Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

About

Wilco’s fourth record was already legendary even before it was officially released in April 2002. Over the course of their prior album, the Chicago group had gradually drifted from their formative alt-country sound, but <i>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</i> catapulted them into another sonic universe entirely. A product of frontman Jeff Tweedy’s budding friendship with avant-rock figurehead Jim O’Rourke, who mixed the record, <i>Yankee Hotel Foxtrot</i> corrupted Wilco’s heartland serenades with industrialized clamor, buzzing distortion, and shortwave frequencie. The album’s anti-commercial ethos led to a highly publicized break with the band’s label, Reprise Record, causing its release to be held up for months (during which Wilco took the then-radical move of streaming the album for free on their website). And by the time they landed at their new home, Nonesuch, Wilco were a new band: Original drummer Ken Coomer and Tweedy’s longtime creative foil Jay Bennett were out; experimental percussionist Glenn Kotche was in. .

via Apple Music

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