Wilco: Being There (Deluxe Edition) LP

Motivated by leader Jeff Tweedy’s desire to improve on his band’s debut A.M. and informed by numerous life circumstances—the birth of his first child, a recent marriage, a new mortgage, and a decision to quit smoking pot—Being There begins a cycle of creativity and ambition in Wilco’s career that has yet to let up. Far more mature and advanced than anything Tweedy and Co. had done before, the eclectic double album finds the group moving beyond straightforward country-rock and embracing a gambit of styles that encompass power-pop, romantic balladry, barroom-brawling rock, and immersive psychedelia. A journey that is ultimately about finding solace in rock n’ roll, Being There is a seminal record in every sense. The album has only bettered with the passage of time.

Jay Bennett, a guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who joined the band before the recording sessions, is also largely responsible for the artistic growth. His keen pop sensibilities and keyboard playing expand Wilco’s core rootsy sound, while Tweedy pushes himself as a songwriter. Introspective, surreal, and personal, tunes such as the explosive “Misunderstood” and meditative “Hotel Arizona” signal the arrival of a singular talent coming to terms with his own anxiety, restlessness, and dreams. And the band is up to the challenge. In addition to blending myriad sounds, Wilco gets more comfortable with the studio and adorns several arrangements with horns, strings, and hand claps.

To preserve the music’s spontaneous feel and accentuate the dynamic contrasts, Wilco practiced, rehearsed, and recorded one song a day. Nothing is overthought or overly polished. The production reflects these decisions. Sonics are warm, organic, loose, and noticeably real. It’s no wonder that Tweedy successfully convinced Reprise to release Being There as a double album and sell it for the price of a single disc. To help make it happen, he personally volunteered to take a decreased royalty rate in exchange for the unconventional pricing and resultant revenue losses. Tweedy’s gamble paid off. And how.