Yankee Hot Foxtrot

Wilco, such an amazing band, part of what makes them so amazing is how unpredictable they are. Every album, every song, is a little adventure with Wilco. At the beginning, you are wondering where is Jeff Tweedy going to take us with this song, is he going to keep it in the realm of music, or is he going to send us into this cacophony of noise that is brilliant in its own way?
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is a perfect representation of how genius Wilco really is. The entire album is infused with electronic noise in the background but only a few songs do they really create their trademark cacophony. "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart," is one of those, and it's a great way to start off an album. Followed by, "Kamera," a mostly acoustic song describing someone who has lost their way in life. I think that's what most of this album is about, at least to me. Whenever I hear this album I get this idea of a person who is frustrated, lost, and doesn't like who they are. That's what is so incredible about this album is that at some point everyone in their life has disliked him/herself, and Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is definitely about that. "Ashes of American Flags," is a melancholy reminder of this when Jeff Tweedy sings, "I know I would die if I could come back new." I think most people would agree with that sentiment. Wilco is tapping into everyone's desire to start over.
To lighten the mood, "Heavy Metal Drummer," is thrown into the album in the second half as well as "I'm the Man Who Loves You." The former is a nostalgic melody about more innocent times in life for the person in this song its, "playing Kiss covers beautiful and stoned." The latter is full of lead guitar riffs that fade in and out towards the end of the song amidst lyrics that every girl wishes were about her, but it's not done in a cheesy fashion like a John Mayer song.
Before this shift in mood, "Jesus Etc." and "Radio Cure" are two beautiful songs that are a must listen to. Interestingly enough, the lyrics for each contradict the other. In "Jesus Etc." Jeff Tweedy sings, "you can rely on me, honey," where as in "Radio Cure" its kind of the opposite. Jeff Tweedy is singing that his, "mind is full of silvery stars," and "cheer up, honey I hope you can. There is something wrong with me."
Everything about this album makes it one of those albums you have to listen to before you die. The only song that might not make it so is, "Reservation," other than that it's a magnificent masterpiece created by one of the band's ever, Wilco.