A Ghost Is Born
The infectioustwangandpop hooksof Wilco's former efforts may be fading fast, butA Ghost Is Bornis still a rewarding effort that demands repeated listening. The group's fifth album extends upon the experimentalism ofYankee Hotel Foxtrotwith angular, blues-soaked guitar riffs ("At Least That's What You Said," "Hell Is Chrome"), a handful of sparse, yet catchy tunes (smack dab in the middle of the disc) that will surely keep college radio stations smiling, and a lengthy track that descends into mere static ("Less Than You Think"). Frontman Jeff Tweedy's songwriting continues to evolve: "Hummingbird" is a dreamyRandy Newman-styled love song; "The Late Greats" is a sly ode to the world of pop tacked onto the end of the album (as if using such a fun song on this understated disc was an afterthought). Meanwhile, producer extraordinaireJim O'Rourkemanages to make the most complicated arrangements here sound minimalist and laid-back. All told, it's another great addition to the Wilco canon.--Jason Verlinde