It may not be the most wholly misunderstood album since Bob Dylan's Planet Waves, but as John pointed out in his Wild Mercury Sound blog yesterday, Wilco's new Sky Blue Sky has split their traditionally loyal critical fanbase.
A small bit of history, last night, that I was honoured to witness. Wilco played at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in West London, the scene of some pretty fractious shows by Jeff Tweedy - a fact which made him both self-conscious and extremely funny when he found the courage to open his mouth.
Now 77, Jimmy Martin has been a bluegrass legend since he became lead singer and guitarist in Bill Monroe's band in 1949 and helped pioneer that "High Lonesome Sound" (see This Month In Americana, p98). His story is told through archive and contemporary footage, and Martin proves to be a highly engaging raconteur, although you might wish for a little more music and fewer talking heads.
