Customer Reviews

Summerteeth (2 LP 180g vinyl with bonus CD)

5 star:		(137)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

I love Uncle Tupelo. Unlike so many people who have been drawn to Son Volt and Wilco through the emergence of "altenative radio", I have been listening to Uncle Tupelo for a long time and I have always hated Jeff Tweedy. Jay Ferrar was always the romantic, Neil Young inspired tunesmith (what a horrible word!). Through all of their records, I found myself ignoring all of Tweedy's harder-edged contributions to that incredible band. So when I picked up "Summer Teeth", I did so grudgingly (for want of anything else in the store at the time)and then felt like such a misdirected fool. This record is so dense, so immediate, so seemingly heartfelt and direct that I had to go back and re-evaluate all of my attitudes.

This is an incredible pop album influenced by hard core country sentiment, rock & roll experimentation (which probably bummed me out so much about Jeff Tweedy's work in UT), and just great heart-felt songwriting. What incredible songwriting! The arrangements are intelligent and (should I sound stupid) overwhelmingly daring for a band birthed from American roots-rock. Jeeeze. The first couple of songs cruise though, then "A Shot in the Arm" hits. You can just feel this one. Then the perfect pop of "I'm Always in Love" (nice baritone guitar and Moog) and "Nothing's evergonnastandinmyway (again)". Then "Via Chicago" rolls through. Wow. This is an album for people who listen to their music, for people who want to feel something. Tweedy's voice just drips with emotion and loss and I buy it. The production is, again, dense and relevant. Moogs, guitar noise (a bad thing done so without intention), and strings all play together amazingly. I, for one, amhumbled by how well this record is crafted. And it is crafted: everything works, everything drives the songs forward. This is one of the best albums of the nineties and maybe (we'll see) one of the best of all time.

I still love Son Volt and UT, but if Jeff Tweedy keeps throwing out stuff like this, I'll have to reevaluate the importance of those bands. Right now, with each Son Volt album mining the same roots rock seam, Wilco, with it's experimental bent is forging a future even this UT fan can't argue with.

This disc is so across the board, you truly can't really pin it down to a certain group of people's tastes. so i guess i'll try to pin it down.

if you're a fan of the beatles/the beach boys/the kinks/the byrds/any good 1960s pop band: you'll like SUMMER TEETH's melodic, catchy, hook side, sort of experimental side. Familiar sounds might be 12 string electric on hook heavy "can't stand it" and the great pop of "nothingsevergonnastandinmyway(again)" and mellotron on the previous mentioned along with "she's a jar" and "my darling" (with beatles and beach boys influences clearly evident) and backward piano on "how to fight loneliness". also, note the timpani on "a shot in the arm".

if you're a fan of elvis costello/devo/80's pop: you'll like SUMMER TEETH's use of angular song forms and synths on songs like "a shot in the arm", "im always in love" and "elt".

if you're a fan of beck/radio/experimental 90's stuff: you'll like all the previously mentioned songs have the element of the computer's effect on music today. almost all the songs on here sound like they were ran through protools. which they probably were.

if you're a fan of britney spears/nsync/shaggy: um...you NEED SUMMER TEETH :)

all these "if you likes" sort of have a common denominator: they're all sort of an influence, by each other and together. well, not the last one. A HEADPHONE RECORD ALL OVER THE PLACE - A 90s "REVOLVER".

There is no two ways about it..this is simply the best record I've heard this decade...from the first chords of Can't Stand It to the last notes of A Shot In The Arm's second version, this is simply 60 minutes of the best music you'll come across this year. Wilco have traded their No Depression roots for Big Star-ish power pop, Beach Boys harmonies, Wall Of Sound production, Beatles inventiveness....and it's all for the better. In fact, this is the album Big Star fans could have been hoping for all along, if the band had stuck together for a few years. Jeff Tweedy's long time fans may not acknowledge this on the first listen, the possessiveness of alt-country fans coming a close second to folk-era Dylan fans, and the cries of "Judas!" may haunt this band for years. But music fans should learn to look further, open their ears and realize this may be as good as it gets... The instrumentation is very unusual, ranging from bells, mellotrons to E-bow guitars and Moogs, and only the slightest hint of a steel-guitar here and there. Each song contains enough surprises to come back to this record every day, meaning this album will very well stand repeated listening (I'm at 14 and counting since I bought it 3 days ago)... The shear amount of instruments and studio tricks used by the band also means you are likely to discovering new sounds every single time you press the play button...

As for the songs themselves, this could be loosely described as a song cycle about failed relationship(s), with a measure of redemption coming in the end... From the opener Can't Stand It ("No loves as random as my love/I can't stand it...I can't stand it..."), up to Via Chicago, it seems to be all the way down for Jeff, despite the sheer joy of the music in the likely single Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again)...Via Chicago starts with some of the bleakest lyrics Jeff has ever written "I dreamed about killing you again last night/and it felt alright to me" (which were in fact allegedly written with his wife...) but then things slowly seem to turn around, until the first hidden track, Candyfloss, that is one of the purest pop songs you'll hear this year, even if radio airplay is unlikely. That songs climaxes with operatic voices in the background, which seems almost as clever as the "handclaps in the chorus" of the aforementionned Nothing'sever... Pieholden Suite, which may be the best song here, starts quietly but adds somthing at each verse, and concludes with a melancholic trumpet solo. The lyrics also show a stunning growth from Tweedy's days as co-leader of Uncle Tupelo, and if you do not shed a tear over at least one song here, your heart is made of stone...

To put it mildly, chances are that listening to this record you'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll want to die but in the end, you'll want to fall in love all over again...and press that repeat button over and over and over....

Do yourself a favor...pick this one up...5 five stars are not enough...a clear summer night's worth of stars would still be not enough...it's just THAT good...

If, like me, you've simply fallen in love with this record...tell everyone you know about it...if anything deserves to become a hit, this is it...

Even with the great 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot' under their belt, Wilco are still seem to be one of the most under-appreciated bands around. You've got legions of Wilco fans that are separated into particular album groups, others are enjoying every album in its own right, and some fans aren't sure at all. Personally, I happen to be in the middle category, but I can still say that 'Summer Teeth' is my all-time favorite and has yet to be topped.

There is just something about this record that makes me feel good, despite the dismal lyrics on most of the songs. Maybe it's the fact that those lyrics are placed cleverly with upbeat melodies, but for me this record always evokes a place in time, like a fond childhood memory. But maybe that's just me.

I never get tired of this album; it's in constant rotation in my car, personal CD player, or blasting from my stereo at home. I fell for "I'm Always In Love" hook, line, and sinker from the beginning because it is definitely the stand-out track on the album, as far as unique sound goes. Then I heard "Via Chicago" and fell in love with Jeff Tweedy's lyrical prowess---he can sing like he is indifferent to what he's saying/feeling like no other. The title track is another favorite. With lyrics like "And every evening when he gets home/To make his supper and eat it alone/His black shirt cries while his shoes get cold", again set to cheerful music, it's hard to know what to feel while listening to it. But with the words "It's just a dream he keeps having", it's like he's trying to reassure that something isn't wrong.

Tweedy's lyrics are like no other in music today, and 'Summer Teeth' showcases not only that, but how different yet enjoyable a great alt-country/alt-pop album can be.

Maybe it's because I live out in the country and don't listen to the radio, but I got on the Wilco boat after most folks had been around the lake a few times. There was a huge buzz surrounding Wilco after the release of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot in 2002, but I didn't get my hands on it until much later. After I fell in love with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, I was recommended Summerteeth. While I'm on the boat now, I still consider myself a newcomer to the Wilco. I don't have all the albums yet and I haven't read the books (though I did enjoy the documentary I Am Trying To Break Your Heart), so this review is for all those other newcomers that I eager to find out what this Wilco band is all about.

One thing that strikes me as odd is that across the board, Wilco is classified as a country band. I'm not sure how that happened, but to all those narrow minded folks out there saying "I like all kinds of music except country," don't be like that; give it a shot. I maintain that truly great music transcends genre. The arrangements of these songs are rich with harmonicas, piano, guitar, and ambient electronic noise. The lyrics are nothing short of brilliant.

Summerteeth is not as intricate as Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. That isn't a criticism, just an observation. Summerteeth is a shining example of Wilco's beautiful and humble beginnings.

Truly excellent tracks: Can't Stand It, She's A Jar, I'm Always In Love, Nothing'severgonnastandinmyway(again), Pieholden Suite, Via Chicago, My Darling,

Songs that will grow on you: A Shot In The Arm, How To Fight Loneliness, ELT, When You Wake Up Feeling Old, Summer Teeth

Summer Teeth is a celebration of pop music. Jeff Tweedy wears his influences proudly on his right sleeve while still hiding something up his left. Great music like this sometimes takes a while to fully digest. As a curious admirer of Uncle Tupelo I watched Tweedy reinvent himself from pissed off cowpoke to a full fledged Burt Bacharach in ripped flannel.. This album is what "Pet Sounds" could have been. It rides the ghost of Brian Wilson and picks up cosmic, musical hitchhikers like Arther Lee , Elvis Costello and a healthy dose of the Beatles. Alternately sweet and angry "Teeth" pulls you in with warm hooks and sunny soundscapes. Once inside Tweedy lays his soul bare while simutaneuosly exposing ours. Its timeless, classic and a welcome reminder of what music could be in these depressing one hit wonder times. My advice is to be patient. Not many people have been immediately blown away by the album but it grows on you like a Christmas sweater. Wilco is well on its way to becoming the Great American rock-n-roll band. Buy the album and enjoy the ride.

I simply can't say enough about "Summer Teeth" --or Wilco themselves, for that matter -- so I'll try to be succinct. This album is nothing short of a masterpiece. I know, I know ... longtime Wilco & Tupelo fans may scratch their heads at the obvious lack of twang on this record, but don't dismiss it on that count. It's different, yes, but in a glorious way.

When Wilco's last CD, "Being There," came out, it took me a couple of listens to get used to the idea that the band might be shedding a little of their roots-rock sound. But soon the cd pulled me in & hooked me. It's since become one of my fave albums. Now that I'm used to their new direction & evolution, I became instantly addicted to "Summer Teeth."

So Wilco fans, don't fight the band's emerging new sound...It's wonderful, especially if you dug tunes like "Sunken Treasure" off of "Being There". Imagine Jeff Tweedy has dinner with Brian Wilson and late-60's/early-'70's Beatles. That'll give you a vague idea of the sound of "Summer Teeth," but not nearly enough. You have to experience this work of genius yourself.

This is actually "Pet Sounds" for the '90's. The production values make me want to do cartwheels, they're so perfect. I could take a bath in this album. The layering is endless but somehow never excessive. The instrumental performances are vibrant, tasteful and flawless, especially with the stylings of boy wonder Jay Bennett on everything from keys to moog. Kudos to the band for having the courage to throw in some of the unexpected synth sounds and other instrumentation that gives "Summer Teeth" its exhilerating bite. At first you furrow your brow, then you start bouncing your head from side to side with a wry smile.

And Jeff Tweedy's voice is, more than ever, indescribably expressive and irresistably compelling. What that man can do with a single line of lyric is more than any of my former boyfriends could do with their hands. And that's even with the overwhelmingly vague lyrics of "Summer Teeth," which will linger with you and leave you pondering what the hell they mean for days. But it's the tunes, as delivered by Bennett, Tweedy and the boys, that get under your skin the most, enough to make you feel like you've taken a hit of some kind of musical heroin.

OK, so I rambled on & blew the succinct thing, but PLEASE don't cheat yourself out of the chance to own this CD. The short audio clips you can hear here on Amazon can't begin to reveal the depth and wonder of this album. It's simultaneously gorgeous and disturbing, light and heavy, dreamy and earthy, luscious and confounding. You won't hear a finer CD anywhere. Wilco are fast emerging as the musical deities of the new millenium.

This was the first Wilco album I listened to, and (cliche, I know) was quite blown away. I was giddy for three days. Now I've been a shamelessly obsessive Wilco fan for 5 years or so, and can better digest what this album represents. Take the defining alt-country band Uncle Tupelo, launch a spinoff with Tweedy as frontman, Tweedy takes over, steers the band to ever more progressive obtuse pop. This is the first album where that direction was clear: the irrevocable departure from straight ahead roots rock towards an unknown realm of experimentation (though their latest work remains unapologetically listenable, unlike much of the other stuff promulgated by the likes of Captain Beefheart). Here we still see fairly simple country based ditties, but even in these is visible the desire of Tweedy and company to get a little darker, scarier, more surreal at times. There are upbeat rockers aplenty (Shot in the Arm, Can't Stand It) but listen to the lyrics and you'll see they're well beyond boymeetsgirl. There are breezy country-rock styled riffs, but again, scratch the surface and you'll hear Jeff Tweedy singing about growing old, fighting loneliness, etc. Bonus track Candyfloss is a shameless Beach Boys raveup, pure hyperglycemic pleasure. My two favorites are quite dark: She's a Jar (somehow it's about physical abuse and pervasive disappointment, though the lyric is a bit obtuse at times)and Via Chicago (darkest imagery, powerfully presented).
Even with the breakthroughs of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost is Born (their two subsequent albums) Summerteeth remains my favorite. The next two continue to depart from the pop mainstream while remaining quite accessible; Summerteeth was closer in, more comforting, more satisfying in a very basic way.

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot got so much press, it almost seems like critics and newer fans think that it's the only worthwhile thing Wilco ever did. Maybe I'm exaggerating, but when this one came out, I don't remember it getting nearly as much attention as YHF. Now, YHF is one of my favorite albums of all time, I'd never knock it in any way. But this one is almost as good, although different. It's poppier, hookier, lyrically a bit darker, and is so full of potential radio hits that it's almost criminal that alt-rock radio stations didn't pick up on its existence. But that's the way it goes. Comparisons to the Kinks, Big Star, and the Beach Boys are correct in my mind. Power pop for the new century.

If Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is Wilco's Sgt. Pepper, Summerteeth is their Revolver. A refreshing change from their past sound, with hints of what's to come.

This album drifts away from their country-ish beginnings, and heads toward alt-pop. The heavy use of synths is a big part of the change. Some fans find this annoying, but I love it. Some of it sounds a little like early Weezer, but more complex. We start to hear some of the ambient noise stuff that is all over their next album.

Jeff Tweedy's lyrics are a blend of optimism and melancholy. He's a true original. His songs can be catchy, thought-provoking, and bittersweet.

All the comments about the album being "derivative" are a bunch of baloney. This is a great album, all compelling tracks, definitely worth the money.