Queen"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXWb88SRFN4