For the month of October, I’m taking the #OctAtoZBandChallenge challenge. The premise is simple. Pick a band starting with the day’s assigned alphabet letter and then choose a song from that band.
Day 23
The Wilco catalog is massive. Part of me wishes I could take a break from work and family responsibilities so I can hide somewhere cool like the inside of an empty theater and play every single Wilco album in full. I hope that I would immerge inspired and convicted to never again solely play Yankee Hotel Foxtrot into the ground again. One of my concert buddies must’ve sensed this tendency in me and took me to see Wilco at the Beacon Theatre in NYC five years ago. The set list contained 29 songs, dipping and ducking into various eras of the band’s work. It was awe-inspiring for sure. It was the first time I heard “Impossible Germany”, and it wouldn’t be the last.
If there’s such a thing as a quintessential Wilco song, this might be it. Mid-tempo, highly melodic, and privy to moments of experimentation. While many Wilco songs contain their characteristic cacophany interludes, “Impossible Germany” took a highly unusual approach to the guitar solo. Nels Cline, on his first album with the band, brought his jazz background to the alt country agenda and surprised us with a minimalist approach. It almost feels like the guitar solo is missing notes at first, but then as we keep listening, we hear, appreciate and are blown away by the build-up.
“With no larger problems that need to be erased. Nothing more important than to know someone's listening. Now I know you'll be listening.”